An ESG aligned Global Gender Equity Model for creating equitable corporate and government organisations

Abstract

Living in the 21st century does not necessarily mean that men and women are treated fairly and respectfully regarding their respective needs and thus in a gender equitable way. On the one hand, women still do three times the amount of unpaid care work, earn 18% less for the same work, make up the minority of C-Suite Level leaders with only 22% compared to 78% of men (which has become even worse due to the Covid-19 Pandemic) and have to deal with issues such as the glass ceiling or glass cliff which prevent their careers from flourishing, to name a few issues. On the other hand, studies by experts conducted in the field of gender equity have shown that women were rated as more effective leaders during and before a crisis, that female participation in the workforce could add between 12-18 trillion dollars to global GDP and increase profits of companies whilst reducing turnover rates and improving productivity as well as employee satisfaction, therefore potentially benefitting society as a whole. To understand why the world has not become gender equitable yet despite the many benefits it would provide, the research conducted in this paper includes academic primary and secondary research, an international literature review, 13 individual interviews with top level managers and/or diversity, equity and inclusion experts (DEI) as well as a global survey with 66 respondents. The results led to the conclusion that there is a need for a shift away from the patriarchal system towards a gender equitable society, which can be achieved with the help of the Global Gender Equity Model (GGEM). The GGEM is a new conceptual model for understanding and describing the implementation of the factors that create gender equitable nations. It is based on four socioeconomic pillars (People, Economy, Education, Governance) aligned with ESG (Environment, Social Governance) criteria adopted by private and public organizations. The four pillars of the GGEM model blend the traditional corporate and government systems of global nations with the current need for individual and collective accountability, collaboration as well as transparency and free flow of information. These pillars were found to be associated with equitable environments and can be seen as both interdependent and positively reinforcing of each other. This means the relative strength of any one pillar has the potential to either positively or negatively influence national gender equity. The GGEM uses the principles behind these pillars to develop and deliver an assessment tool and guidelines that are holistic in their approach to help transform nations from their current inequitable state. The model has been developed to benefit any organization by enacting some or all of these principles no matter their location or the path selected to achieving true gender equity. The integration of the GGEM model with the ESG index has been designed to incentivise the adaptation of the model towards achieving faster and higher organizational ESG scoring. The paper also presents the limitations of the model at its current stage and areas of further research which can support it with technologies and processes that can give adaptation efficiency and implementation consistency.

Keywords: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, ESG, People, Economy, Society, Education, Governance, Management, Leadership, Gender, Equality

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001524