Gender reporting multi-stakeholder workshop: Washington, DC, USA
April 24, 2009

On Friday, April 24, 2009, a multi-stakeholder workshop took place in Washington, DC. The workshop was attended by 30 participants representing women business organizations, women research centers, NGOs, sustainability reporting and sustainable investment organizations, international organizations, and donors. Objectives of the session were to:

• gather views of the participants on what gender issues that should be addressed and why
• gain insight from participants on how to report on the issues identified
• get feedback on specific gender reporting metrics

Similar to the London, Johannesburg, São Paulo and New Delhi workshops, feedback gathered during the sessions will be incorporated in a Gender and Reporting Resource Document, which will help guide organizations with gender and sustainability reporting.

To kick off the discussion, participants were presented with a variety of terms by which to categorize gender issues:

Participants agreed that their priority categories are:

• Gender Equality and Workplace
• Gender Equality and Corporate Governance and Values
• Gender Equality and the Supply Chain
• Gender Equality and the Community

In addition to presentations by the GRI and IFC facilitators, the Calvert Group which created the first voluntary codes to advance the status of women (Calvert Women's Principles) gave a presentation with a focus on the business case for investors. In addition, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) presented on their ongoing gender mainstreaming, monitoring and reporting efforts.

» London, England
(December 1-2, 2008)

» Johannesburg, South Africa
(December 10, 2008)

» São Paulo, Brazil
(March 5, 2009)

» Delhi, India
(March 24, 2009)

» Washington, DC, USA
(April 24, 2009)

» Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
(October 27, 2009)

Resources

Global Reporting Initiative

IFC's efforts to address gender issues

Wikigender

Voice your ideas on gender and reporting

Private Sector Development Blog on Gender

GRI Practitioner's Network

Are you interested in the issue of gender and sustainability reporting? Contact GRI to join GRI's practitioner network on the issue.

This initiative is made possible in part through funding from Germany, Iceland and Switzerland.