Call to Action:
Diversity and Inclusion
at the Center of Business Leadership

The 2019 International Labour Organization (ILO) Report on Women in Business and Management: The Business Case for Change concluded that gender diversity can improve organizational performance by adopting diversity and inclusion initiatives that are quantifiable, factual, and evidence-based.

We, in the business community, believe that gender diversity and inclusion must be embedded in our business strategy as it will yield optimum and sustainable benefits to our business.

We have come together to adopt and commit to a culture of strategic change to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace as it will give companies the competitive edge in terms of attracting and sustaining the best talent in the market.

We call for inclusive progress that is LEADERSHIP-DRIVEN, ENCOMPASSING, MEASURABLE, DECENT, EQUITABLE, AND ATTAINABLE.

As business leaders, we recognize that change should be led from the top and be driven from within.

• Targets and timelines should be set for workplace gender equality in the talent pipeline across the organization.
• Boards and senior management should actively promote diversity, inclusivity, and gender equality through responsive policies and programs within and outside the organization to accelerate business sustainability, efficiency, and innovation.

As individuals and professionals, we put value in the human aspect of work, emphasizing that “soft” skills are equally important as technical skills, and that the workplace extends to other spheres of life.

• Innovative practices such as flexible work should be advanced as we move into the new business environment.
• The multiple responsibilities of individuals for the family and community should be recognized, notwithstanding the existing gender norms and stereotypes that affect how we influence and treat ourselves and one another.

As an organization committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, we consider diversity as more than a binary concept, which is a commitment and a common understanding across the workplace, home, and broader community.

• Organizational directions and company policies should be based on credible and comparable data in order to undertake effective and useful interventions.
• Employees should be protected against all forms of harassment and provided with safe spaces that will enable them to grow and thrive.
• Equivalent work by all genders should be provided with equal pay, following the principles of fairness and justice.
• Policies which promote equilibrium between personal and professional life should be supported to allow equal sharing of care and domestic work within households.

We all commit to prioritize diversity and inclusion strategies throughout our organizations, beginning with the Boards of Directors, CEOs, management, and employees.

We invite the entire business community to heed this call.

Manila, Philippines - 23 September 2020

Signatories:

• International Labour Organization (ILO)
• Investing in Women (IW)
• Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE)
• Philippine Women’s Economic Network (PhilWEN)
• Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP)
• Women Inter-Industry Network (WIN)