UN Global Compact To Host Fifth Edition of Gender Equality Summit

Global Compact Network India (GCNI) - A local arm of United Nations Global Compact, New York today announced the fifth edition of its Gender Equality Summit, 2022 scheduled to be held virtually on March 10th, 2022. This edition will see participation from several leading CEOs, CXOs, Heads of Corporate organizations including Public Sector besides representatives from Academia, Civil Society and UN entities from across India and from across the world. The participants will seek for solutions and formulate corrective actions on Gender Equality & Climate Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The theme for the summit is: ‘Target 2030: Towards a Gender-Responsive Climate Commitment’ – which revolves around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its allied mechanisms and look at solutions as to how the Governments, private sector, not for-profits and communities at large can further advance the gender equality and climate change narrative by offering new and cutting-edge solutions, strategies, and policy recommendations and propose vital frameworks towards a gender-responsive climate commitment.

The participants in the summit will discuss gender-responsive approaches that go beyond sensitivities to gender differences. Women and men are experiencing climate change differently, as gender inequalities persist around the world, affecting the ability of individuals and communities to adapt. Recognizing the important contributions of women as decision makers, stakeholders, educators, careers, and experts across sectors and at all levels can lead to successful, long-term solutions to climate change.

The Summit will also see the launch of GCNI-PwC Knowledge Paper titled “Gender Equality in Climate Action: Woman at Core”, that endeavours to set a blueprint towards a gender-responsive initiatives and envisions a green economy with women as key decision makers, influencers, and initiators.

Further, in planning initiatives for climate adaptation and mitigation, the paper identifies the need to adopt a gendered lens. It also explores the co-benefits of planning a greener future with women at core. In doing so, it identifies the industries and private sector as champions in adopting gender tagged initiatives for climate adaptation.

Despite women being disproportionately affected by climate change, they play a crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Women have the knowledge and understanding of what is needed to adapt to changing environmental conditions and to come up with practical solutions. But they are still a largely untapped resource. Restricted land rights, lack of access to financial resources, training and technology, and limited access to political decision-making spheres often prevent them from playing a full role in tackling climate change and other environmental challenges. Unleashing the knowledge and capability of women represents an important opportunity to craft effective climate change solutions for the benefit of all.

“We don't have time to sit on our hands as our planet literally burns. We are the first generation to really start feeling the increasing impacts of climate change and probably the last generation who can do something significant to contain it. In this fight to protect our planet, gender justice and equality is non-negotiable as women are already facing the brunt of increasing emissions," said Vaishali Sinha, Chair UN GCNI GES 2022, Chair, ReNew Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer, ReNew Power. "The future depends on what we do in the present and the GES 2022 "Towards Gender Responsive Climate Commitment" will drive an actionable agenda on mainstreaming SDG 5 & 13 (Gender Equality & Climate Change)," Sinha added.

Key takeaways from the event will be:

• To create a platform for business and other stakeholders to dialogue on gender equality
• as a driver to achieve climate adaptation goals as targeted for 2030
• Deliberate on the Policy and implementation gaps of strategies to address the climate
• crisis in India
• Develop a common understanding on ways to mitigate the challenges and concerns with
• the active participation of women
• Exchange of good practices and innovations championed for and by women in the area
• Develop a Road Map for private sector action climate change using gender equality as
• the lens.
• Recognition of gender differences in needs, opportunities and capacities related to
• climate change.
• Equitable participation and influence by women and men in climate-related decisionmaking processes.
• Gender-equitable access to financial resources and other benefits resulting from investments in climate action.

Among the eminent personalities including Bhagwanth Khuba, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, New and Renewable Energy; Prakash Javadekar, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha; Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Chair UN GCNI GES 2022, Chair, ReNew Foundation and Chief Sustainability Officer, ReNew Power; Dr. Alka Mittal, President, UN GCNI & CMD, ONGC Group of Companies; Susan Ferguson, UN Women Representative for India, Suresh Narayanan, CMD, Nestle India; Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI); Susanne Pulverer, CEO & CSO,IKEA India, Dr. Carola Richter, President Regional Division, Asia/Pacific (excl. Greater China), BASF; Zarin Daruwala, Cluster CEO, India & South Asia markets, Standard Chartered Bank ; Ashwin Yardi, CEO, Capgemini India Ltd; Lit Ping Low, Partner-Climate and Sustainability; APAC Climate Lead, PwC; Robyn Grew, Global COO & General Counsel and Head of ESG, Head of Man Group US; Reema Nanavaty, Director, SEWA; Dr. Shalini Sarin, CoFounder & Executive Director- Elektromobilitat; Advisory Board Member AEEE& Chair Center for Clean Energy- Plaksha University; Ashwin Yardi, CEO, Capgemini India; Samir Modi, MD- Modi Enterprises; Rachana Panda, VP & Country Head Comms, PA & Sustainability (South Asia), Bayer; Prameela Kalive, COO, Zensar Technologies Ltd.; Sambitosh Mohapatra, Partner and ESG Leader, PwC India; Dr. H. Chaturvedi, Director, BIMTECH; Sandra Wu, Wen-Hsiu, Member, UN Global Compact Board, Chairperson & CEO, Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd.; Divya Sharma, Executive Director, Climate Group; Dr. Pradeep Panigrahi, Head- Corporate Sustainability, Larsen & Toubro; Raksha Agrawal, Director- Head of Talent Acquisition, India and Technology Recruiting APAC, SAP; Siddharth Vaze, Founder and Chair, The CEO’s Chair; Ann Rosenberg, Senior Vice President Sustainability Solution, Wood; Executive Sustainability Tech Advisor and Board Member; Author; Co-Founder of SDG Ambition; TEDx; Namrata Gill, Vice President (HR) , Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories; Akanksha Sharma, Global Head ESG- Social Impact, Sustainability, Governance & Policy, STL- Sterlite Technologies Ltd.

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About Global Compact Network India (GCNI)

As a United Nations Global Compact local arm, Global Compact Network India (GCNI) has been acting as a country level platform in providing a robust platform for Indian businesses, academic institutions and civil society organizations to join hands for strengthening responsible business practices. We and our members remain fully committed to the ’10 Principles of United Nations Global Compact’ in areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-corruption and the 17 ‘Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’adopted in September 2015, by all 193 Member States of the United Nations including India in order to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet. It has also emerged as the largest corporate sustainability initiative in India and globally with a pan India membership of over 500 leading business and non-business participants their commitment to the UNGC.