IFC and PBC Announce Gender Diversity Award Winners at the Fifth “Employer of Choice” Event

Karachi, Pakistan, September 3, 2026: The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, today announced the winners of the 5th IFC-PBC Employer of Choice Gender Diversity Awards; an initiative that recognises private sector companies leading efforts to advance gender diversity, inclusion, and women's economic participation in Pakistan. The awards, which aim to improve economic opportunities for women, are jointly organised by PBC and IFC.  This year's top award went to Jazz (Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited), while Engro Polymer & Chemicals Limited and Interloop received second and third place, respectively. In the banking category, HBL received first place, while Bank al Falah and Standard Chartered Bank Limited received second and third place.

Since its launch in 2021, the Employer of Choice Gender Diversity Awards have encouraged companies across Pakistan to strengthen gender diversity policies, improve disclosure practices, and build more inclusive workplaces. The awards recognize private sector employers committed to empowering women in the workplace by implementing gender diversity policies and publicly disclosing this information to encourage others to do the same. Companies are assessed based on gender principles outlined in a Gender Diversity and Disclosure Scorecard, which includes indicators such as promoting gender equality at leadership and policy levels; addressing gender pay gaps; creating an optimal workplace culture; and providing mentorship and coaching for women employees, among others. "By putting together a toolkit for changing corporate culture to make women feel safe in the business space, we are encouraging women to rise through the ranks on merit," remarked Senator Sherry Rehman in her keynote address.

“Inclusive and sustainable economic growth can only be realised when women enjoy the same opportunities and rights in the workplace as men,” said Ziad Bashir, Chairman, Pakistan Business Council. “The Gender Diversity Awards have been key in incentivising companies in Pakistan to empower their women employees, paving the way for stronger business performance, improved talent attraction and retention, and greater investor confidence.”

The event also marked the completion of the IFC-PBC Climate2Equal Initiative, an 18-month peer-learning collaboration that helped companies implement gender-inclusive, business-led climate action. Eleven companies committed to strengthening women’s roles in shaping and implementing corporate climate strategies. Wafi Energy placed first, Mobilink Microfinance Bank second, and Artistic Milliners and HUBCO jointly third.

"The business case for advancing women into leadership and decision-making roles is clear. When firms implement and publicly disclose gender diversity policies, they create greater transparency and accountability while encouraging broader adoption of good practices across the corporate sector," said Javed Kureishi, CEO of the Pakistan Business Council. "The 5th cycle of the awards demonstrates a growing commitment by leading companies to advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies. Congratulations to all  the participating companies for their commitment to gender equality and demonstrating what and inclusive workplace  looks like in practice."

“Our challenge is to deliver inclusive and sustainable growth that creates more and better jobs. Achieving this requires unlocking Pakistan’s full talent potential and enabling more women to participate and thrive in the workforce,” said Simon Andrews, IFC Division Director for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia. “We salute the winners of the IFC-PBC Gender Diversity Awards. Our ambition is to work with industry to build a future where attracting, retaining, and advancing talented women is not the exception, but the standard across every workplace.”

The IFC-PBC Gender Diversity Awards are part of a broader effort aligned with the World Bank Group's Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan, which places women's economic empowerment and private sector-led growth at its core. As more companies embrace these commitments, the awards stand as a testament to what collective action can achieve in building a more equitable and resilient economy.

About PBC

The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) is a business policy advocacy platform, established in 2005 and now supported by over 100 of the largest private-sector businesses and conglomerates, including multinationals.  Its main objectives are to create a business environment for sustainable growth of jobs, exports and self-sufficiency, especially in food products. It also works to promote formalization of the economy.