Washington, D.C., March 8, 2017—
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is joining 43 stock exchanges around the world in a global initiative to “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” -- a partnership that highlights how the private sector can spur women’s participation in the economy.
Stock exchanges from Amman, Buenos Aires, Dhaka, to Nairobi, New York and Yangon are participating, ringing opening or closing bells to mark International Women’s Day.
“Evidence from stock exchanges around the world demonstrates that listed companies with women representation on boards outperform those without. IFC welcomes the unified and powerful voice that stock exchanges add to advocating for equal gender representation on companies’ boards as a smart business strategy,” said Ethiopis Tafara, IFC Vice President for Sustainability and Integrity Risk and General Counsel.
IFC believes that women—as consumers, employees, business leaders, and entrepreneurs—have the potential to transform the global economy, supporting job creation, raising per-capita incomes, and promoting sustainable development. IFC works with companies in developing countries to generate opportunities for women while also contributing to companies’ bottom lines, productivity, and growth.
“No country can afford to lose half its talent pool. When female employees are unable to realize their full economic potential, businesses, communities, and economies are affected” said Irene Arias, IFC Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, who did the bell-ringing honors for IFC at the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.
By leveraging our relationship with about 1,000 financial institutions and private equity funds, we help expand access to finance for women entrepreneurs. Almost 30 percent of IFC nominee directors are women.
About IFC
As a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our six decades of experience to create opportunity where it’s needed most. In FY16, our long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $19 billion, leveraging our capital, expertise and influence to help the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
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