Business Leadership for an Inclusive Economy: Women’s Empowerment in Japan and Southeast Asia

Date and Time

June 1, 2015
9:30 am-12:00 pm

Location

Tokyo

Topic

Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Join us for a BSR Connect event in Tokyo to explore how the private sector can help build an economy more inclusive of women through good jobs, access to essential goods and services, and investments for prosperous communities.

The International Labour Organization has stated that 48 percent of women’s economic potential remains unutilized in the global economy. And in a 2013 report, the International Monetary Fund found that closing gender gaps in employment would increase GDP by 9 percent in Japan. Ensuring that women are fully participating in the economy is crucial for business success and long-term growth.

Our event in Tokyo will center on how to drive the full economic participation of women, a major focus of BSR’s inclusive economy initiative. We will highlight how business is already tackling these issues—and explore opportunities for collective action. Companies can expect to take away key lessons in how to drive change through their direct operations, supply chains, and as actors in the broader economic environment.

The agenda will feature:

• An introduction to BSR’s new research on Business Leadership for an Inclusive Economy led by BSR Director Racheal Meiers.
• A panel with leaders from public and private sectors to share lessons about supporting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Japan.
• A panel discussion on women’s and local communities' empowerment in Asia through access to essential information, goods, and services in supply chains and business operations.

BSR member companies from multiple industries and select partners from non-member companies, civil society, philanthropies, and other sectors will be in attendance.

The event will be in English and Japanese, with consecutive interpretation.