Candice Stevens (Sustainable Development Consultant, France) emphasizes that it is in companies' economic interest to pay more attention to women.

I am Candice Stevens, the former Sustainable Development Advisor of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France. I have worked mostly with governments to promote their sustainable development strategies and sustainability reporting.

Gender is extremely important. We have done studies in the OECD that show that making better use of women will contribute to economic growth, environmental sustainability and social welfare — whether in rich or in poor countries. And this is why gender reporting by companies is so important. The main obstacle I see is the lack of good economic analysis and good data that will prove to these companies that it is in their economic interest to pay more attention to women.