Advancing gender equality and women's empowerment: Target-setting guidance for banks

Banks have a vital role to play in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in their various roles as employers, financiers, financial services providers, purchasing of goods and services and participants in the broader economic, political and social ecosystem. 

This guidance, published jointly by UN Women and UNEP FI, equips banks with guidance on prioritizing gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community. Based on the Women’s Empowerment Principles and the Principles for Responsible Banking, the guidance includes a holistic framework for action, indicators to track progress, checklists to review current practices and banks' emerging practices. It aims to enable banks to: 

• Prioritize women’s empowerment as a cornerstone of and pathway to gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community.
• Establish a holistic understanding of the ways banks can advance gender equality and women’s empowerment with their value chains and ecosystems.
• Set targets, track progress and establish transparent and accountable reporting practices to ensure gender equality goals are met, in alignment with global standards;
• Act as advocates for gender equality, accelerating the alignment of financial flows with SDG 5, setting new standards within the financial industry. 

More specifically, the guidance shares how banks - using their workplace policies and practices, business strategies and portfolios, as well as financial products and services - can foster healthy and prosperous societies for all.