HeForShe launches pilot initiative on economic inequality
Four months since her UN address, actress and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson gave another impassioned speech on gender equality, this time in the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Watson told the audience of the overwhelming response and support received for the HeForShe campaign since her speech in New York. Watson went on to announce the launch of a new HeForShe initiative called IMPACT 10x10x10.
“Impact 10x10x10 is about concrete commitments to change. The visibility of these commitments and the measurability of them too,” Watson said after raising questions that aim to challenge how corporate leaders view gender equality in their companies. This one year pilot effort by HeForShe aims to engage corporations, governments, and universities.
“The HeForShe IMPACT Initiative puts responsibility for change right where it matters and spotlights leaders who make it happen. The founding Champions from industry and government will pave the way for others to join in, using the pilot initiatives to streamline decision-making on relevant and successful activities,” announced UN Women Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. A few of the founding Champions include Paul Polman, CEO and Chairman of Unilever, and President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone.
Amidst all the excitement surrounding the IMPACT Initiative amongst the world’s elite, much discussion on the low number of women attendees in Davos have garnered attention. Of the 2,500 participants, only 17 per cent were women. With social equality as one of this year’s main focus, this annual meeting has often failed to amplify women’s voices in discussing opportunities for inclusion.
Associate professor of Strategic Management at the University of St. Gallen, Omid Aschari asked, “Where are the women at Davos?”
In his Guardian article of the same name, Aschari emphasized how the annual World Economic Forum reflects the reality of women in the workforce. In addressing how gender gap is systematically linked to the health of whole economies, Aschari wrote, “There is still a considerable gender gap in corporate boardrooms around the globe. Research by Catalyst shows that in 2013, women held not even 17 per cent of corporate board seats. Just 14.6 per cent of executive officers were women, and 4 per cent of these were CEOs. A similar gap can be seen in comparable public positions. Failing to include more women affects business results, employee engagement and innovation.”
HeForShe’s pilot initiative is not only timely, but also appropriate in its aim to engage top global leaders to serve as exemplar instruments for gender equality and women’s empowerment.