Recommended actions include the following:
- Signing the CEO Statement of Support for the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs); promoting gender equality in their workforce
- Introducing gender equality standards and supporting gender-equality themed investment products
- Providing guidance, training, mentoring, and education to market participants on gender equality and the role of gender diversity in business performance
- Encouraging or requiring listed companies to publicly report on relevant gender metrics
The annual Bell Ringing events are the most global initiative that WE does each year offering a unique opportunity to welcome WE leadership teams, members and corporate sponsors to hear speakers presenting the business case for diversity and women’s economic empowerment. Members of Women in ETFs will be involved in bell ringing events at over 20 exchanges in the United States, Canada, EMEA and in Asia Pacific and are leading the activities at 18 events.
Women in ETFs is the first women’s group strictly for the ETF industry. Founded in January 2014, WE is a non-profit organization that brings together over 4,700 members, including women and men, in chapters in major financial centers across the United States, Canada, EMEA and Asia Pacific.
International Women’s Day comes just as a Bank of America-Merrill Lynch reported said that an increase in women equality could help boost global gross domestic product (GDP) by 31 percent or $28 trillion by the year 2025. The report also suggested that $72 trillion of financial assets will be under the control of women by 2020, which represents double the 2010 level and a rate that is 1.5 times faster than men.
“The economic gender gap is reducing at a snail’s pace,” the report said. “Our analysis suggests women diversity can boost [return on equity], profits, dividends and market cap, at a lower risk.”
Click here to view the list of participating exchanges and partner organizations.
For more market trends, visit ETF Trends.