SSE launches Gender Equality work with IFC
13 July 2021
The United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative is launching a new workstream to support exchanges in their efforts to foster gender equality. The SSE’s Partner Exchanges and key stakeholders are invited to participate in the SSE Gender Equality Advisory Group. The new workstream will examine the contribution exchanges can make toward SDG target 5.5: ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making in political, economic, and public life, as well as the gender-specific targets under the other 16 SDGs.
This project is born out of stakeholder demand for the SSE to update its 2017 guidance on How Stock Exchanges Can Advance Gender Equality. This new workstream builds on the research presented in the SSE’s analysis of the state of gender equality in G20 markets published earlier this year on International Women’s Day. In addition to exchanges, the SSE invites securities regulators, investors and other members of the SSE network to participate in this workstream.
The SSE Gender Equality project is being conducted in collaboration with IFC, a long-standing SSE supporter, building on the formal collaboration established between the SSE and IFC at the 2018 World Investment Forum. The SSE Gender Equality Advisory Group has as Chair the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
How to join the SSE Gender Equality Advisory Group
The Gender Equality Advisory Group is open to SSE Partner Exchanges, Observers, and key stakeholders (including members of the SSE’s Regulator, Investor and Corporate Working Groups). The goal of this Advisory Group to update our 2017 guidance on How Stock Exchanges Can Advance Gender Equality. If you would like to join the SSE Gender Equality Advisory Group, please contact us at info@SSEinitiative.org.
The work of this advisory group will run from July 2021 to March 2022 and the output will be launched on International Women's Day.
What’s next?
The SSE held a brainstorming webinar on Tuesday 27 July 2021 to discuss and get feedback on this new project. More details here. About the SSE
The SSE initiative is a UN Partnership Programme organised by UNCTAD, the UN Global Compact, UNEP FI and the PRI. The SSE’s mission is to provide a global platform for exploring how exchanges, in collaboration with investors, companies (issuers), regulators, policymakers and relevant international organizations, can enhance performance on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage sustainable investment, including the financing of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The SSE seeks to achieve this mission through an integrated programme of conducting evidence-based policy analysis, facilitating a network and forum for multi-stakeholder consensus-building, and providing technical assistance and advisory services.
