USAID’s Engendering Industries Overview Presentation

Women are dramatically underrepresented in leadership roles, with only a small percentage holding executive positions. Occupational segregation is also a significant issue, with women concentrated in certain industries and occupations. Research has shown that companies with more gender-diverse executive teams tend to outperform those with less diverse teams. For example, the top 20 most gender-diverse utilities significantly outperformed the bottom 20 in terms of return on equity. Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams are 21 percent more likely to experience above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile. Additionally, companies in male-dominated sectors that have gender-diverse executive leadership teams are 47 percent more profitable. Engendering Industries works to address other common workplace barriers that prevent women from advancing in the workforce, including organizations implementing "one-off" gender equality initiatives that are not comprehensive or transformational. Other barriers include focusing exclusively on the number of women compared to men, benevolent sexism, and a lack of male engagement. The initiative aims to increase capacity, leadership skills, and knowledge to implement change management approaches and adopt gender-equity policies, practices, and strategies across the employee life cycle. The theory of change underlying Engendering Industries involves engaging and committing male and female leaders and employees to strategically prioritize gender-equitable practices and workplace culture. Expected results include empowered women, increased gender equality, improved company performance, and strengthened, resilient industries. By promoting a culture of inclusivity and addressing the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions, Engendering Industries aims to create a more equitable and productive workforce.