We Need to Talk About Women... and Sustainability

Happy International Women's Day 2019 to all my wonderful LinkedIn followers.

Want to know why women and girls are essential to a bright future?

Let's explore a few facts and figures about the current state of global gender inequality, and about the positive impact that women and girls have been proven to have when they are given a voice and treated as equals.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and gender equality cuts across all of them.

At a time when we’re facing conflict, extremism, and environmental degradation, the SDGs focus on sustainability, equality, peace and progress. The SDGs challenge deepening inequalities around the world by committing to leave no-one behind.

The 2030 Agenda is very clear: there can be no sustainable development without gender equality.

Here are some shocking facts:

• Globally, women and girls are over-represented among the extreme poor. 330 million women and girls live on less than $1.90 per day. That’s 4.4 million more than men and boys. [1]
• Globally, 15 million girls will never get a chance to read or write. The equivalent figure for boys? 10 million. [2]
• Studies have shown that women have a smaller carbon footprint than men [3], but...
• ...Climate change has a disproportionate impact on women and children. They are 14x more likely then men to die during a disaster. [4]

And here's why we need to turn things around:

• Around the world, women’s workload is often centred on managing natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems. As a result, their experiences and perspectives are essential to sustainable development policymaking and actions at every level, for a healthy planet for generations to come. [5]
• Women are the most convincing advocates for the solutions that they need, so they should be at the forefront of decision-making on sustainable development and climate-change mitigation. [6]

Women in Business and the Effects on Corporate Responsibility

And what about women's role in the business world?

As women around the world continue to struggle to break through the glass ceiling, let's take a look at a few facts about the positive impacts women can have on businesses on the (unfortunately still rare) occasion that they do make it to Board level.

• In countries with a higher proportion of boards of directors with at least three women, the levels of CSR reporting are higher. [7]
• Boards that have a strong complement of gender diversity are expected to offer more effective monitoring of agents, as well as offer more stringent enforcement of ethical conduct, thereby minimising affects of subversion of shareholder funds that can be detrimental to their returns. Accordingly, findings confirm a positive link between women on boards and economic growth. [8]
• Because of their relational abilities, women on boards are more likely able to engage with multiple stakeholders and respond to their needs, resulting in an avenue for demonstrating social responsiveness, which is confirmed by the results. [9]

Why do I care?

Well, I’m of the mind “How could anybody not care?”, but if you want to know why gender equality is important to me, here are a few reasons.

• I have three kids: two daughters and a son. I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities in life as my son will have.
• I have dedicated my life to working in sustainability since 2010 and I have been lucky enough to work for and with some truly amazing and inspirational women, and to meet hundreds more.
• I’m fortunate enough to have been born in a wealthy western country and to have received an education. My passion for sustainability and my self-education on the topic has taught me that gender equality simply must be achieved if we want to live in peace on a healthy planet which nourishes and sustains us.

Final thoughts

Gender equality is, of course, a goal in its own right. But, as indicated by some of the facts and figures in this short post, it is also a key factor for sustainable economic growth, social development and environmental sustainability. And that’s why we must all care.

I believe that when it comes to gender equality, we are all stakeholders.

Our planet is in crisis. We need to collaborate as if our lives depend on it. Because they do.

But how can we possibly collaborate if 50% of the world’s population is marginalised?

Progress on addressing gender inequality is too slow.

We need to step it up.

Now.

#InternationalWomensDay

by Russ Avery, 8th March 2019

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Sources and further reading:

[1, 2, 4] UN Women: https://www.unwomen.org/en

[3, 5] Global Women’s Issues: Women in the World Today, Extended Version - Cate Owren

[6] Why gender equality is key to sustainable development - World Economic Forum

[7] Women on Boards: Do They Affect Sustainability Reporting? - Belen Fernandez‐Feijoo, Silvia Romero, Silvia Ruiz‐Blanco

[8, 9] Are there gender-related influences on corporate sustainability? A study of women on boards of directors - Jeremy Galbreath

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Russ Avery is a business mentor and marketing and sales consultant specialising in supporting sustainability-focused businesses. He publishes content regularly to LinkedIn and Instagram about the benefits of slow living, and shares tips on how to transition towards a zero-waste, low-impact lifestyle.