Pioneered in Latin America beginning since 2009 with the support of UNDP, the Gender Equality Seal for Public and Private Enterprises (GES) is an innovative programme engaging the private sector to achieve excellency standards to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the business world.
The GES is a tool for public and private enterprises to come together and contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular, SDGs 5, 8, 10 and 17) by reducing gender gaps and promoting gender equality and competitiveness simultaneously, for a fair, inclusive and sustainable growth.
The GES Community so far consists of fourteen countries from Latin America and the Caribbean (with eleven active programs) and more than 600 companies, with more than 1,900 branches and business units certified, impacting over 1.5 million female and male workers. Since 2016, this initiative has been undergoing a globalization reaching an additional fifteen countries which have adopted or are initiating the creation of the programme in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe & CIS and the Arab States.
Private sector plays a key role in addressing gender disparities in the business world. The programme has created a dynamic partnership between the private sector, public sector, trade unions and UNDP with a tool to develop public policy, foster constructive dialogue, invite companies to go from commitment to action and provide hard-evidence of gender mainstreaming efforts to tackle the most pressing gender inequalities.