Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and therefore also half of its potential. But gender inequality persists everywhere and stagnates social progress.

Investing in women’s empowerment provides the critical leverage required to advance gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth.

As employer, financier, financial services provider and participant in the broader economic, political and social ecosystem, banks have tremendous power to influence gender equality and women’s empowerment.

For this reason, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) launched during its 2024 Global Roundtable, guidance co-authored with UN Women on Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: Target Setting Guidance for Banks.

In line with the commitment banks have made by signing the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) – the world’s foremost sustainable banking framework through which more than 50% of the global banking sector works to build a more sustainable future – this new work is designed to support the significant role banks have in closing the gender gap. It provides clear, actionable steps for banks to prioritise women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community.

Through the inclusion of a holistic framework for action, metrics to track progress, checklists, indicators and case studies, the guidance aims to enable banks to:

• Prioritise women’s empowerment as a cornerstone of and pathway to gender equality
• Establish a holistic understanding of the ways banks can advance gender equality and women’s empowerment across its value chain
• 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.

When banks align financing with gender equality objectives, they create more inclusive and healthy economies and better position themselves to more resilient and to tap into new markets, customer segments and previously unmet demand – to the betterment of people of all genders. Banks that foster a gender-responsive work environment can also benefit from higher employee retention rates and reduced costs associated with staff turnover or attrition. Download the guidance here.

Download Repository Documents here:

• Checklist for Banks: Gender-responsive Financial Health Strategy
• Checklist for Banks: Gender Data Management
• Checklist for Banks: Portfolio Shift – Gender Analysis
• Checklist – Gender-inclusive Leadership and Workplace Policies and Practices
• Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment Indicator Database

Translated Resources

Spanish:

• Guía sobre Igualdad de Género de UNEP FI y ONU Mujeres: “Avanzando la igualdad de género y el empoderamiento de las mujeres: Guía para el establecimiento de metas en bancos“
• Listas de verificación e indicadores para evaluar las prácticas actuales del banco:
  • Base de datos de indicadores sobre igualdad de género y empoderamiento de las mujeres
  • Lista de verificación para bancos: estrategia de salud financiera con enfoque de género
  • Lista de verificación para bancos: gestión de datos de género
  • Lista de verificación para bancos: cambio de portafolio – análisis de género
  • Lista de verificación para un liderazgo y entorno laboral con perspectiva de género