Guidelines, Reviews and Case Studies

Feb 24, 2023

Tip Sheet: Guidance for Boards of Directors on Overseeing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment Risk

This tip sheet offers guidance to Boards of Directors on the effective governance of gender-based violence and harassment risks.

16 pages | © February 2023 IFC | Complimentary

Dec 20, 2022

The State of Gender Equality in Corporate Leadership: Market Monitors for Latin America, G20, Regional

The United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative in partnership with IFC and UN Women have produced these three market monitors to present a ranking of stock exchanges based on gender balance of issuers’ boards in Latin America, G20, and regional markets.

6 pages | © December 2022 IFC | Complimentary

Oct 28, 2022

Being Bold—Case Studies on Women's Business Leadership in Sierra Leone and Liberia

“Being Bold—Case Studies on Women’s Business Leadership in Sierra Leone and Liberia” presents four powerful examples of how women leaders in fragile markets are using their passion, intelligence, skills, and talents to transform their economies and societies.

22 pages | © November 2022 IFC | Complimentary

Oct 24, 2022

Bridging the Gap in the Arab States: Emerging Private Sector Response and Recovery Measures for Gender Equality amid COVID-19

This regional report aims to inform companies in the Arab region and around the world on practices and initiatives for supporting women leaders, employees, entrepreneurs and those in value chains to navigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

39 pages | © October 2022 IFC | Complimentary

May 13, 2022

She Matters: Women in Kazakhstan Corporate Leadership

This study examines 77% of all joint-stock companies in Kazakhstan, determining a clear correlation between gender diversity and financial and non-financial performance.

86 pages | © May 2022 IFC | Complimentary 86 pages | © May 2022 IFC | Complimentary

Mar 11, 2022

Enquête Gouvernance et Parité -- Women on Boards in Morocco

This study, the first ever in Morocco and the Maghreb region, aims to gather data on board practices in the country and raise awareness about the importance of benefits of board diversity.

11 pages | © March 2022 CFA, IFC, PwC | Complimentary

Mar 8, 2022

How Exchanges Can Advance Gender Equality -- Updated Guidance and Best Practice

In this joint report, UN SSE and IFC identify three broad areas where stock exchanges can play a role in advancing gender equality, namely the promotion of gender-focused and/or gender-aware products and services, strengthening of market performance on gender equality, and leading by example.

51 pages | © March 2022 SSE, IFC | Complimentary

Mar 8, 2022

Realizing Sustainability through Diversity: The Case for Gender Diversity Among Sri Lanka's Business Leadership

This Updated Edition of Realizing Sustainability through Diversity: The Case for Gender Diversity Among Sri Lanka's Business Leadership highlights the progress made by Sri Lankan companies in bringing more women to their boardrooms.

57 pages | © March 2022 IFC | Complimentary

Dec 10, 2021

IFC ESG Guidebook

IFC has created this guidebook as part of a broader effort to raise awareness of ESG issues among companies and investors in developing markets.

Jun 4, 2021

Sustainability Case Studies: Lessons Learned on Leading Through Crisis and Recovering Stronger

This publication features practical guidance from successful women business leaders on how companies can build their resilience. It is based on survey data, first-hand experience, and lessons learned as these women—all working in emerging markets or fragile contexts—steered their organizations through the COVID-19 crisis.

Mar 31, 2021

Guidelines on Corporate Governance for Listed Companies

The Corporate Governance Guidelines for Listed Companies are intended to raise the corporate governance standards of listed companies in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to bring them in line with regional and global standards based on the latest G20/OECD1 Principles of Corporate Governance and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Corporate Governance Scorecard.

Feb 26, 2021

Special Guidance: Disclosure and Transparency in Crisis - Increasing Resilience and Building Trust During and After COVID-19

This Special Guidance is designed to help both listed and privately-owned companies disclose what they are doing to manage the economic, environmental, and social impacts of the pandemic, using IFC’s Disclosure and Transparency Framework, which is focused on strategy, governance, and performance.

Nov 11, 2020

Disclosure and Transparency During COVID-19 – Increasing Resilience and Building Trust During and After the Pandemic

This tip sheet provides guidance for both listed and privately-owned companies on how to disclose what they are doing to manage the economic, environmental, and social impacts of the pandemic, using IFC’s Disclosure and Transparency Framework, which is focused on strategy, governance, and performance. This framework promotes the issuance of standardized corporate reports and data – and provides investors and key stakeholders with the information they need to assess company resiliency, preparedness, and continued management of material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues both during and after the crisis. It can also provide guidance for stock exchanges and regulators who are adapting their disclosure and transparency framework during COVID-19.

Apr 7, 2020

Tip Sheet for Company Leadership on Crisis Response: Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic

The publication provides company leadership tips on crisis response, from each level of a corporate structure, to ensure the best practices are adopted for short and long-term business implications.

Apr 7, 2020

Portrait of Bangladesh’s Independent Directors (March 2020)

The report is part of IFC’s efforts to recognize the skills, qualifications, and time commitment made by independent directors in Bangladesh.

Dec 3, 2019

Implementing Corporate Governance Practices - A Resource Guide for Microfinance Institutions in Myanmar

This Resource Guide for Microfinance Institutions in Myanmar is part of IFC’s efforts to support the development of a sustainable microfinance sector in Myanmar. This initiative is aligned with IFC’s Financial Institutions Group’s Global Microfinance and Digital Financial Services’ efforts to improve corporate governance for financial inclusion in the region and globally with Myanmar as a pilot country, and IFC’s Corporate Governance program in Myanmar which promotes the adoption of better governance practices in the private sector. The experience and knowledge gained through this initiative will serve to support improvements in corporate governance among microfinance institutions (MFIs) in a variety of contexts.

Oct 25, 2019

Partnering for Impact, IFC and CRMS Indonesia

With IFC’s support, Indonesia’s Center for Risk Management Studies (CRMS) has broadened delivery of its CG training programs to other countries in East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe. Going forward, CRMS Indonesia will continue to build its capacity on ESG issues as it broadens its core services into governance, compliance, and sustainability.

Oct 4, 2019

SME Governance Guidebook

This Guidebook specifically addresses the challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs at the various stages of their lifecycles, offering tailored corporate governance recommendations. The Guidebook includes the Action Planning Tool to help SME owners, investors, and managers take a pragmatic approach to governance, as a means of strengthening their businesses over the long term.

Jul 30, 2019

Women on Board in Egypt - How Gender-Diverse Boards Bring Value to Egyptian Companies

A research study on the relationship between gender diversity on corporate boards and a company’s financial performance in Egypt. The study examines the barriers to female participation on boards, highlights opportunities to increase the number of women in boardrooms and proposes recommendations on how to achieve greater gender equality in the boardroom, build a pipeline of female business leaders, and promote gender-equality practices in the Egyptian labor market.

Jul 30, 2019

Women on Board in Lebanon - How Gender-Diverse Boards Bring Value to Lebanese Companies

The study examines the current status of gender diversity, the barriers to female participation on boards and obstacles preventing optimal performance once in these positions in the corporate world. It highlights opportunities to increase the number of women in Lebanese boardrooms and proposes recommendations on how to achieve greater gender equality in the boardroom.

Jul 23, 2019

Trailblazers - Portraits of Female Business Leadership in Emerging and Frontier Markets

The publication features the inspirational personal stories of 20 female business leaders and their advice to other female professionals aspiring to top positions, and highlights the positive impact of their leadership on private sector development in emerging and frontier markets. It also provides key gender facts and data on the status of women on boards and in business leadership around the world.

Jun 27, 2019

Women on Boards in Nigeria

The report seeks to answer questions about low level of female representation on Nigerian boards, initiatives that can improve it and how these initiatives can be implemented.

Jun 20, 2019

Board Gender Diversity in ASEAN

The study advances the case that having women in business leadership positions is good for company performance, confirmed through an analysis of more than 1,000 companies in six countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Mar 28, 2019

We Lead: Five Women Who Drove Company Success in the Middle East and North Africa And How Good Corporate Governance Helped

The publication showcases current women directors from Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, and Morocco who went through various challenges to reach the leadership tier and to show how corporate governance knowledge helped them in their work.

Mar 5, 2019

The Case for Gender Diversity Among Sri Lanka’s Business Leadership

The publication makes the case for greater gender diversity on Sri Lanka’s corporate boards and in senior management by identifying a correlation between financial performance and gender diversity in Sri Lanka’s 30 largest listed companies. It also offers practical and relevant strategies to narrow the gender gap in the Sri Lankan context.