Shell in Ukraine has signed the Women’s Empowerment Principles, initiated by the UN Global Compact and UN Women. This is another step towards ensuring gender equality and investing in global movement for women’s empowerment.
Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP) are 7 principles that guide businesses on how to promote gender equality and empower women in the workplace, marketplace, and community.
“We at Shell in Ukraine are convinced that empowering women in business should move from declarations to practical steps to challenge gender stereotypes and to support female role models who combine their career growth with family life.
Our experience confirms that maintaining gender balance favourably contributes to competitive advantages. I’m pleased that with signing WEPs principles Shell in Ukraine makes a contribution to the movement for gender equality in the workplace and in society,” Peter Kerekgyarto, Director General at Shell Retail Ukraine, said.
In turn, Erika Kvapilova, UN Women Country Representative, noted: “UN Women invites the business community to work together to support gender equality and empower women, create an inclusive and equal workplace, marketplace, and support gender equality in the community. WEPs are an effective tool to foster business practices from which benefit all”.
Shell in Ukraine has already made significant progress in empowering women but we still have more work to do. At present, 50% of women hold senior positions in our Ukrainian office against a global average of 26%.
Such performance is the result of Shell’s policies aimed at building a gender-balanced organization that helps attract more women to management positions. The company is continuing this important journey towards reaching gender balance.
Globally, Shell is working to achieve 30% representation of women in our top 1,400 leaders by the end of 2021, 35% by 2025 and 40% by 2030, compared to 26.4% at the end of 2019.
About WEPs
The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) guide businesses on how to promote gender equality and empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.
Jointly established by the UN Global Compact and UN Women, the WEPs are underpinned by international labour standards and human rights and by the recognition that businesses have an important role in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Adopting the seven principles is the best way that businesses can deliver on the ambitions for gender equality and women’s empowerment as outlined in the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and in the 17 SDGs.
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