As we all look to the new year and the possibilities that lay ahead, we’ve taken a moment to reflect on the year that has been. Femeconomy‘s focus is always on creating gender equality. We know women owned and led businesses are the ones who are changing systems and structures to make a difference in society. So, we wanted to take a moment to share the practical ways we have tried to advance gender equality in 2021 through advocacy, outreach and working directly with Femeconomy members.
1. Met with every state Government and Federal Government to educate them on how women owned businesses impact women’s economic security and shared how they can implement Gender Equality Procurement Practices. The culmination of this work was presenting at a Breakfast at Parliament House in Canberra alongside Super-Rewards, Business and Professional Women Australia, Financy, National Council for Single Mothers and their Children and The 100% Project. Thank you to economic Security4Women for making this possible.
2. We are working in partnership with the Western Australian Government to pilot Gender Equality Procurement Principles through their supply chain.
3. This year we saw an increase in enquiries from Corporates wanting to include women owned businesses in their supply chains as part of their social procurement strategies. We continue to educate the business community on why it is important to trade with women owned businesses through webinars with Microsoft, Westpac, WeConnect International, EY, Global Forwarding, the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply and Diversity Practitioners Association.
4. Thank you to all our Queensland members who responded to the Queensland Government’s Women’s strategy consultation by standing alongside Femeconomy to call for at least a 5% procurement target for women owned businesses. Femeconomy have also requested the same in the Victorian consultation. The reason we have asked for at least a 5% target is because that is what was introduced by the US Government in 1994.
5. Collaborated with members on grant applications and events. Thanks to Dr Elise Stephenson, Mariam Elliott and Judith Treanor for working alongside us for the Aus-ASEAN roundtables with women owned businesses from Australia, Vietnam and Laos. Thank you to the many members who provided their insights at the roundtables.
6. Signed a Memorandum of Understanding with givvable to integrate Femeconomy certified companies of women owned and women led businesses to givvable‘s technology platform of verified suppliers, to inform corporate purchasing.
7. Nominated members for awards programs including The Order of Australia, Women in Finance, NSW Women of the Year and the Ausmumpreneur Awards.
8. Delivered the Economic Security4Women Connection Program to 10 women owned businesses in very remote, drought affected Queensland and we were lucky enough to meet many of them at the Women of the World Festival Charleville.
9. Partnered with the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman to gather more up-to-date data on women owned businesses, with a view to informing gender equality procurement principles within Federal Government.
10. Connected many Femeconomy members to trade with each other, or to collaborate in other ways, and featured many across our channels to amplify their leadership journey and their business.
11. Femeconomy is a signatory to Financy’s Economic Equality Pact 2030.
12. This month we are responding to the Workplace Gender Equality Act Review to request:
- Businesses report on gender equality procurement initiatives.
- SMEs can voluntarily report to WGEA in a simplified system, given nine out of 10 businesses in Australia are small businesses and often are more agile to advance gender equality in their workplaces
- Mandated reporting is introduced for Governments.
We cannot progress gender equality alone. Collaboration is key. Thank you for your support. We are always open to your ideas and feedback on how we can continue to create gender equality in Australia and beyond our shores.
ABOUT FEMECONOMY
You are the female economy. Whether you are a female consumer, business owner or a woman in the workforce, you can create gender equality by choosing female led brands.
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