G20 EMPOWER

The G20 Alliance for the Empowerment and Progression of Women’s Economic Representation (G20 EMPOWER) is accelerating women’s leadership and empowerment in the private sector. It does so by leveraging its inclusive and action-orientated vision and its unique partnership model, as G20 EMPOWER is the sole G20 entity that brings together over 60 business leaders and governmental representatives to advance a common goal.

Launched during the 2019 G20 Summit in Japan and established during the G20 Saudi Presidency, G20 EMPOWER includes, to date, 28 Members, including G20 and guest countries as well as the European Union. Under the Italian Presidency, held by Paola Mascaro, President of Valore D, with the support of the Italian Department for Equal Opportunities, G20 EMPOWER advocates for progress in women’s empowerment across the three cross-cutting areas of the G20 agenda for 2021, People, Planet and Prosperity, as follows:

1. Measuring to improve: it is fundamental for both governments and businesses to track progress, set goals and monitor trends in the advancement of women in leadership roles.
2. Female talents pipeline as the key to women’s leadership: it is essential to look to diversity, inclusion and equity policies and enablers to address systemic barriers surrounding the advancement of women.
3. Leading the future: it is necessary to address gaps in the availability, adoption and implementation of programs aimed at providing women with the skills and qualifications needed to meet and lead the technological, digitalization and sustainability challenges of the future.

These three priorities are being discussed during the G20 EMPOWER Plenary Meetings and through a series of high-level events, with the aim of defining the G20 EMPOWER commitments and final communiqué. The commitments are guiding the daily actions of private sector leaders across G20 countries to advance women’s leadership, and the final communiqué will be shared during the August Ministerial Conference on Women’s Empowerment and the October G20 Final Summit.

The Alliance has also built, in each of its G20 and guest countries, a network of over 400 Advocates within the private sector. These CEOs or Heads of Foundations and Associations act as supporters and promoters of the G20 EMPOWER vision, messages and pledges within their companies, their sector and their country, amplifying the impact of the Alliance’s work. Leveraging this network, G20 EMPOWER is collecting a large range of best practices that support the greater recruitment and advancement of women as business leaders, and the compilation and outcome of this effort will be a key output of the work of G20 EMPOWER under the 2021 Italian Presidency.

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