By Donor Committee on Enterprise Development. Care work, in all its forms, is a critical social good. It is essential for the provisioning of society and provides the foundation upon which our market economies function. Most care work across the world is unpaid, and its distribution is strongly gendered: more than three-quarters of all unpaid care work globally is carried out by women. A growing body of research has explored the relationship between childcare and women’s economic empowerment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The results suggest that childcare provision can improve women’s labour market outcomes across a number of measures, including employment, income, and transitioning from the informal to the formal sector. Based on these promising links, further research has sought to develop the ‘business case’ for care - focusing largely on two avenues: public investment in childcare provision and formal, employer-supported childcare. A ‘missing middle’ between these two well-documented models, of great relevance for development actors focused on promoting childcare solutions in LMICs, is about meeting the childcare needs of women micro and small enterprises (MSEs), including self-employed workers.

This report from FSA Open Policy Lab summarises gender diversity challenges in Japan’s startup ecosystem based on 19 individual interviews, discussion at a workshop, data analysis and literature review conducted by the Open Policy Lab. Three main findings in this report are as follows: Firstly, Japan needs to overcome the persistent gender inequality in the management of listed companies. While numerous measures have been in force, female leaders of the newly listed companies account for only 2%. Secondly, gender diversity in the startup ecosystem is a critical agenda from economic perspectives. Lacking in gender diversity, male-dominant companies may suffer from a variety of losses, including the impact on profitability. Third, all stakeholders in the startup ecosystem should act now to change the status quo. Investment in startups has been on the rise. If current practices remain unchanged, existing distortions would likely be maintained or even strengthened.

From IFC and We-Fi - “Across the world, women play key roles as distributors and retailers of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), however, the extent of their participation varies. This learning brief introduces how gender equality can be advanced within the distribution activities of the FMCG sector. It presents an emerging business case, the challenges, and recommendations to address these challenges. The brief is based on IFC projects in Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria, Philippines, and Sri Lanka; desk research; and interviews with market participants. The target audience comprises FMCG sales and distribution teams; FMCG sustainability teams; e-supply chain actors, including business-to business (B2B) distribution platforms; and investors seeking to accelerate gender equality.”

From Frontier Brokers and Australian Aid - “The report shares insights and process learning from design and early implementation of the Frontier Brokers’ projects. Key takeaways are included for funders, brokers, and others in the investment community who are interested in pursuing gender lens investing, and the report also includes recommendations for DFAT and other donors to pursue in promoting gender lens investing.”

As society emerges from COVID-19 into a recovery economy, questions about the future of care also emerge. What organizational and policy changes are needed to ensure that care work and caregiving is more equal and sustainable? And what research questions on the care economy remain to be investigated? To explore these lines of inquiry, the Institute for Gender and the Economy convened a virtual research roundtable on Care Work in the Recovery Economy in January and February of 2022 with support from Women and Gender Equality Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The workshop hosted over 60 scholars and practitioners from around the world who presented their cutting-edge research, identified research agendas, and discussed policy implications for the future of care. This report by Rotman Institute for Gender and the Economy highlights key policy and research insights from the roundtable.

From Equileap- This report measures gender equality in the global workplace and provides data and insight into the corporate sector. It ranks 4,000 public companies across the world across 19 criteria.

From Moxie Future: This study provides clear data that a more diverse boardroom leads ot bolder measures in addressing climate change after studying 159 global firms, some of which are the world’s biggest carbon emitting companies.

From Parallelle Finance- This report looks at 2021 in review and explores the various dynamics impacting the field of gender lens investing. It provides analyses of gender lens equity funds, DEI equity funds, and gender lens fixed income funds and vehicles.

EMERGE (Evidence-based Measures of Empowerment for Research on Gender Equality) is a project focused on gender equality and empowerment measures to monitor and evaluate health programs and to track progress on UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: To Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Girls.

From The International Labour Organisation (ILO)- “The report provides a global overview of national laws and practices regarding care policies, namely maternity protection, paternity, parental and other care-related leave policies, as well as childcare and long-term care services.”

From The International Development Research Center (IDRC)- This IDRC evidence review looks at the impact of COVID 19 on gender equality and women’s rights and makes the case for investing in child care.

From the US Department of State- This report details the first National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality from the USA and presents a comprehensive overview of the government approach.

From International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)- This is a factsheet created by IWDA on the value of care in the time of COVID-19. The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated more than ever that care work, paid and unpaid, underpins economic and social life in all societies. It is critical to sustaining society’s wellbeing, supporting people to live meaningful and healthy lives.

From The Venture Capital Accelerator- The Mensarius Oath is an ethical code of conduct for venture capitalists and other finance professionals that is designed to foster positive outcomes for humanity. The Mensarius Oath was originally developed by the Founder Institute in March of 2020 to inspire a new class of ethical investors that focus on both societal and economic returns.

From Principles for Responsible Investment- This paper outlines how and why investors can contribute to equity for all and provides the case for integrating DEI into investment and ownership decisions. It also outlines how investors can lead by example and address DEI within their own organisations.

From Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies- This guide was developed for organizations that seek to apply a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) lens to their internal data collection processes and assess and improve how they collect constituent information through tools such as alumni surveys and program evaluations.

From The GIIN- Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data from institutional asset owners along with qualitative data from asset managers and intermediaries, this research seeks to detail which strategies and mechanisms asset owners may need in place to align with asset managers to achieve impact across their portfolios. The research brief covers the nature of engagement with asset owners, challenges in pursuing impact alongside asset managers, and strategies to align impact incentives with external asset managers.

From British International Investment- This report outlines British International Investments' Gender and Diversity Finance Position for 2022-26 and their commitment to women's economic empowerment.

From The Center for Financial Planning- This report presents articles from academics and practitioners. These articles outline recommendations and lessons learned based on their research and experience with the goal of diversifying the financial planning profession. Each article addresses a different stage and component of the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) journey.

From International Journal of Finance and Economics - This article examines the relationship between gender diversity, selected female attributes, and financial performance of FTSE 100 firms in the UK. This study finds a positive and significant relationship between gender diversity and firm performance. However, the results become highly significant and unequivocal when three or more females are appointed to the board compared to the appointment of two or less females. Further analysis reveals that post-appointment financial performance is positively related to female age, level of education and where female board members also hold executive director positions.