Davos, Switzerland — Corporate strategies can empower vulnerable communities, particularly women, and drive positive change across workplaces and supply chains, says Mariarosa Cutillo, Chief of the Private Sector and Civil Society Branch at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
At an event during the World Economic Forum’s annual meet at Davos last week, titled Champions for Reproductive Justice in Business: Private Sector Action on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, UNFPA gathered the organization’s new community of champions from the private and public sector, which is committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health in the workplace and supply chains globally, one of UNFPA’s pillars.
Globally, over 190 million women are employed across supply chains, including offices, factories, farms, and packing facilities that produce clothing, goods, and food, UNFPA states.
Private sector organizations have the potential not only to influence their employees’ reproductive rights but also to use their lobbying and advocacy power to drive change among customers, suppliers, and communities. Inspiring change has been one of UNFPA’s key objectives at WEF25.
UNFPA defines reproductive rights as “human rights related to sexuality and reproduction, which have a direct impact on a woman’s participation and potential in the workplace.”
Businesses can impact the reproductive health agenda for women and girls by providing adequate maternal health support, access to family-planning information, and response to gender-based violence in the workplace.
Here are the excerpts from the TRENDS’ exclusive interview with Cutillo.
What have been the key takeaways from your engagement at WEF?
For an organization like the United Nations Population Fund, the days here have been really inspiring and driven by the importance of women’s health. We are part of the Global Alliance for Women’s Health which brings together public-private partners under one umbrella.
Last year in Davos, we launched metrics to measure how companies implement areas like parental leave and prevention of gender-based violence in the workplace. This year, we have shown how a very simple program will influence thousands of people. We launched the first group of champions for this message. These are companies that in their daily business have decided to pilot these metrics and make sure that the workforce benefits.
One of our biggest champions in the menopause environment is Bayer. They are developing programs for the women and men in their workforce to build their awareness on what menopause means. Another important championship that we launched is with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company. They are a global leader in the shipping business — usually a very male-dominated business, particularly for inland operations and for car cruises. But there is an increasing presence of women in the workforce. What we’re developing with them, has the potential to reach up to 200,000 people in the workforce globally, are programs to prevent, address, and build awareness on gender-based violence. Not only the possible gender-based violence in the workplace but also domestic violence. So creating safe spaces to discuss that and have a positive impact in communities.
We’re starting these programs in two countries in Africa, with the idea of expanding it globally and also building the awareness of consumers. Consumers who will get on an MSC Cruise will be able to see that this is a company committed to women’s rights.
We hope to be here (in Davos) next year, having even more champions and showing the purpose.
What were some of the key pillars and questions that came through from stakeholders and potential partners?
We use these events to refine our work. Questions and inputs from the audience, who usually have sensitivity to these issues, are helpful. One key area we have to work on is having policymakers championing these metrics and championing the coalition for reproductive justice in business. Because the policymakers are the ones who make policies and laws and who, at the end of the day, can really scale up the engagement.
The other takeaway from the audience is the need to have an inclusive platform of champions, involving, for example, also African, Asian, and South American companies and small and medium enterprises. How do we empower SMEs to become agents of change?
What is the next step and what new collaborations are being discussed?
Implementing the metrics in the workplace measuring and reporting on those metrics, will be, again, a ground-breaking effect because at the moment, the system of the environmental, social, and governance indicators does not contain a specific reference to those metrics. Building the practice will eventually influence these schemes. That’s the step we are taking through the championship, we are exchanging knowledge and best practices. One thing that all these companies found extremely helpful was to understand what each one of them was doing. Because, for example, there’s a whole discussion around maternal health in the workplace and what are the different nuances. Some companies perceive it in a certain way. So they must cross-fertilize each other. And for us, as a UN agency, it’s really to escalate these metrics at the highest level. We are not an auditing company, but we have a powerful convening role so we can bring actors together.
Is this your call to action?
The call to action is really for the private and corporate sectors to work with us to implement these metrics, to support us in this coalition, and to be powerful advocates. This is not about funding a program. This is much more. This is advocating and financing the global agenda for women’s health.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the importance of partnerships such as the one with Prada? How important are such partnerships to advocate your mission?
Well, the fashion industry has incredible power and outreach with a very immediate impact, particularly with the young generations. We started the partnership with Prada three years ago with conversations on inclusion and diversity. The conversation evolved into programs we are developing in different countries to empower women, particularly the victims of gender abuse, violence, child rights, and the women who are at the margins of this society. UNFPA’s presence in 150 countries allows us to work with women and implement these targeted initiatives effectively. Together with Prada, we chose a few countries and started the program of empowering women through fashion, which means that local designers and local fashion houses have collaborated through a grant provided by the Prada Group, and supported these women who are part of our programs on awareness.
Women had access to fashion design and production courses, which empowered them socially and economically. We started in Ghana, where the participants in a children’s rights program included victims of violence. Now they have their businesses. Some of them have been employed by local fashion brands, and others went back to their villages to create awareness about women’s rights. They teach other women how to design. This happened in Ghana, Kenya, and Mexico. We are now expanding these programs and looking at traditional opportunities. There is really strong and very passionate support from Prada. It’s a powerful brand. The fashion industry employs a lot of people and we can make sure that women’s rights are implemented well, including in the supply chains. We’re really investing a lot and we have great partners. On the one hand, we advocate and support communities and, on the other, our partnerships are really strengthening the workforce and strengthening women in the workforce.
Are you looking at expanding and replicating such partnerships?
Yes. This world of creativity is a world that has great potential and a very immediate way to attract the imagination of people. When you look at the imagination, then you speak to the hearts, you speak to the minds, speak to the souls. Fashion has that potential. (Edited by Hilal Mir)