Women are a critical resource in facing the challenges of our global economy, both as an emerging market and as a significant pool of human talent. As government policymakers seek new means to energize growth and job creation, BIAC, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, part of USCIB’s global network, along with AmCham France and the OECD, joined together to welcome approximately 100 experts, from business, government and international organizations, to a February 2 workshop on “The Business Case for Women’s Economic Empowerment” at the OECD Conference Center in Paris.
Chaired by BIAC Chairman and USCIB board member Charles Heeter (Deloitte), the workshop provided business perspectives and best practices to the OECD Gender Initiative, a multi-disciplinary program to update indicators, analyze policy experiences and recommend good practices to achieve more gender equality in education, employment and entrepreneurship. Ronnie Goldberg, USCIB’s executive vice president and senior policy officer, participated in the workshop.
“We are fortunate to live at a time when technology, the internet and mobility enable information sharing, communications and resource allocation that can help advance gender equality,” Mr. Heeter said. “Nevertheless, despite this positive environment and past efforts over decades to advance economic empowerment of women, progress has been slow. Today’s workshop was an important opportunity for business to contribute to OECD efforts to accelerate change on this issue.”
U.S. Ambassador to the OECD Karen Kornbluh and OECD Deputy Secretary General Yves Leterme thanked BIAC and AmCham for the initiative of organizing the workshop, highlighting the importance of business perspective in effective policy development.
“By focusing on ‘the how, not the why’ for creating economic opportunity for women, BIAC’s business workshop has greatly assisted the United States and other OECD member countries in our efforts to show that countries can increase equity and growth by harnessing women’s talents, innovation and leadership,” Ambassador Kornbluh stated.
Staff contact: Ronnie Goldberg
