Gender equality is one of the guiding principles of the 2030 Agenda. Setting clear and specific targets for the advancement of gender equality presents an opportunity for banks to align their portfolios with society’s goals as set out in international frameworks such as the Beijing Declaration and Sustainable Development Goal 5 (gender equality) as well as national or regional frameworks that may provide more details of a country’s goals and strategy for contributing to, and advancing, gender equality.
A core part of the work of our Social and Human Rights team is to provide guidance and assistance to members on meeting gender targets and indicators. UNEP FI’s Guidance on Gender Equality Target Setting provides practical example of how to set a target in retail banking and measures for banks to ensure that gender-sensitive practices and processes are embedded within their organisation.
In 2023, UNEP FI is preparing to launch a database of gender targets and indicators, as well as a set of relevant resources to help our members.