Gender Toolkit Builder

TOOL SUITE 1 | INCREASING GENDER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FROM THE WORKFORCE TO THE BOARDROOM
OVERVIEW: Tools to Increase Gender Diversity and

Inclusion in Infrastructure Operations
Why should companies care about increasing representation of women in their workforces?
Can gender diversity make a difference in the services they provide and their bottom lines?
While the infrastructure sectors have traditionally been male dominated, this section
highlights the myriad benefits of increasing women’s representation in the water, cities,
power, and transport sectors across the board, senior management, and workforce. The
evidence points to increases in efficiency, innovation, and quality of service delivery where
companies have greater gender diversity.
At present, much work still needs to be done to realize these benefits across all
infrastructure sectors. Globally, female participation in the renewable energy workforce
remains low at 32%1, with only 28% of technical roles held by women.2 In the conventional
energy workforce, the IEA estimates the figure to be even lower, at just 22%.3 For power
sector senior management positions, the numbers shrink still further (15% of such roles
are held by women), while the portion of women on the boards of power and utility
companies globally is only 6%.4 A World Bank study found that women make up only 18%
of the water and sanitation workforce globally. The same story plays out in the transport
sector: in Latin America, for instance, the participation of women in the construction and
operations of transport systems does not exceed 15% of the labor force in the sector,
even though women represent 50% of the total labor force in the region.5
Female participation in the The IEA estimates female participation in the

renewable energy workforce, conventional energy workforce even lower
global average
AT JUST 22%.
32%
ONLY 15% of power sector senior
management positions are held by women,
while the portion of women on the boards
of power and utility companies globally is
WOMEN ONLY 6%.
1 IRENA Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective. IRENA: Abu Dhabi, 2019, 10.
2 Ibid, 10.
3 IEA, Energy and Gender: A Critical Issue in Energy Sector Employment and Energy Access, cited Feb 12, 2021.
4 EY, Could Gender Equality be the Innovation Boost Utilities Need? 2019.
5 IDB, Relationship between Gender and Transport, 2016.
4 ENGINEERING INCLUSIVITY:
INFRASTRUCTUREFOR EVERYONE
Benefits of Increased Gender Diversity and Inclusion on Boards
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Improved board performance: At the
board level, EY found that utilities with a Increasing gender diversity
larger share of women board directors on boards is correlated
have a higher return on equity than
with improved company
those with less diversity.6 Increasing
gender diversity on boards is correlated performance, profitability,
with improved company performance, and rising investor confidence.
profitability, and rising investor confidence.7
Boards themselves perform better when they are more gender diverse. Studies show
more gender-diverse and inclusive boards are more accountable, better governed, and
operate more collaboratively. One recent study found a “positive significant effect” on
ESG reporting when women account for 22-50% of board members.8 A 2020 study in
Jordan found that companies with greater board diversity were more likely to comply
with corporate good governance practices and engage in CSR activities and reporting.9
This performance difference may stem from the differences in men’s and women’s
leadership styles, and/or from different ways in which women and men come to hold
board positions. While men are often hired through social networks that are formed in
academic, social, and professional settings, women have historically lacked access to
these networks. Embeddedness in, and accountability to, such networks may make men
less likely to hold colleagues accountable or confront them for performance issues, while
women may have fewer reservations.10
This not only illustrates the importance Ensuring that the underlying
of enhancing board diversity, but also of
increasing transparency and widening
systems of elitism and exclusion
the scope and methodologies for board themselves change, not only the
candidate recruitment searches. Ensuring gender of those present in them,
that the underlying systems of elitism and
exclusion themselves change, not only will help to create companies
the gender of those present in them, will with a culture of meritocracy,
help to create companies with a culture of
equality, and accountability.
meritocracy, equality, and accountability.
6 Inka Schomer and Alicia Hammond, Stepping Up Women’s STEM Careers in Infrastructure: An Overview of Promising Approaches,
ESMAP Paper. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2020. 12.
7 Catalyst, Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter: Quick Take. 2020. Cited Feb 12, 2021.
8 Buallay, A, Hamdan, R, Barone, E, Hamdan, A. Increasing female participation on boards: Effects on sustainability reporting.
Int J Fin Econ. 2020; 1– 14.
9 Amer Al Fadli, John Sands, Greg Jones, Claire Beattie, and Dom Pensiero, Board Gender Diversity and CSR Reporting:
Evidence from Jordan, Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 13(3), 2019, 29-52.
10 Rebecca Walberg, “How to Improve Boardroom Diversity without Resorting to Quotas and Tokenism?” Financial Post,
October 6, 2014.
Increased attractiveness of the sector to women: There is a positive correlation
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between the number of women at the board level in an industry and how attractive
women find that industry. Having more women on the board can thus help companies
reap the benefits of greater gender diversity.11 This may be because of the presence and
availability of women mentors, and because women feel greater potential for recognition
and advancement when the example of gender diversity is set publicly and prominently
at the board level.12 It may also be because women on boards can be instrumental in
steering company culture and operating practices to become more welcoming to those
from non-diverse backgrounds.
Increased investor interest and growing requirements for gender-diverse boards:

Increasingly, global investors are requiring companies to be more transparent in showing
their efforts to build gender-diverse boards and in disclosing gender-related information.
Since 2010, the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Council has
called on companies to outline their boards’ gender objectives, progress towards these
objectives, and the proportion of female board directors and senior managers in annual
reports, or to provide an explanation for why this information is missing. By 2019, the
proportion of women on the boards of ASX 200 companies had reached the council’s
voluntary 30 percent goal.13 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) now
requires companies to disclose whether and how directorships consider diversity among
nominees, and, going further, as of December 2020, the NASDAQ is requesting approval
to ask its listing companies to disclose more specific diversity statistics regarding the
composition of their boards of directors.14
The Value of More Gender Diversity in Senior Management

As with more gender-diverse boards, there
are a number of reasons for companies The bottom line, according
to work towards greater diversity among to Dow Jones: “A company’s
senior managers. A report by EY found that
utilities with more women in leadership odds for success increase
ranks performed better than their peers. Its with more female executives
analysis showed that “the top 20 utilities for
at the vice president and
gender diversity, with a combined average
return on equity (ROE) of 8.5%, significantly director levels.”
11 Center for Women in Politics and Public Leadership, “The Pathway Forward: Creating Gender Inclusive Leadership in Mining
and Resources,” Ottawa: Carlton University, 2012, 30.
12 American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in France and BIAC, “Putting all our Minds to Work: Harnessing the Gender
Dividend,” Paris: BIAC, 2012, 15.
13 International Labour Organization, “Improving Gender Diversity in Company Boards,” 2019..
14 NASDAQ, “NASDAQ to Advance Diversity through New Proposed Listing Requirements,” Dec 1, 2020.
outperform the lower 20, with a combined average ROE of 7%.” As the EY report notes,
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“Given the asset-heavy nature of this industry, a 1.5% difference in ROE between the two
groups can translate into millions less in profit.”15 Increased gender diversity in senior
management is associated with improvements in sales revenue, customers, market share,
return on equity, operating profits, and share price.16 The bottom line, according to Dow
Jones: “A company’s odds for success increase with more female executives at the vice
president and director levels.”17
Furthermore, improved diversity at senior (and all) levels is correlated with better
performance on such metrics as fostering greater innovation. In municipal management,
research from the 100 Resilient Cities project highlights that “smarter decisions are made
when more women are at the decision-making table—making them critical actors in
securing a resilient future for … cities.”18 A study published in the Harvard Business Review
found that managers who listen to and act on women’s ideas enable a “speak-up culture”
that capitalizes on women’s creativity. “Leaders who are willing to change direction based
on women’s input are more than twice as likely to tap into winning ideas. And leaders who
make sure each female member on the team gets constructive and supportive feedback
are 128 percent more likely to elicit breakthrough ideas,” the study notes.19
The Value of a More Gender-Diverse Infrastructure and

Cities Workforce
Infrastructure companies benefit not only from gender diversity and inclusion on boards
and in senior management, but also among employees.
Deeper and wider talent pool: While the

infrastructure sectors are largely male Hiring more women can…
dominated, companies that increase
attractivity to both women and men can draw help ease labor shortages
from often-untapped resources of potential
female employees. Hiring more women can
help ease labor shortages, expand the talent expand the talent pool
pool, and help companies to recruit more
locally. Snel Transport, a logistics company help companies to
in the Netherlands, for instance, has avoided recruit more locally.
the driver shortages that afflict 78% of Dutch
15 EY, EY report: Gender diversity is good for energy companies, but happening at a ‘glacial pace’, Aug 30, 2016.
16 AmCham France and BIAC, 2012, 8.
17 Workplace Gender Equality Agency, “The Business Case for Gender Equality,” 2018, 4.
18 100 Resilient Cities, The Power of Women’s Leadership in Building Urban Resilience, New York, NY: 100 Resilient Cities, 2018.
19 Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Melinda Marshall, and Laura Sherbin, “How Women Drive Innovation and Growth,” Harvard Business
Review, August 2013.
logistics companies through women-friendly recruitment policies and practices. While the
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average company with Snel’s profile would typically have around 10.5 driver vacancies, a
recent study showed that Snel had none, in large part due to its women-friendly policies.20
Improved innovation, performance, and organizational culture: According to the

OECD, workforce diversity can bring benefits to public service employers and service
users, including qualitative improvements in public service delivery and efficiency. Gender
diversity in the workplace can also help strengthen policy effectiveness and social mobility.
Safer operating environments: Numerous studies have demonstrated a positive

relationship between female employees, adherence to safety protocols, and the
treatment and safe operation of equipment.21 Evidence suggests that women are not only
safer drivers than men but also more fuel efficient and take better care of vehicles. Dublin
Bus found that employing more women can result in safer driving, fewer accidents, and a
lower incidence of violence.22 Another case study from Sofia Electric indicated that women
take better care of vehicles and are less risky as drivers, which in turn leads to reduced
repair and maintenance costs.23 In part, this trend may be due to socialized differences
between women and men: men may have a greater tendency towards bravado and
the desire to seem infallible, which can make them operate less safely, while women
are often more receptive to coaching or instruction and more likely to react cautiously
or deliberatively to dangerous or potentially hazardous situations. As a result, in many
sectors, women operators are increasingly in demand, because their behavior yields
better safety outcomes, reduced equipment maintenance and repair, and a more safety-
conscious operating environment.24 If this creates pushback from male staff, it is even
more important to build an understanding that gender diversity and inclusion—and the
related benefits—are good for the whole company. At the same time, it is important
to emphasize to any detractors that the company’s objective is not to exclude men but
rather to favor and encourage a culture of safety, and that hiring will follow that priority.
Improved community relations: Gender diversity in the workforce is also correlated

with improved community and user relations. In Ireland, Dublin Bus’s women drivers
had 38% fewer client complaints, on average, than the average male driver.25 Women
form a fourth of Lima’s traffic agents and were found to be more effective in enforcing
law and traffic management because of a reputation for being incorruptible26. When
20 Giannelos et al., “Business Case to Increase Female Employment in Transport,” European Commission, 2018, 77.
ESMAP Paper. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2020,14.
24 Women in Mining Canada, Welcoming Women: An Action Plan for Canada’s Mining Employers, Toronto: WIM Canada, 2016, 7.
26 Heather Allen, Approaches for Gender-Responsive Urban Mobility. GIZ. 2018.
conducting community consultations
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and engagement activities (for When conducting community
instance, where major infrastructure consultations and engagement
works are being built, where
communities are being resettled,
activities, a gender-diverse
or where compensation needs to community engagement team
be discussed), a gender-diverse gives companies a greater ability
community engagement team
gives companies a greater ability to internalize and respond to
to internalize and respond to community concerns, which
community concerns, which can lead
can lead to more gender-sensitive
to more gender-sensitive community
engagement programs. community engagement programs.
Reasons for Lack of Female Representation in the Infrastructure

and Cities Sectors
Given all of the advantages gender diversity brings to the workforce as outlined above,
why are women still underrepresented in the infrastructure and cities sectors?
BOX 1A | Connecting with Women in Brazil

In Brazil, IFC has invested in Desenvolve SP to support increasing household linkages
to sewage treatment systems. However, Desenvolve found a particular challenge
in convincing female-headed households to allow local construction, given the
lack of related jobs or income-earning opportunities for women connected with
the work. To create buy-in, as well as increase opportunities for women, sewage
treatment companies (WESCOs) deliberately hired local women to help convince
their communities about the need for the work and to connect their houses to the
new sewage system. This creates improved communication and trust between the
communities and the WESCOs while also generating income for the women, which
allows them to pay for the connection and sewage services.27
Bias inside and outside the sector: Many infrastructure sectors have traditionally been
seen as ‘men’s work’ due to the physical labor required and scheduling (for instance, work
in transport sectors often requires long periods of time away from home). Of course, the
27 Internal IFC report.
more time that passes while these fields are dominated by men, the more entrenched the
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belief will become that they are exclusively male domains which are ‘inappropriate’ and
unsafe for women. This view may be shared by women themselves, or by families and
teachers, who can be influential in implicitly or explicitly guiding young women towards
different careers. This can contribute to what is often termed the ‘leaky pipeline,’ the
phenomenon where girls and boys perform similarly in math and sciences in primary and
secondary school, yet girls’ representation in STEM fields drops off in tertiary education.28
Of course, as sectors change and become increasingly mechanized, many of the historical
justifications for male-dominated sectors that were made on grounds of physical strength
are increasingly baseless. For instance, in the Moscow Metro, part of the justification for
a longstanding legal prohibition on women train drivers was that men had to do physical
work switching tracks, which required significant physical strength. Track switching has
long since been automated, but women were only legally allowed to become train drivers
in early 2021.29
Bias in recruitment: Given longstanding male dominance in many infrastructure and

urban sectors, the process of attracting and recruiting applicants can further contribute to
ongoing bias in the sector. For instance, overreliance on educational, social, and sectoral
networks of current, often male employees can lead to continuing bias in applicants and
recruitment. Companies which develop recruitment materials featuring photographs
of current (male) employees and use pronouns reflecting an implicit, unintentional bias
towards male employees (male pronouns and terms like ‘foreman,’ for example) can
discourage female applicants from even applying.
Inhospitable workplaces: Predominantly single-sex work environments can breed

a culture of unconscious or overt sexism that can make it difficult, intimidating, or
discouraging for employees or potential employees of the opposite sex to feel welcomed
and perform productively.
Sexism within the workforce: Globally across industries, women earn less than men for
the same jobs and typically earn fewer promotions during their careers than their male
counterparts. This can make male-dominated sectors even less attractive to women.30
The disparities can be caused by a number of factors, including differences in negotiation
tactics and the fact that women are more likely to work part-time or to have taken time
off for family commitments, which may result in their being viewed as less committed to
careers or discriminated against as part-time workers.
ESMAP Paper. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2020, 2.
29 Rachael Kennedy, “Women can drive the Moscow Metro for the first time in years as Russia overturns job ban,” Euronews.
com, 2021.
30 McKinsey and Lean In, Women in the Workplace 2016, 2016, 3.
Lack of mentors and female role models: Male-dominated sectors with fewer women
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employees, especially at the top, may not have enough women mentors, role models, or
gender-informed training to guide women seeking to rise in the sector.
Lack of professional development opportunities for women: With male-dominated

workplaces and a lack of female senior managers, women may feel excluded from
informal networking activities and from professional development opportunities. In
addition, individual career counselling and career workshops may be (or appear to be)
less accessible to women, especially when women lack the same social networks that men
have, and in situations where women in the workplace are fewer in number.31
Lack of support for flexible work arrangements

and parental leave policies: In communities where As sectors change and
cultural expectations and/or legal or corporate become increasingly
regulations around parental leave assume that
women are the primary caretakers, leave policies
mechanized, many of the
in traditionally male-dominated industries may not historical justifications
provide the flexibility that parents need. When most for male-dominated
employees are male, policies may not be designed
to support reentry and career progression for sectors that were made
women who return after parental leave. Similarly, on grounds of physical
such environments may discourage men from taking
strength are baseless.
advantage of flexible work arrangements.32
Inappropriate uniforms and ergonomics: Lack of consideration of women as employees

can actually make workplaces less safe for women and contribute to the perception that
certain industries are not open to them. This lack of consideration can be manifested by
ill-fitting, inappropriate, or unsafe uniforms, personal protective equipment (PPE), and
other gear, such as overalls that do not accommodate pregnancy or equipment that is
ergonomically challenging for women. In the UK, Transport for London (TfL) recognized
that ill-fitting PPE was creating a workplace hazard for women working in its construction
fields. TfL identified new suppliers who could provide PPE specifically tailored for women.
Interestingly, for some of the most specific equipment needs (boots free from specific
metal fixtures suitable for working on electrified tracks), there were only two suppliers—
one had a name that some found offensive, and the other made boots with pink stitching
and glitter laces. TfL was able to contract a supplier to make footwear specifically for it,
footwear which fit women’s feet without drawing on gender stereotypes.33
31 Jonathan Dunlea et al., “Developing Female Leaders: Addressing Gender Bias in Global Mobility,” Melbourne: PwC 2015, 5.
32 Melanie Sanders et al., “The Power of Flexibility: A Key Enabler to Boost Gender Parity and Employee Engagement,” Bain and
Company, 2016.
33 Transport for London, “Personal Protective Equipment for Women,” and “TfL Reveals Its First Ever Women’s Safety Clothing
Range,” 2015.
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BOX 1B | Maersk Reduces Turnover By Supporting New Parents
Shipping giant Maersk implemented a policy for employees returning to work after
parental leave that gives male and female onshore employees the opportunity to
work 20% fewer hours at full pay within the first year of childbirth or adoption
for up to six months after returning to work. As a result of this policy, its post-
maternity retention rate rose from 85% to 100%, and turnover of female employees
fell from 16% to 10%, between 2015 and 2017. In practical terms, this saved the
company from replacing 54 employees each year over this period, which saved up to
270 monthly salaries per year.34
Strategies to Address Gender Gaps

Infrastructure companies and municipalities that want to narrow their gender gaps will need
to take a multi-pronged approach to accomplish this goal. Below are several key strategies to
keep in mind, along with the applicable tools that can help guide your company’s approach.
• Assess the causes of gender inequalities in the workplace: Without understanding
constraints on gender equity, employers cannot make improvements. Gender
assessments, to understand where the company is currently, are key for establishing
a baseline and understanding constraints and bottlenecks. TOOLS 1.3 and 1.4
(Gender Audit) provides sample questions for understanding the current situation.
A key means for employers to improve retention and the promotion of women in
the workforce is to ask their employees about their experience. Women employees
particularly, but men as well, are a company’s most important resource for
understanding constraints and barriers to, and opportunities for, women’s retention
and promotion. TOOL 1.5 (Employee Scorecard) outlines procedures for an employee
scorecard, a process designed to encourage employees to outline concerns and come
up with ideas for addressing issues. TOOL 1.6 (Pay Gap Survey Guidance and ToR)
gives guidance and a terms of reference (ToR) to identify any pay inequities, and help
address perceptions of unfairness. TOOL 1.7 (Gender Diversity Board Assessment)
can help identify gender inequality issues in the board.
• Create an inclusive physical work environment: Consider the physical infrastructure
of the company’s premises and workplace: what accommodations are made to ensure
that both women and men can work safety and effectively? TOOL 1.3 (Gender Audit)
includes questions for determining the safety and appropriateness of the physical work
environment and equipment.
• Develop an organized gender equity strategy, including targets, monitoring, and
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accountability: Progress on gender diversity requires frameworks for accountability,
empowerment, and monitoring and evaluation. Are there strategies and policies
in place that clarify expectations and outline how managers and staff will be held
accountable for their individual and organizational behavior (recruitment, promotions,
etc.)? Are expectations clear enough that managers can take proactive action in trying
to ensure gender equality? Are there clear targets and monitoring systems to track
progress and keep advancing? Is there someone responsible for moving the process
forward and holding various teams accountable for progress? TOOL 1.8 (Guidance and
Sample Gender Policy) and TOOL 1.9 (Establish a Gender Equity Strategy) provide
insight on developing strategies and policies; TOOL 1.10 (ToR for Gender Equity
Champion) gives guidance on how to appoint a point person for gender issues.
BOX 1C | Gender Equity Policies Lead to Less Sick Leave in Valencia

The introduction of gender equality policies at the Port of Valencia led to a reduction
in sick leave usage from 5.9% to 1.7%—a more than 70% decrease—over 8 years. This
could mean saving as much as €2,240 per employee per year in terms of productivity,
or € 1.0 million for the company as a whole.35
• Create a more inclusive, gender-supportive worksite culture: To attract and retain

female staff and reap the benefits of a diverse workforce, companies need to cultivate
an organizational culture that is inclusive of both women and men. Creating a gender-
inclusive work environment isn’t just about policies to hire more women. It’s also
about creating an environment in which women and men alike recognize the benefits
of gender diversity and of enacting policies that ensure gender-equitable promotion
possibilities, foster women’s leadership and career development, support flexible
work arrangements, address and penalize sexual harassment or discrimination,
and help employees to balance work and family commitments. TOOL 1.11 (Develop
Human Resources Policies and Programs to Support a Gender-Diverse Workforce)
helps companies to identify and address barriers to an inclusive workplace culture
and create a more inclusive work environment. TOOL 1.12 (Set Gender Recruitment
Targets) discusses setting targets, and TOOL 1.13 (Checklist for Building a Gender-
Diverse Board) builds on TOOL 1.7, with concrete steps for improving representation
of women on the board.
• Support flexible work arrangements: Flexible work policies should support full
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engagement in family life for both male and female employees. This includes creating
opportunities for shorter shifts, reduced schedules, more home-based or office work,
and job-sharing. It also includes establishing return policies for employees who have
gone on parental leave and providing or supporting childcare resources. TOOL 1.11
(Develop Human Resources Policies and Programs to Support a Gender-Diverse
Workforce) provides strategies for developing flexible work schedules and supporting
work-life balance.
• Create structures to support and implement gender diversity and build staff
capacity: Alongside the development of the policies and programs to support gender
diversity, companies need to build capacity and corporate structures to support
implementation of gender initiatives. Where men dominate the leadership structure,
men may also be the gatekeepers to the positions of power. This can mean that effective
gender mainstreaming relies on leadership from the CEO and the entire management
cadre. TOOL 1.14 (Checklist for Senior Leadership to Demonstrate Commitment)
provides guidance on how senior managers can support gender diversity. Establishing
a staff task force on gender (TOOL 1.15: Creation of a Gender Task Force and ToR) to
support the gender equity champion can help create a two-way information flow between
staff and the gender champion and management and help disseminate information on
gender initiatives, as well as creating an opportunity to hear and address concerns.
The COVID-19 pandemic made many workplaces explore opportunities to go virtual,
but evidence shows that working from home is particularly hard on women and
mothers. TOOL 1.16 (Supporting Gender Equity in Virtual Workplaces) provides
guidance to HR and managers on how to address some of these challenges and
support gender equity in virtual workplaces, for instance during the COVID-19
pandemic. TOOL 1.17 (Reducing Implicit Bias in the Workplace) discusses how to
reduce implicit bias in the workplace.
• Revise recruitment policy materials to target women and men: In male-
dominated industries, recruitment campaigns often feature men as employees
or male-centric descriptions of the job, which may send implicit messages that
discourage women applicants. If you want to
encourage diverse applicants, you will need If you want to encourage
to work harder to explicitly communicate diverse applicants, you will
that there are opportunities for all. Print
or media advertisements should feature need to work harder to
inclusive imagery and voices—for example, explicitly communicate
showing both women and men in leadership
that there are
positions and in non-traditional roles. Of note,
job descriptions that use inclusive language, opportunities for all.
such as “foreman/forewoman” can be more appealing than gender-neutral language
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such as “foreperson”.36 See TOOL 1.18 (Guidelines for Building a Gender-Diverse
Talent Pipeline and Workforce) for insight on recruitment strategies to attract female
applicants and TOOL 1.19 (Job Description Template to Reduce Bias and Attract
Diverse Applicants) for guidance on key components to include—and those to avoid—
in job descriptions to attract diverse job applicants.
In addition to hiring women, companies that want to support women’s advancement
can develop mentorship and sponsorship programs to create more connection
between management and more junior staff. TOOL 1.20 (Sample Mentoring/Mentee
Agreement) includes a sample mentoring/mentee agreement to support development
of mentorship programs.
• Support career development opportunities for women and men: TOOL 1.21
(Guidelines for Developing Women’s Careers and Leadership) provides strategies for
career development activities that support more gender-equitable career development
and create a more attractive workplace for potential candidates.
Realizing Gender Diversity Gains Takes Effort and Commitment

Companies that recognize the potential benefits of creating equal opportunities for
women and men, and take actions to target, recruit, and retain both women and men,
stand to benefit from a wide range of performance, innovation, and profitability gains.
Among the factors that inhibit gender diversity in the infrastructure and municipal
workforces, some are issues that can be addressed by changes in work schedules,
equipment, and by proactively reaching out to attract more gender-diverse candidates.
Others are based on gender bias and stereotypes. Approaches to tackle these various
challenges will require both incremental changes in policies, accountability, schedules,
and equipment, as well as training and changes in organizational culture.
Realizing these gains will require companies to examine and address their policies
surrounding recruitment, performance management, work schedules, and
compensation to draw women into management and the workforce and, importantly,
to keep them there. Tool Suite 1 provides concrete guidance that will help you to better
understand your company’s gender diversity challenges, ways to address the challenges,
and guidance on how to monitor and sustain progress.
36 Australian Human Rights Commission, Women in Male-Dominated Industries: A Toolkit of Strategies, Australian Government,
2013, 16.
TOOL SUITE 1: Tools to Increase Gender Diversity and

Inclusion in Power, Water, Transport, and Cities
This tool suite includes tools to help your company to recruit, attract, and retain women
so that you can achieve better gender balance at all levels of your workforce, from field-
based operational staff, up through and including senior-level management and the
board. Tool Suite 1 features 23 tools aimed at reducing gender gaps on boards, in senior
management, and in the workforce. Because of the complexity of the effort, the tool suite
is organized in three sections.
The tools presented in this tool suite can be used individually to complement existing
gender interventions, or in a combination of select tools as needed, to create a
comprehensive gender program. Companies do not need to implement all of these tools,
and they are not presented strictly chronologically, because companies may choose to
implement activities in different orders.
TOOL TARGET UNIT GOAL

↓ TOOL 1.1: Road Map for All Readers Introduces how all the tools in
Using Tools in Tool Suite 1 this Tool Suite work together
↓ ASSESS AND PREPARE: The first section helps establish a baseline on company-wide
gender diversity. The tools will lead you through assessing your company’s ability
to understand and act on gender gaps in your workforce, and put in place staff,
structures, and plans to address these issues.
↓ TOOL 1.2: Develop a Executive Board, Builds support for gender-

Business Case for Senior Management, smart solutions through
Gender Equity Gender Champion identifying their business
benefits
↓ TOOL 1.3: Gender Audit: Executive Board, Provides a baseline on gender

Introduction, Process, Senior Management, diversity in the workforce
and Tools and Human Resources
↓ TOOL 1.4: Terms of Executive Board, Provides a pro forma terms

Reference for Gender Audit Senior Management, of reference for hiring a firm
and Human Resources to conduct a thorough gender
audit
↓ TOOL 1.5: Employee Executive Board, Outlines process for

Scorecard Senior Management, conducting participatory
and Human Resources employee monitoring and goal
setting around gender
TOOL SUITE 1
↓ TOOL 1.6: Pay Gap Survey Human Resources Provides a pro forma terms
Guidance and Terms of of reference for conducting a
Reference study to identify any gender
bias in compensation
↓ TOOL 1.7: Gender Diversity Executive Board, Assesses board gender

Board Assessment Major Shareholders diversity
↓ ADDRESS: The next section focuses on tools to take specific practical actions to
increase gender diversity, inclusion, and gender-equitable opportunities through
recruitment, retention, and promotion.
↓ TOOL 1.8: Guidance and Executive Board, Provides guidance and a

Sample Gender Policy Senior Management, template for developing a
Human Resources corporate gender policy
↓ TOOL 1.9: Establish a Executive Board, Sets corporate goals and

Gender Equity Strategy Senior Management, strategy for gender diversity
and Human Resources and prioritizes tools and
action on gender diversity
↓ TOOL 1.10: Terms of Human Resources and Provides pro forma terms of
Reference for a Gender Senior Management reference for a nominated
Equity Champion person to lead and
coordinate company gender
mainstreaming efforts
↓ TOOL 1.11: Develop Human Resources Provides guidance to develop

Human Resources Policies policies that promote
and Programs to Support a retention of both male and
Gender-Diverse Workforce female employees
↓ TOOL 1.12: Set Gender Human Resources and Provides guidance to develop
Recruitment Targets Senior Management a gender-equitable hiring
process and increase gender
diversity and inclusion in the
workforce
↓ TOOL 1.13: Checklist for Executive Board Provides a checklist on actions

Building a Gender-Diverse to maintain board gender
Board diversity
↓ TOOL 1.14: Checklist for Senior Management Offers a checklist to assess

Senior Leadership to and Human Resources commitment to creating
Demonstrate Commitment a gender-equitable work-
environment for both women
and men across the company
TOOL SUITE 1
↓ TOOL 1.15: Creation of a Human Resources and Provides guidance and a
Gender Task Force and Senior Management template for creating a
Terms of Reference for a coordinating body on gender
Gender Task Force within the company
↓ TOOL 1.16: Supporting Human Resources Provides guidance on

Gender Equity in Virtual supporting parents,
Workplaces particularly during virtual work
↓ TOOL 1.17: Reducing Human Resources and Offers guidance on how to

Implicit Bias in the Senior Management reduce implicit bias in the
Workplace workplace
↓ TOOL 1.18: Guidelines Human Resources and Offers guidance on how to

for Building a Gender- Senior Management promote gender diversity in
Diverse Talent Pipeline recruitment and retention
and Workforce
↓ TOOL 1.19: Job Description Human Resources Provides a template for HR

Template to Reduce departments to follow, with
Bias and Attract Diverse key components to include—
Applicants and those to avoid—to attract
diverse job applicants
↓ TOOL 1.20: Sample Human Resources Offers guidance and a draft

Mentoring/Mentee agreement for establishing
Agreement mentorship arrangements to
support staff development
↓ TOOL 1.21: Developing Training Offers guidance on supporting

Women’s Careers and gender equitable career
Leadership development and mobility
↓ MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: The final section includes tools for monitoring progress
and institutionalizing mechanisms to ensure continued improvement and
sustained progress.
↓ TOOL 1.22: Monitoring Human Resources and Provides key points for
and Accountability Senior Management monitoring progress
↓ TOOL 1.23: Monitor and Training Offers guidance on monitoring

Sustain Training Programs and sustaining career
for Gender Equitable development programs
Career Development
TOOL 1.1
Roadmap for Using Tools in Tool Suite 1
» GOAL: Introduces how all the tools in this Tool Suite work together
» TARGET UNITS: All readers
The tools in Tool Suite 1 all support efforts to increase representation of women in the
workforce. Companies do not need to use all of these tools in order to improve gender
dynamics in their company. This roadmap provides an overview of the tools and provides
suggestions on how to combine them into effective approaches. While the number of
tools may look daunting, even a small selection can provide valuable information and
opportunities to change. In most cases, companies should start with what is feasible from
a time and money perspective—doing something is better than doing nothing.
1. ASSESS AND PREPARE: The first stage of the gender journey in any company is to
understand what gender issues exist in the company. The starting point can depend
on the level of buy-in in your company.
• If you need to educate and convince colleagues, including managers, on the
importance of investing in a gender approach, developing a Business Case
(TOOL 1.2) will provide structure for demonstrating the business benefits of
investing in gender equity.
• Once management is on board and willing to invest in a more in-depth
understanding of the issues, a Gender Audit (TOOLS 1.3 and 1.4) can be conducted.
• An Employee Scorecard (TOOL 1.5) is an excellent complement to an audit—it can
be used to drill down and further clarify issues raised during an audit. A scorecard
can also be used on its own, but it is better at identifying top priority issues and
developing an action plan than giving a more nuanced understanding of gender
issues throughout a department or organization.
• A Pay Gap Survey (TOOL 1.6) can also complement an audit or scorecard (but has a
much narrower focus, so is best used to complement a broader assessment).
• A Gender Diversity Board Assessment (TOOL 1.7) can also complement a broader
assessment to identify issues specifically at the board level.
2. ADDRESS: Once you have identified key gender issues, the next set of tools can be
applied to proactively address these gender issues.
• Create an Overarching Gender Strategy and Policy: To make sustainable
progress on gender, an overarching strategy, bolstered by clear policies and
dedicated manpower, is essential. TOOL 1.8 provides a sample gender policy to help
companies clearly state their approach to gender and ensure that all employers
and shareholders have a common understanding of expectations. A Gender Equity
TOOL 1.1
Strategy (TOOL 1.9) will help companies develop a strategic approach to addressing
identified gender issues and meeting gender goals. TOOL 1.10 is a terms of
reference for a gender champion or focal point; having someone accountable and
empowered to lead gender initiatives can greatly boost the chance of success.
• Ideally, companies should implement all three of these tools, although the
breadth and depth of the strategy and policies can vary based on resources
and capacity. Similarly, while not every company will have a full-time gender
champion, every company should have someone who is accountable for progress.
• Create Specific HR Policies: In addition to a general gender policy, a
comprehensive gender approach also benefits from updating other gender policies
(leave, flex work, recruitment policies, etc.). TOOL 1.11 outlines how to make
existing gender policies more gender inclusive and develop new gender-inclusive
policies. TOOL 1.12 provides guidance on setting gender-inclusive recruitment
targets. TOOL 1.13 outlines how to examine the board for gender equity and
inclusiveness and address identified gender issues.
• Any company committed to improving gender equity in the workplace should
review policies and set at least some gender targets. How extensively policies are
revised and how ambitious targets are can depend on company resources.
• Create and Improve Gender-Focused Structures and Staff Capacity: Tools
in this section provide guidance for changing the workplace environment with
regards to gender. TOOL 1.14 provides a checklist for senior management to
demonstrate its commitment to gender equity by sending a message from the top
that gender equity is important. A Gender Task Force (TOOL 1.15) can give HR
and management feedback on how gender issues are perceived, as well as create
a tool for disseminating information on policies and programs related to gender.
TOOL 1.16 can help companies to understand how remote work, an increasing
reality for many companies, can affect women and men differently and how to
make sure both are equally supported, while TOOL 1.17 highlights ways to reduce
implicit biases around gender.
• Strengthen the Talent Pipeline: These tools provide guidance on attracting and
retaining the best talent by ensuring that your company is attractive to both women
and men. It includes guidelines for attracting and retaining talent (TOOL 1.18), a job
description template to reduce bias and attract diverse applicants (TOOL 1.19), and
guidelines for developing female talent particularly through mentorship (TOOL 1.20)
and career development (TOOL 1.21).
3. MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: Finally, the last section of this Tool Suite focuses on monitoring,
evaluating, and sustaining gains in gender equity in the workplace (TOOLS 1.22 and 1.23).
TOOL 1.1
Create Buy-In 1.2 Develop a Business Case for Gender Equity
ASSESS & 1.3 Gender Audit: Introduction, Process, and Tools

PREPARE Assess situation
1.4 Terms of Reference for Gender Audit
1.5 Employee Scorecard

Deeper Dive on 1.6 Pay Gap Survey Guidance and Terms of
Selected Issues Reference
1.7 Gender Diversity Board Assessment
1.8 Guidance and Sample Gender Policy

Create Overarching
Corporate Strategy 1.9 Establish a Gender Equity Strategy
and Policy 1.10 Terms of Reference for a Gender Equity
Champion
1.11 Develop Human Resources Policies

and Programs to Support a Gender-
Create HR Specific Policies Diverse Workforce
1.12 Set Gender Recruitment Targets
1.13 Checklist for Building a Gender-Diverse
Board
ADDRESS
1.14 Checklist for Senior Leadership to
Demonstrate Commitment
Create and Improve 1.15 Creation of a Gender Task Force and
Terms of Reference for a Gender
Gender-Focused Structures
Task Force
and Staff Capacity
1.16 Supporting Gender Equity in Virtual
Workplaces
1.17 Reducing Implicit Bias in the Workplace
1.18 Guidelines for Building a Gender-

Diverse Talent Pipeline and Workforce
1.19 Job Description Template to Reduce
Strengthen Talent Pipeline Bias and Attract Diverse Applicants
1.20 Sample Mentoring/Mentee Agreement
1.21 Developing Women’s Careers and
Leadership
1.22 Monitoring and Accountability

MONITOR
& SUSTAIN 1.23 Monitor and Sustain Training Programs for
Gender Equitable Career Development
ASSESS AND PREPARE: TOOLS 1.2–1.7

This section includes tools that will help develop a baseline understanding of where your
company stands on gender equality and equity. It also offers guidance on creating a
gender strategy based on this understanding. These steps are critical to determining your
overall approach to improving gender balance in your workforce.
Tools 1.2–1.7 provide guidance on these critical first steps. Companies do not need to
implement all of the tools completed here, but select from among them as appropriate. If
a company is at the very beginning stages of the gender journey—for instance, if interest
is limited to select individuals within the company or there is low general knowledge or
interest—begin with developing a business case (TOOL 1.2) to build understanding and
buy-in of why a gender approach could be beneficial. Once key managers support the
process—and are willing to commit resources to going further—consider a gender audit
(TOOL 1.3 and TOOL 1.4) to identify challenges and opportunities to improve gender
equality. A gender audit can be as broad or specific as required—our tool includes a wide
range of questions to consider, but it can form the basis for understanding challenges and
opportunities to gender equality. The gender audit provides a baseline, which can then
lead to additional deeper-dive tools to delve further into specific issues or to incorporate
different types of assessment—for instance, to foster a more open, accountable, and
participatory conversation on gender, some companies may implement an employee
scorecard (TOOL 1.5). Companies may choose to conduct a pay gap survey (TOOL 1.6)
where employees have concerns that women and men are differently remunerated for
the same work to create transparency around the topic. Some companies which come to
this toolkit with gender programs already in place may start with the specific assessments,
such as the scorecard, or a board gender diversity assessment (TOOL 1.7).
The gender business case tool can easily be conducted by company staff; however,
the gender audit and deep-dive tools are often best conducted by impartial outside
consultants who can bring independence and transparency to the process.
TOOL 1.2
Develop a Business Case for Gender Diversity
» GOAL: Build support for gender-smart solutions
» TARGET UNITS: HR, Gender Champion, or other relevant staff37
A strong business case for gender diversity—presenting a clear picture of how increasing
gender diversity will improve business outcomes as well as support women employees and
strengthen community relationships—is key to unlocking corporate support and resources.
Gender diversity business cases are not static. An initial outline of the business case can help
to unlock resources for gender-focused assessments, the results of which can then be used
to refine and strengthen the business case. But even as a live document, a clear, evidence-
based argument for how increased gender diversity and equality can make your company
better is essential for getting buy-in from both senior management and more general staff.
The business case should build initially on any evidence available—both drawn from within
the company, or if that is not yet available, from comparable companies. Highlighting
known areas where gender could improve outcomes in your company or showing how
other companies are benefitting from increased gender diversity can help to galvanize
support for gender equality activities.
The business case can include the operational reasons that gender diversity will make the
company more profitable, innovative, and better integrated into the community. It can
draw on industry and legislative commitments or requirements, such as the Women’s
Empowerment Principles,38 corporate social responsibility commitments, and any applicable
local and national laws and regulations.
The following steps are based on the IFC publication, Investing in Women’s Employment:
Good for Business, Good for Development.39
Companies may develop business cases at different stages of engagement on gender

equality. For companies at the earliest stages of trying to mobilize funding to begin work
on gender equality, Step 1 will help to present the benefits that can come from gender
diversity, customized for your specific corporate environment. For companies who have
already conducted a gender audit (TOOLS 1.3 and 1.4) or other assessments (TOOLS 1.5,
1.6, and 1.7), these findings can provide valuable information on how gender inequities
37 At the very beginning of a company’s gender journey, work like developing the gender business case may be undertaken by
a wide variety of people, depending on who is spearheading these efforts within the company. There is no ‘correct’ person—
the work should be initiated by whoever has recognized and is acting to address a company’s gender equity issues.
38 The Women’s Empowerment Principles are a set of principles, developed by UN Women and the United Nations Global
Compact, that provide guidance to the private sector on empowering women. More information on the WEP can be found here.
39 IFC. Investing in Women’s Employment: Good for Business, Good for Development. 49-50
are impacting the company and opportunities for improving gender equity. Steps 2 and 3
TOOL 1.2
provide additional guidance on how to use this information to develop a business case.
Step 1. Identify the drivers for gender diversity and equality.

What are the key drivers for improving gender diversity and equality in your company? Here
are several common reasons for undertaking a gender diversity improvement initiative:
• Performance and profitability opportunities: A more gender-diverse workforce
has been shown to increase innovation, productivity, and the condition of equipment
and materials. Enacting policies that help to bring more women into the workforce
and incentivize them to stay there (reducing turnover and building an experienced
workforce) by providing equitable opportunities for advancement, benefits, capacity
building, gender-responsive equipment and workplaces, and flexible work are essential
to achieving a strong, diverse workforce.
• Sustainability: Has the company made commitments to diversity in the workforce
or for local hiring? Increased gender diversity can help meet these commitments and
improve company integration within the community.
• Industry commitments: Has the company signed on to industry or other initiatives
with commitments on gender diversity, such as the Women’s Empowerment
Principles? Developing a gender diversity strategy and targets will help companies
meet these commitments and improve their competitive ranking compared to other
industry players.
• Legislative requirements: Do the laws in the host country require a certain level of
gender diversity or local employment? A proactive gender diversity strategy can help
companies stay on top of both required and voluntary commitments.
• Comparability: Presenting what other similar companies are doing to increase gender
diversity and equality, especially where there is evidence of how these measures
have caused or even been correlated with improved performance, can be effective in
highlighting the importance of acting on gender equality.
Step 2. Develop a business case. 40

For companies that understand the general need for gender equity, but where gender
champions are now proposing specific initiatives and need to catalyze support and
resources, a more specific business case is required. The following steps outline how to
develop an intervention-focused business case, by presenting how changes in specific
gender metrics could impact core business outcomes.
40 The information in Step 2 draws on IFC, Investing in Women’s Employment, 49-58.
For some initiatives, showing a causal and specific relationship between a specific gender
TOOL 1.2
activity and business outcomes can be difficult, especially when other variables are in
play, such as expanding or contracting markets or commodity prices, or changes in
resources or the operating environment. It can be particularly difficult to make short-term
attribution (for instance, that a change in senior management or expanding the number
of female hires had an immediate effect on profit), or to demonstrate longer-term
impacts (for instance, how a strengthened gender diversity policy impacts reputation).
And yet, developing a strong business case is important both for building buy-in and for
demonstrating the importance of making gender equity a core business principle rather
than a standalone initiative.
Of note: Demonstrating the value of women’s participation should not be about

comparing men’s and women’s performance. Rather, it should focus on the benefits of
gender equity and diversity—how creating equal opportunities for women and men can
benefit the company.
To develop an effective business case focused around a specific intervention or suite of

interventions, the following process is recommended:
• Identify the intervention: Based on the gender assessment, identify specific areas or
initiatives to be considered. This could include, for instance, increasing the recruitment
of women, improving workplace safety, or changes in family leave policies. The more
specific the initiative being examined, the easier it will be to determine the potential
impact of changed policies.
• Develop a baseline: For each initiative, develop a baseline—where the company
is now—and determine how the business case will be presented. Options include a
before-and-after approach looking at a change in performance over time or a with-
and-without approach that looks at the performance of various business units that
have adopted the proposed initiative compared to those that did not. If such initiatives
have not yet been trialed within a company, comparable companies with similar
experiences can also provide useful data.
• Developing the baseline and collecting relevant data will require the buy-in of
various business units. Depending on the intervention, this could include finance
and HR, among others.
• Determine how the initiative will be measured, using employment and business
metrics. For instance, an initiative focused on increasing gender diversity in
employment should feature employment metrics on the number of women and
men employed in various job families and at various levels. Business metrics will be
determined based on the company’s core business objectives but should be tied to
quantitative or qualitative indicators that demonstrate a change in its ability to meet
key business targets. Part of this effort involves identifying the availability of relevant
information, such as gender disaggregation of jobs at various levels—or whether
TOOL 1.2
work to gather data is required.
• Identify relevant costs and benefits. Determine the anticipated costs of implementing
an intervention compared to doing nothing, as well as the potential benefits it may
bring. For instance, for a proposed intervention to provide on-site childcare, identify
the costs of not implementing it, such as loss of productivity when staff need to care
for their children, potential attrition as employees who need to care for children quit,
and the cost of recruiting and training replacement staff. Compare these implications
to the costs of implementing the initiative, such as the cost of facilities and childcare
staff, as well as the benefits of the proposed intervention, including improved
productivity, increased employee satisfaction, and reduced turnover.
“Companies with the best record of promoting women to high

positions enjoy 18–69% more profitability.”
—ROY ADLER, “Women in the Executive Suite Correlate to High Profits”
• Develop an evaluation methodology and conduct analysis: Determine how costs

and benefits will be measured. Options include using currently available data and
conducting staff surveys or interviews, among others.
• Compare costs and benefits: Once costs and benefits have been identified, collected,
and quantified, determine the return on investment of a particular initiative:
Benefits − Costs
× 100 = Return on Investment
Costs
A positive—or even neutral—return on investment can be a powerful tool in

negotiating for gender diversity and equality initiatives.
• Compile the business case: A presentation-ready business case should include
discussion of the proposed intervention and its objectives, any assumptions or
estimates for the proposed program, discussion of methodology, ROI analysis, and
any case studies or examples to support the case for proposed interventions. Also
include recommendations on ways to move forward, whether additional assessments
might be needed, and implementation options.
Step 3: Use the business case to mobilize support.
TOOL 1.2
Once the business case has been developed, it should be shared and used to gain
management and stakeholder commitment and buy-in for the next steps in the process.
• Mobilize management support: Support from the CEO and the senior management
team is essential for a successful gender diversity strategy. They will set the tone for
how the strategy is received and implemented. It is important that they share their
commitment publicly. They must send the message to all staff that gender diversity
is both the right thing and the smart thing to do for the business. They also must let
everyone know that managers and all staff will be held accountable for gains in gender
diversity. In addition, the management team has to back up this verbal commitment
with tangible engagement in the gender diversification process.
• Communicate strategy to stakeholders: Ultimately, CEOs and executive boards
answer to their shareholders. The support of shareholders and other stakeholders
(such as the community and local unions) is therefore critical to the success of gender
diversity initiatives. Once the business case for gender diversity has been developed,
the process of communicating with stakeholders can begin. News about upcoming
activities such as the gender audit and progress on the gender diversity strategy and
targets will keep them informed. Be sure to include tie-ins to ways these initiatives will
help the company meet its performance, profit, legislative, and industry objectives.
TOOL 1.3
Gender Audit: Introduction, Process, and Tools
» GOAL: To help companies conduct an initial benchmarking exercise to identify
institutional strengths and weaknesses with regards to gender equity
» TARGET UNITS: HR and Senior Management and/or designated Gender Champion
What is a Gender Audit?

A gender audit is a broad review of how a company has integrated gender equity into
policies, activities, capacity-building, organizational culture, and workplace. Gender audits
can help companies better understand where they currently stand on all of these issues,
as well as to identify gaps and opportunities. Depending on the company’s objectives,
metrics can include:
• Gender diversity among staff
• Potential for women and men to be promoted
• Retention of both male and female staff
• Suitability of the physical work environment for women and men
• Extent to which gender diversity is a demonstrated priority in recruitment
• Extent to which women and men are equitably consulted in community engagement
Gender audits are highly customizable, meaning that all companies can use this audit tool
to establish a baseline, identify gaps, and suggest potential measures for improvement
on gender diversity and inclusiveness. Gender audits can be conducted for a whole
organization or for particular business units. They are essential for starting or improving
on gender diversity efforts. For companies conducting their first gender audit and
developing their baseline, or starting point, for gender performance, a gender audit of
the whole company is recommended. It can be repeated periodically, with more frequent
repetition in specific business units as necessary.
Why Conduct a Gender Audit?

Gender audits are useful to gain a thorough understanding of your gender diversity
challenges, develop a strategy for action, and prioritize key interventions.
Baseline audits—and follow-up monitoring (see TOOL 1.22 for more on monitoring)—are
important for a number of reasons:
1. An initial baseline and stock-taking will help you identify areas of focus for your
gender-sensitizing efforts: Where are the most noticeable gaps? Where is the most
work required? Are there areas where gender performance is already strong? Where is
TOOL 1.3
there still progress to be made?
2. Baseline and follow-up audits will help you track the impact of policies and programs.
This information will help you identify areas where you should aim to set targets and
invest resources, such as activities to boost recruitment and retention of women
employees. In addition, this data will ultimately help companies to evaluate whether
activities and initiatives are bringing them closer to their goals or if modification is
needed. Data from follow-up audits can help you to see the impact of gender-equity
programs on broader business metrics—for instance, does increased gender equity
correlate with to any positive changes in productivity or reduction in HR issues?
3. Follow-up audits, in particular, can help determine how employees feel about
programs. Such audits offer insights on whether programs are having the desired
effect of creating a more inclusive workforce. They also provide an indication of how
well employees are responding to efforts to change the corporate culture.
4. Surveys and audits can help employees feel engaged in the corporate change
process, feel that their concerns and opinions are being heard, and feel invested in
affecting change.41
Who Conducts a Gender Audit?

Ideally, gender audits should be done by external assessors, who can provide an
independent perspective on progress towards gender equity. The EDGE gender audit and
certification is the leading global independent gender audit, which includes a baseline
audit, benchmarking, and certification.42 Where an independent audit is not possible,
internal audits can be conducted with the understanding that assessors need to be given
as much independence as needed. Internal assessors also need to be given sufficient
time away from regular duties to conduct a comprehensive audit, and they should report
directly to senior management on the outcomes.
When Should a Gender Audit be Conducted?

A discussion at the board and/or senior management level to identify key gender
diversity objectives and desired changes is the first step in developing a gender audit.
By identifying key objectives such as “gender diversity in the workforce,” “inclusive work
environment,” “safe and inclusive physical work environment,” the audit can then identify
progress, opportunities, and bottlenecks.
41 IFC, SheWorks: Putting Gender Smart Commitments into Practice, 85.

42 More information on the EDGE Certification is available here.
With these recommendations, audits can become a first step toward developing a gender
TOOL 1.3
diversity strategy. In addition, they can serve as a monitoring and sustainability tool by
repeating them periodically and focusing on particular priority areas as identified in the
gender diversity strategy.
Audits should be the first step in a larger gender diversity process, in which the corporate
board and senior management commit to following through on audit recommendations.
Be sure to include a budget for follow-up activities based on audit recommendations, as
well as monitoring and review, to assess progress.
Audits should be well publicized internally. They should be communicated as an

opportunity to understand challenges and bottlenecks and create improvements towards
business outcomes that will benefit the whole company. Results and planned follow-up
activities and changes should be communicated to all staff.
What Types of Data are Collected in a Gender Audit?

Gender audits rely on data sources such as staff surveys, focus groups, and key informant
interviews with staff; reviews of corporate policies/manuals; quantitative analysis of
metrics around recruitment, retention, and promotion; stakeholder reports and other
communications; performance evaluations; and available gender compliance reports (for
instance, Australia’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency compliance reports). Audits can
and should be conducted at the corporate level as well as at the site level, although the
scope can be modified depending on available resources.
Gender audits also can include a participatory design phase, such as gathering information
from staff to identify an initial set of key issues which can then be more specifically explored
through the audit. This enables staff to identify issues of greatest concern to them before
the survey is rolled out more widely for data gathering across the entire organization.
The gender audit tool provided here features a non-exhaustive list of questions that
might be included in a company gender audit. It includes yes/no questions, open-ended
questions, and questions that can be ranked on a scale from 1–5. It can be deployed by
way of interviews, surveys, or focus groups. And it can be customized depending on your
company’s unique circumstances.
This list is a good place to start, although, as noted above, you should consider a
participatory pilot process to solicit issues of key importance to employees, which could
then be included as part of your final gender audit.
Note that the tool’s focus is on how the company prioritizes and implements gender diversity.
It does not measure how well gender is integrated into supply chain policies or community
engagement activities. These issues are addressed specifically in TOOL SUITES 2 and 3.
Gender Audit in Three Steps43
TOOL 1.3
A gender audit typically requires several key steps, summarized here.
1. Organizational buy-in and readiness.

As the first step in developing and implementing a gender strategy, gender audits require
a degree of internal political will to commit resources and communicate the priority to
the company. If a gender champion has already been recruited, this is the person who
should spearhead efforts and develop momentum for a gender diversification initiative.
If the gender champion has not yet been recruited (see TOOL 1.10: Terms of Reference
for Gender Equity Champion for more on gender champions), committed senior staff
must bring senior management on board to recognize the importance and potential value
of improving gender balance even before the initial audit has been conducted. In many
companies, where a gender champion is not yet in place, HR is the organizational ‘home’
for a gender audit.
2. Conduct staff survey and organizational audit.

Once a gender audit has been initiated, the auditors will conduct various layers of staff
surveys, likely including written surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant
interviews. Duration and scope will be determined by the company size, geographic
scope, and the breadth of the audit agreed upon with the gender auditors. A phased
approach is recommended, starting with a participatory process in which staff can
provide input on gender equity issues and indicators of greatest importance to them,
which can then be explored through broader data collection.
3. Follow-up with concrete action plan.

A key aspect of the gender audit is how it will be used. How will findings be translated
into recommendations and action? How will actions be implemented? How will there
be accountability for action? Guidance on how to interpret gender audit results and
translate them into action are provided in the coming pages.
43 Steps adapted from Jeannie Harvey and Patricia Morris, The Gender Audit Handbook, Washington, DC: InterAction, 2010.
TOOL 1.3
TABLE 1A | Sample Questions to be Included in a Gender Audit
The majority of these questions can be posed to a company’s human resources team
(with the exception of section 9 on health and safety, which may need to be posed to
specific health and safety teams.)
1. CORPORATE GENDER PRIORITIES:

These questions will help determine the extent to which the company already
proactively supports gender equality. Is there a policy framework in place which needs
to be supported in implementation, or are there not yet even any formal corporate
statements about gender equality? While individual ad hoc gender initiatives can be
helpful for specific employees, creating systemic and sustainable change requires a
unified approach that demonstrates leadership commitment. Understanding where a
company stands in terms of a policy framework and corporate leadership is important
for determining where to start with gender interventions.
» Is there a gender equity strategy—i.e., a corporate strategy including goals for
gender equity and a plan for how to achieve these goals? Such a strategy should
include budget and accountability structures.
» Is there a gender equity and/or diversity policy (i.e., a policy that outlines how the
gender equity strategy will be operationalized)?
» Does the gender equity policy include explicit prohibition of discrimination based
on gender in hiring, salary and benefits, promotion, discipline and termination,
layoffs, or retirement benefits? (Policies should prohibit discrimination based on
race, religion, sex, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and gender
identity/expression)
» If there is such a policy, does it apply to HQ as well as to country/field offices?
• Is implementation/enforcement of this policy monitored at the HQ level?
• Is implementation/enforcement of this policy monitored at the country and
site level?
» Does the company mandate that gender be a consideration in policy/project/
program development and monitoring for all projects/programs? (For instance,
is it mandated that gender be considered in new HR policies and in community
engagement activities such as social impact assessments or consultations, supply
chain development activities, and other relevant documents?
» Are staff informed about the gender strategy and/or polic(ies)? What opportunities
do staff have to learn about corporate gender priorities?
TOOL 1.3
Gender Focal Points
» Is there a gender focal point or focal point team at the corporate level? Does the
focal point have a clear terms of reference (ToR) and the resources to support them
to fulfill this ToR?
» Where there are multiple job sites, is there a gender focal point at each site?
Trainings on Gender
» Have any staff ever taken an implicit bias/associations test? If not, have staff take
the test and record scores (for instance, Harvard Implicit Associations Test).
2. DATA COLLECTION AND MONITORING:

The following questions will help determine whether the company has the necessary
tools for gathering gender data: for instance, what information is currently available
about men’s and women’s representation in applicants, new hires, and promotions?
Is this sort of information collected, and if so, is it systematic? Are there targets
established? This data is important for determining how well equipped a company is to
implement the policies explored above.
» Is there an ombudsperson or other conflict resolution service, and is it designed in
a way that is accessible and safe for both women and men?
» Does your company collect gender-disaggregated data in terms of hiring,
promotion, retention, and turnover data? If not, why not? Are there technological
issues that may hinder this kind of data gathering? This data would include, for
instance, male/female ratios in applicants, shortlists, new hires, promotions and
upgrades, and resignations/dismissals (including circumstances such as tracking
retention in the years after parental leave).
» Is the data above collected systematically and routinely?
» Have targets been set and communicated for gender diversity in recruitment and
staffing at all levels?
» Do HR staff feel that they have the knowledge, expertise, and resources on gender
and diversity to be able to implement these targets? If not, are staff able to identify
gaps and training needs?
» Is there an organization-wide monitoring and evaluation system for measuring
progress against gender targets?
» Has a pay gap assessment been conducted across the organization, including all
offices?
• If yes, what actions have been taken to address any identified gaps?
» Is progress on gender equity measured in key performance indicators (KPIs):
TOOL 1.3
• At the board level?
• In senior management?
• Among staff with management authority?
» Is there any baseline gender training required for all staff? If so, what percentage of
staff have completed it? Is it incorporated into onboarding?
» Is there a leadership development program and/or a mentorship or sponsorship
program focused on developing female leaders and managers?
3. RECRUITMENT PRACTICES:
The following questions, directed to the human resources department, will help identify
how to make hiring practices more supportive for a variety of applicants. Infrastructure
sectors often struggle with lack of female applicants for a variety of reasons, which
can include the fact that women may feel that traditionally male-dominated sectors
are not welcoming to women applicants or employees. The questions below can help
determine the extent to which recruitment processes or materials may be inadvertently
discouraging women applicants and lead to suggestions to actively encourage more
diverse applicants.
» In job advertisements, how often are female images and/or voices used compared
to male images?
» How often do job advertisements use language that specifically encourages female
applicants?
» Do job descriptions describe required skills, rather than a type of person to fill
vacancies?
» Do you ask interview questions related to marriage or family status of applicants?
» Have you briefed recruitment partners on the need to provide gender balanced
long-lists?
» Do you advertise roles as open to flexible work patterns?
» Do you have diverse interview panels/interviewers?
» Do you include unconscious bias in your interview training?
» Are you open to candidates from non-traditional industries/sectors?
TIPS:
• For any given position, monitor progress of female candidates at each stage of selection process.
• Conduct focus groups with women on the recruitment process: What made them apply to the
company? Did they perceive gender bias in the recruitment process? What would have made the
process more attractive for female candidates?
TOOL 1.3
4. LEADERSHIP AND STAFF COMPOSITION:
These questions aim to identify the extent to which there is gender diversity and equity
in the board, management, and general staff of the company to identify bottlenecks
and opportunities to create targeted gender equity strategies.
Board Composition
» What is the ratio of women to men on the board?
» What is the ratio of women to men in executive positions on the board?
» How long have current board members been in their positions?
TIP: Map board tenures in relation to gender.
» Is there a policy for gender diversity on the board?
Management
» What is the ratio of female to male managers?
» How are managers held accountable for attention to gender diversity in:
• Recruitment?
• Promotions?
» Do incentives exist for managers to support gender diversity?
• What type of incentives?
» Have senior staff received gender diversity training?
General Staff
» For each job family, what is the ratio of male and female employees?
TIP: Disaggregate between HQ, country, field offices.
» For each job family, what is the ratio of pay between women and men in equivalent
positions?
» What is the percentage of female managers compared to male managers?
» What is the percentage of profit and loss-related positions held by women
compared to men?
» Have promotions been analyzed for gender trends, compared to candidates
potentially up for promotion?
» How do you use succession planning to improve gender diversity in more senior
roles—for example, ensuring a gender-diverse talent pipeline is being developed?
» Within the company, is the ratio of women to men in job families above or below
TOOL 1.3
industry averages?
» What is the number and rate of turnover of employees by gender and age per year?
TIP: Disaggregate by HQ, country, and field offices.
5. FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACE ACCOMODATIONS:

These questions identify the extent to which the company supports employees who
are parents—of both sexes—in balancing the demands of work and family. They also
explore whether lack of support may create specific challenges, especially for mothers.
» Is there a parental leave policy? Does it apply to both parents?
» What percentage of male and female employees return from parental leave?
» What support is available to assist women and men who are re-integrating into the
workplace after parental leave?
» What percentage of male employees and female employees receive promotions
after parental leave?
» Are there flex-work options, and are they equally available to men and to women?
» Have flex-work options been communicated to all staff?
» What percentage of male employees make use of flex-work compared to female
employees?
» Does health insurance include coverage for pre- and perinatal care, fertility
treatment, and contraception (including emergency contraception)?
» Are policies in place to ensure the safety of pregnant employees?
» Do these policies consider how to ensure appropriate work (i.e., of an equivalent
grade, with equivalent career prospects) for pregnant employees during pregnancy?
6. SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE POLICIES:

To what extent does the company proactively try to prevent and address sexual
harassment and gender-based violence? Does the company have a clearly
communicated behavioral expectation that all employees are accountable for
knowing and upholding? How are survivors of sexual harassment or violence
supported, and how are perpetrators sanctioned?
» Is there a specific gender-based violence policy, including a clear set of steps for
employers to take when notified of gender-based violence issues?
» Is there a Respectful Workplace (or similar) Code of Conduct, in which employees
sign and pledge to follow certain behaviors in the workplace?
» Is there a confidential complaints mechanism for sexual harassment and gender-
TOOL 1.3
based violence? Does this require reporting to one’s manager or to an alternate
focal point? (Many sexual harassment complaints mechanisms require reporting to
a manager, but when the manager is the cause of the complaint, such mechanisms
can make it harder for staff to report.)
TIP: Conduct focus group discussions to determine employees’ level of comfort with using sexual
harassment/gender-based violence complaints mechanisms and their degree of satisfaction with
how these issues are resolved.
» Are HR staff and anyone else receiving harassment and/or gender-based violence
complaints and concerns specifically trained in responding to sexual assault
allegations, and are they able to provide referrals to locally available support services?
» What are the most common sanctions for employees who have committed sexual
harassment or gender-based violence?
» Are staff given training on expected behaviors and the definitions of sexual
harassment and gender-based violence?
» What support is offered for survivors of sexual harassment/gender-based violence?
7. WORKPLACE/ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE:
To what extent does the workplace culture support and foster gender diversity and
equitable advancement for women and men?
» Have surveys on male and female employee perceptions of organizational culture
ever been conducted?
» Do women and men feel that they have equal opportunities for advancement?
» Do women and men feel that they are equally supported in taking/returning from
parental leave?
» Do women and men feel that they are supported in utilizing flex-work?
» Is there an employee voice/grievance mechanism? If so, are both women and men
involved?
» Do women and men feel that they have equal voice in employee voice/grievance
mechanisms and that men’s and women’s concerns are given equal weight?
8. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:
To what extent is the company doing all that it can to support and foster gender
equitable leadership?
» Where there are mentorship programs, are these programs specifically targeting
women to connect junior women with more senior staff?
» Are there leadership development programs that specifically target both women
TOOL 1.3
and men?
» Is there a women’s network within the company?
» Does the company participate in any industry mentorship or networking programs
to promote women’s professional development in the sector?
9. HEALTH AND SAFETY:

These questions identify the extent to which health and safety measures recognize
men’s and women’s different needs and vulnerabilities.
» Has a gender-sensitive health risk assessment been conducted for all employees,
including in all positions (for instance, including offices as well as vehicles/trains/
boats and any field operations)?
» Have results of health assessments been analyzed and used to modify facilities
and operations?
» Are there on-site health facilities and if so, is there at least one female staff member?
» For any safety audits regularly conducted, are women and men given equal
opportunity to define and identify health and safety concerns?
» Does the department responsible for health and safety employ both women and men?
» If there are committees that deal with health and safety, are women and men
represented on all of them?
» When women’s health or safety issues are raised by the safety committee, are they
heard respectfully and taken seriously?
» Do you feel that senior management understands men’s and women’s different
health and safety concerns?
» If you have received health and safety training, did it include a discussion of the
different issues facing women and men?
» Do the following policies/assessments include recognition of gender differences?
• Health and safety assessment?
• Health and safety policy?
• Health and safety implementation plan?
• Health and safety training plan?
• Sexual harassment policy?
• Bullying policy?
• Diversity policy?
• Equal opportunity policy?
Physical Gender Audit
TOOL 1.3
Companies can conduct an additional physical inspection to complement their gender
assessment. This inspection assesses the extent to which infrastructure is appropriate,
safe, and adapted for both male and female employees. Such considerations are important
for the comfort of both women and men on staff. In addition, they are part of addressing
operational health and safety for a changing workforce. Safety is a key consideration
on all work sites, and ensuring that safety applies equally for all staff is critical. These
assessments should be conducted across all operational sites, as well as headquarters.
As with the rest of the gender assessment, companies are advised to include a participatory
design phase before the assessment to allow employees to raise their own concerns and
metrics for a gender-inclusive workplace. With physical risks, this is equally important:
employees may raise aspects of risk that assessors or employers might not have identified
previously. They also might have innovative ideas on ways to mitigate these risks.
TABLE 1B | Sample Questions to be Included in a Physical Gender Audit
OPERATIONAL FACILITIES44
» In locations where uniforms are required, are there options for two-piece uniforms
for women, or other accommodations that might be required to make women’s
uniforms appropriate but still similar to men’s?
» Are maternity uniforms available?
» Where required, are single sex changing and shower facilities available?
• If gender-segregated facilities are available, do they comply with international
standards (for instance, one shower per six women)?
• Do facilities include shower barricades?
• Do toilets, changing rooms, and shower facilities include locks on the doors?
• Do they include sanitary bins for women?45
» Are separate toilets available and accessible for women and men? If there are
gender-neutral restrooms, do they provide sufficient privacy for the comfort of all
users, including locks on the doors?
• Do women’s toilets or gender-neutral restrooms have facilities for the disposal of
sanitary waste?
44 IFC and Lonmin, Women in Mining: A Guide to Integrating Women into the Workforce, Washington, DC: IFC, 2009, 21.
45 IFC and Lonmin, Women in Mining: A Guide to Integrating Women into the Workforce, 21.
» Are there lactation rooms and refrigerators?
TOOL 1.3
TIP: Disaggregate by HQ, country, and field offices.
» Has an ergonomic assessment been conducted to ensure that equipment is
appropriate and safe for female staff?
TIP: If no surveys have been done, conduct a survey and focus groups with female staff by job
family to identify safety and comfort issues with equipment or facilities and adjustments to
ensure safe, appropriate, and comfortable workplaces and operations.
OPERATIONAL RISKS
» Do health and safety risk assessments include the following considerations?
• Exposure to radiation, certain chemicals, and hazardous gases can impact
health outcomes for women and cause miscarriage or severe developmental
conditions in fetuses.
• Exposure to high noise levels has been associated with pre-term labor, low birth
weight, and some congenital anomalies in some studies.46
• Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can be associated with developmental
abnormalities in babies, miscarriage, or fetal distress.
• Exposure to heavy equipment vibrations can damage a women’s ability to
conceive and may be associated with miscarriage and preterm delivery.47
• Work environments that are designed for the male body may be ergonomically
unfit for many women.
• Ill-fitting uniforms can create an unsafe work environment for women, leading to
health and safety risks.
• Unsafe travel to and from the worksite might be an even greater concern
for women. Of particular concern is the potential for sexual harassment and
gender-based violence.
» Are there programs to enable transition to equivalent-grade positions for pregnant
and breastfeeding mothers so they can avoid hazards such as those listed above?
WORKSITE ACCOMODATION (as necessary)

» Are accommodations segregated by gender?
» Is there sufficient lighting to ensure staff feel safe going to and from
accommodation?
» Are there locks on all bedrooms/personal rooms?
46 Committee on Environmental Health, “Noise: A Hazard for the Fetus and Newborn,” Pediatrics, Volume 100 Issue 4, October
1997.
47 Sandra C. Dorman and Céline Boudreau-Larivière, Guide to Healthy Pregnancies in the Mining Workplace, Sudbury:
Laurentian University, 2012, 6.
TOOL 1.3
FEMALE PERSONNEL
» Are there women security personnel?
TRANSPORTATION
» Does the company sponsor secure transport for community-based employees?
How to Use the Results of a Gender Audit

The gender assessment should return a wealth of information that can be used to identify
potential areas for strengthening and improvement, in turn enhancing performance and
profit. Table 1C outlines some of the ways to use the results of the gender assessment in
designing potential interventions.
Results from the gender assessment should be cross-referenced against other corporate
metrics to understand the impact of gender equity initiatives on other corporate goals.
For instance, does an increase in gender equity in the workforce lead to changes in
productivity? Do increased family-friendly work policies lead to decreased turnover?
Does ensuring that physical work environments are appropriate for women reduce
injuries in the workplace?
TABLE 1C | Turning Gender Audit Results into Action
AUDIT AREA POTENTIAL FINDING POTENTIAL INTERVENTION

Corporate » Lack of coordinated action/ • Develop business case for
gender understanding on gender across gender equity and diversity
priorities the organization, which may lead to highlight importance of
to ad hoc gender mainstreaming, comprehensive, cohesive
inability to maximize benefits of strategy and target
gender mainstreaming and diversity interventions accordingly
» Lack of uniformity in action/ (TOOL 1.2)
understanding on gender between • Develop a gender strategy
HQ and field offices, which may (TOOL 1.9)
create unequal treatment of women • Appoint gender equity
and men across the organization, champion (TOOL 1.10)
resulting in lack of benefits from • Establish a gender task force
gender diversity and creation of (TOOL 1.15)
different employment classes
TOOL 1.3
Human » Lack of gender training, meaning • Develop HR policies and
resources an inability to identify implicit programs to support
gender bias in HR policies, gender-diverse workforce
recruitment, and other areas. (TOOL 1.11)
This may lead to biased working • Conduct a pay gap analysis
conditions and failure to maximize (TOOL 1.6)
benefits of gender diversity and • Conduct training on how to
equity in the workforce reduce implicit bias in the
» Lack of gender-trained workplace. (TOOL 1.17)
ombudsperson, meaning that • Develop human resources
the company could be unaware policies and programs to
of gender-related issues in the support gender equality
workplace (TOOL 1.11)
» Lack of gender-disaggregated • Set gender recruitment
data or pay gap analysis, making targets (TOOL 1.12)
it more difficult to address and • Support gender equity in
improve retention, promotion, virtual work (TOOL 1.16)
productivity, and job satisfaction
Recruitment » Implicit bias in outreach may reduce • Review and revise
practices diversity of candidates who apply recruitment materials
» Lack of awareness that gender bias and procedures to attract
may be woven into recruitment a more gender-diverse
materials and could deter female candidate pool through
candidates from applying human resources policies
and programs (TOOL 1.11)
» Lack of gender diversity on
and guidelines for building a
interview panels may create
gender-diverse talent pipeline
obstacles for diverse hiring
and workforce (TOOL 1.18)
» Implicit bias in hiring criteria
(for instance, requiring a certain
number of years of experience) may
inadvertently disadvantage women
TOOL 1.3
Gender- » Lack of family-friendly policies • Review and revise HR
sensitive HR such as maternal health coverage, policies (TOOLS 1.11, 1.12)
policies and parental leave, and on-site • Conduct cost/benefit
practices childcare or a perception that analysis for family-friendly
taking advantage of such policies workplace policies
is discouraged, leading some • Conduct training with
employees to conclude that the managers on flex work and
workplace might not be conducive benefits of family-friendly
to parental leave. In turn, this could workplace policies
increase turnover, reduce retention,
or put parents at a disadvantage in
professional development.
Sexual » Lack of written policy on sexual • Develop written gender-
harassment harassment and gender- based violence and
and gender- based violence, meaning a lack sexual harassment policy
based violence of established expectations, (TOOL 4.12)
consequences, and accountability • Identify and assess available
for upholding behavioral standards data and potential legal
» Non-existent or unviable processes obligations involving sexual
and/or lack of ombudsperson for harassment and gender-
reporting on sexual harassment and based violence to develop a
gender-based violence, meaning business case for additional
lack of information on incidence interventions and services
and costs of gender-based violence (TOOLS 4.2, 4.3, 4.4)
and sexual harassment
Board » Lack of awareness about the • Conduct a gender
composition dimensions of board composition, assessment of board
which may lead to inability to composition and how
maximize benefits of gender board members are
diversity and equity selected/appointed,
and update operating
procedures (TOOL 1.7)
Senior » Lack of accountability for gender • Provide gender diversity and
management diversity in the workforce equity training for senior
» Perceived/real barriers for women management
to enter senior management
TOOL 1.3
Staffing » Lack of information on gender • Institute gender
diversity in various job families disaggregation of workforce
and/or levels data, including recruitment,
retention, and promotion,
further divided by HQ,
country, and site offices
(TOOL 1.22)
Workplace/ » Perception that women and • Conduct cost-benefit
organizational men have unequal access to analysis on specific aspects
culture opportunities and less support of non-supportive corporate
(including lack of support for flex- culture; enable men’s and
work, parental leave, return from women’s voices to be heard
parental leave) in decision making and
» Perception that men’s and accountability mechanisms
women’s voices are not heard
equally in corporate decision-
making processes
Leadership » Inequitable mentorship, leadership • Cost-benefit analysis on
development development opportunities for benefits of gender-inclusive
women and men or a perception leadership development
of inequality negatively impacting programs
career development • Improve/develop
leadership development
programs for women and
men (TOOL 1.21)
Health and » Inadequate attention to gender- • Work with male and female
physical safety specific employee health and employees to better identify
safety needs, creating hazards and perceived health and safety
increasing potential liability while risks (TOOL 1.3).
reducing employee’ effectiveness
and negatively impacting safety and
job desirability
Additional Considerations when Conducting a Gender Audit
TOOL 1.3
Gender-Sensitive Health and Safety Risk Audits
Included in the gender audit are questions about physical safety and the health risks
associated with certain jobs, job families, and the work environment. Questions also
explore how health and safety risks are identified and addressed. Assessing and
understanding the differences in male and female physical capabilities and vulnerabilities
also helps ensure a safe and productive work environment for all.
Such audits also contribute to a better understanding of the ways in which women
and men identify, define, and perceive risks. They can improve risk reporting and help
distinguish between presumed and genuine health and safety risks. Physical risk audits
can help to combat bias in hiring by ensuring that job descriptions and evaluation criteria
focus on the specific physical skills required for a job rather than relying on traditional
assumptions and biases.
In addition, the use of health and safety risk audits can give employees greater comfort
in reporting health concerns. For instance, women of reproductive age, pregnant women,
and breastfeeding women may have certain acute health and safety risks about which they
would be more forthcoming in reporting if such an audit was part of the workplace culture.
Health and safety risk audits also serve as a tool to clarify actual risk factors to avoid overly
stigmatizing pregnant women or discouraging them from reporting pregnancies.
Women and men may have very different

perceptions of risk, for instance with regards Women and men may have
to sexual harassment or the potential
very different perceptions of
for gender-based violence. Women may
feel vulnerable in different situations risk, for instance with regards
than men (or vice versa), and in different to sexual harassment or the
cultural contexts women and men may
feel differently able to report misconduct
potential for gender-based
to managers. In instances of sexual violence. Women may feel
harassment or assault, for example, it could vulnerable in different situations
be more challenging for men to report
misconduct, particularly in environments than men (or vice versa).
that stigmatize homosexuality. At a male-
dominated worksite, it might be assumed that women are more frequently the victims,
and there may be clearer avenues for women to report misconduct. For this reason, it is
important that both women and men are involved in identifying areas of concern or risk, as
well as in evaluating these risks and developing recommendations for solutions.
In addition, it is important to note that in a male-dominated workforce, women may
TOOL 1.3
be underrepresented in health and safety departments and therefore have fewer
opportunities to identify female health and safety risks—including preventative measures
to mitigate potential risks. Women also may believe that their jobs are less secure than
those of male coworkers, so they may feel less empowered to report health and safety
issues. In some cultural contexts, reporting issues to male colleagues could represent
another problem. Finally, in some situations reporting arrangements might not be
conducive to disclosing highly sensitive information. For instance, inappropriately
designed sexual harassment reporting mechanisms that require employees to report
issues in person to a male manager who may or may not be trained in appropriate
response mechanisms may make women less likely to use those mechanisms.
Gender-sensitive health risk and safety audits should be participatory to allow women
and men to identify health and safety risks, which can then be assessed for prevalence
and degree of risk.
What follows are the steps in a gender audit, a sample gender audit terms of reference,
and a guidance note to help companies consider how to translate audit findings into
recommendations and action.
Conducting a Gender Audit in a Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations

(FCS) Context
Risks posed to women and men will not be the same from industry to industry, or
context to context. This will be particularly true where companies are operating in
environments impacted by conflict and fragility. In these environments, the audit
should be particularly mindful of how fragility and conflict risk may impact worker
safety at work and in the community—including transport to and from work, safety
on the worksite, and interactions with the community. Risk of conflict may impact the
workforce demographic—and while this should never be an excuse for low gender
equity in the workforce, security concerns may differently impact how, at what, and
where women and men feel safe working. If an audit reveals this to be the case,
companies can take this opportunity to make a clear and demonstrated response to
safety concerns, as well as to inform communication around recruitment.
TOOL 1.4
Terms of Reference for Gender Audit
» GOAL: Assess gender equity and environment across company
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources, Senior Management
This tool is designed as a model terms of reference for an independent consultant who
can conduct a gender audit. The ToR is highly customizable to your company’s needs,
as is the audit itself, which can be modified to include other types of potential bias or
discrimination, such as against employees with disabilities.
Model Terms of Reference for a Gender Assessment
Introduction
[Outline reasons for [Company] to conduct a gender audit. Introduce what has occurred thus
far, the business case for gender diversity, the key objectives for a strengthened gender diversity
strategy and approach, policies and initiatives already in place. Detail the internal support for
the gender audit and gender diversity program.]
Objective
The objective of the gender audit is to provide a baseline for gender equity and gender
diversity in the workforce for [Company]. This includes a thorough audit of:
• All workforce policies, such as recruitment, leave, flexible work, and workplace safety,
including policies on gender-based violence.
• Recruitment, wages, promotions, career development support, and benefits to identify
gender-related trends and identify any potential areas of bias or discrimination.
• Assessment of the physical work environment, including transportation to and from
the worksite, equipment, uniforms, work sites, and offices.
• Assessment of the organizational culture: Do women and men perceive themselves
to be equally included in the workplace? Are there instances of bias, discrimination,
or ways in which men or women may feel unsafe or discriminated against based on
their gender? This audit also assesses the extent to which women and men feel that
gender diversity and gender equity are prioritized, and the extent to which it is a
corporate priority.
Scope of Work
TOOL 1.4
The gender audit consultant will be responsible for:
• Developing a detailed gender audit methodology, which includes detailed sets of
questions and intended approaches, such as key informant interviews, focus groups,
surveys, and policy and analysis review.
• Physical audit: Review physical facilities, services, and equipment, including uniforms
and workplaces, to determine safety and appropriateness of use by female staff,
including pregnant staff. Review personal protective equipment, job testing facilities,
and medical facilities.
• Recruitment procedure review: Are there explicit or implicit indicators of bias or
discrimination? Are recruitment efforts inclusive, or do they send signals discouraging
female applicants? Are selection panels gender-balanced? Have they received gender
bias training? Are interview procedures standardized and transparent? Are candidate
audits conducted impartially and transparently? Are managers accountable for
increased gender diversity in teams? Evaluate gender bias in corporate recruitment
and opportunities for improvement.
• Policy review: Does the company have a gender diversity and/or equity strategy?
Does it have non-discrimination policies covering wages, promotion, flexible work,
and benefits? Does the company have flexible work policies? Are staff encouraged
to utilize flexible work? Does the company have a gender-based violence policy?
Identify what policies exist, how they are communicated, and how staff are
supported in applying policies—for instance, ways in which staff are encouraged/
discouraged from taking parental leave.
• Governance and corporate culture: Is corporate culture inclusive? Do male and
female staff feel equally valued, able to advance, and protected by policies? Do
male and female staff feel equally comfortable holding colleagues and managers
accountable for any perceived gender bias or discrimination? What services exist for
holding staff accountable?
• Performance management: Have performance evaluations been reviewed to identify
any gender bias—for instance, bias against staff who take parental leave or utilize
flexible work? Do staff performance evaluations include gender integration in their KPIs?
• Where work is taking place in a fragile or conflict-affected situation, examine how this
may impact staff and their ability to work (safety on the job site and/or coming to the
job site, conditions in staff homes, etc.), and how this may differently impact women
and men, to ensure these factors are understood and accounted for.
TOOL 1.4
“Some leadership behaviors which are more frequently applied
by women than by men in management teams prove to enhance
corporate performance and will be a key factor in meeting
tomorrow’s business challenges. Hence, promoting gender diversity
and leadership variety is of strategic importance for companies.”
Source: McKinsey & Company, Women Matter 2.
Deliverables
a. Gender audit methodology
b. Gender audit draft: The draft should include the following components:
i. Introduction: Introduce company, business case for gender equity, context for the
gender audit, initiatives and programs already underway, management support,
and plans for follow-up and implementation based on the audit.
ii. Summary of staff interviewed and their business units, along with the
methodologies used.
iii. Summary of findings and recommendations: Summary of key findings and
recommendations for addressing main challenges and opportunities.
iv. Results by business unit and priority area, as outlined in the scope of work, along
with additional findings.
v. Detailed evaluation and proposed follow-up steps
c. Finalized gender audit: After incorporating company feedback during review process,
provide a revised finalized version of the audit.
Reporting
[Identify a contact person within the company to whom the gender audit will report and who
will serve as point person for questions.]
Timeline
[Identify the timeline for the entire job and for each of the specific deliverables.]
TOOL 1.5
Employee Scorecard
» GOAL: To gather staff perspectives on and empower staff to make changes
to workplace gender issues. (Scorecards can be used to evaluate other issues,
employees, or services, for instance, in the community.)
» TARGET UNIT: Human Resources
For more information on scorecards, please also see the IFC’s new toolkit on
community scorecards.
Scorecards (SC) are participatory

Scorecards can be an effective
monitoring mechanisms that can help tool in the private sector to help
companies to facilitate a participatory management and staff better
dialogue between staff and management.
Scorecards are a process for gathering understand each other’s
perspectives, as well as empowering perspectives and priorities,
participants to make suggestions for
and to develop collaborative,
improvement and how to implement
those suggestions. often low-cost solutions.
Scorecards were developed in the public sector to support dialogue between public
service providers and users, but they can be an effective tool in the private sector to
help management and staff better understand each other’s perspectives and priorities,
and to develop collaborative, often low-cost solutions.
In a private sector context, scorecards can:

• Give staff and management an opportunity to reflect on a given workplace issue
• Give staff and management an opportunity to identify what an improved workplace
would look like, and ways to achieve those improvements
• Provide a forum for discussion and exchange between staff and management, and an
opportunity to use this forum to agree on changes
• Provide a forum to monitor the extent to which changes have been implemented, and
to assess and feedback on the change process
• Strengthen buy-in, transparency, communication, and accountability between staff and
management
What do Scorecards Involve?
TOOL 1.5
Generally, the scorecard process involves a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) in
which different groups discuss and evaluate a set topic (for instance, ‘gender equality in
the workplace’) by discussing and identifying what good performance on this issue means
to them, coming up with their own specific indicators, and then rating their workplace
accordingly. Once a range of FGDs have been conducted, participants from different
groups come together to compare and discuss findings and come up with a final agreed
rating and plan for improvement.
Scorecards have traditionally taken place in person, but in 2020, the IFC began piloting
virtual scorecards. This included a mix of virtual ‘rooms’—including some participants
who were able to gather in person, a remote facilitator, and some additional participants
participating remotely from quarantine.
Scorecards are a good alternative to traditional surveys because they allow participants to
define the metrics, rather than being limited to the questions being asked by assessors.
Not only do they give management a more authentic view of what matters to employees,
but they also invite participants to come up with solutions. This can lead to more
innovative ideas, as well as inviting employee investment in implementing their own
suggestions. Scorecards are meant to be an iterative process that gets repeated at six-
month or yearly intervals to track improvements and make any necessary adjustments.
Scorecards can be conducted as a complement to a gender audit or independently. Where

they are conducted in complement to a gender audit, it is recommended to do the gender
audit first for several reasons. First, the information gathered from the gender audit can
create jumping-off points for discussion and help facilitators work to address issues that
surfaced during the audit. Secondly, scorecards bring up perceptions and allow staff to
raise questions—some of which will require collaborative work to address, but others may
reflect simpler information gaps. Conducting a gender audit first will give facilitators more
data with which to answer questions and concerns, address issues related to information
gaps, and redirect action planning towards more substantial issues.
Detailed Guidance on Implementing a Scorecard:

Below are detailed steps on implementing a scorecard. Additional resources providing
detailed implementation guidance can be found at the end of the section. The following
steps are adapted from World Bank guidance.
1. Preparation:
a. Identification of facilitators: Trained facilitators are an important component of
a successful scorecard. Facilitators may be external to the company, or internal
facilitators may be trained. But it is important that facilitators are perceived to be
TOOL 1.5
impartial and able to conduct an objective and confidential (non-attribution of
what happens within any focus group) scorecard process. Some companies may
choose to have an external facilitator conduct the initial scorecard process, while
simultaneously training internal facilitators for follow-up scorecards. To promote
impartiality, internal facilitators should include both women and men, from both
staff and management, working together for balanced facilitation.48
b. Identification of subject and scope: What will be the specific subject and scope
of the scorecard exercise? It is important that the scope be clearly defined—
too broad a mandate, and it will be difficult to narrow down criteria and
recommendations. In the case of gender, a sample subject could be ‘How to make
[company name] a more gender equitable workplace?” This clearly defines the
question around gender and limits the scope to questions related to workforce
and workplace (rather than also including, for instance, issues of community
engagement or procurement, which may have different stakeholders).
c. Select sample groups: Once the topic has been defined, identify key participant
groups. In assessing gender equality in the workforce, for instance, it would
be important to speak with both women and men, from all staff levels, to
understand differences in perspectives at various levels and to get both men’s
and women’s perspectives.
d. Preliminary information gathering: Facilitators should make sure that they
have current, up-to-date information regarding gender equity policies and
programs, and if possible, gender-disaggregated data on the current gender
equity status within the company. Having this information at hand will help
facilitating discussions.
e. Awareness raising: Facilitators should coordinate communication with staff to
ensure that staff are aware and informed about the upcoming scorecard process.
2. Focus Groups:
a. For each focus group, facilitators will ask participants to discuss and evaluate the
company (or selected aspect of the company—for instance, workplace) for the
selected question. For instance, in the case of the workplace, facilitators would
invite participants to have a focused discussion around what gender equality in
the workplace means to them and how they define it. Participants will suggest
criteria, and then vote to identify their five to eight most important criteria upon
48 The IFC has developed several additional tools on how to ensure that training and learning programs are gender inclusive.
For additional reading, please reference IFC, Gender Supplement: Guide to Training: Setting the Standard for the Design, Delivery,
and Evaluation of Learning Programs in Emerging Markets, Washington, DC: IFC, 2020.
which to evaluate the company. In the case of gender equality, for instance,
TOOL 1.5
sample criteria might include:
i. Availability of training opportunities
ii. Women’s opinions are solicited and listened to
iii. Women’s leadership is encouraged
iv. Women are promoted as often as men
b. Once criteria have been proposed and selected, participants evaluate how well
the company is doing on each of these criteria, on a scale of 1 (Very Inadequate)
to 5 (Very Good). For in-person scorecard exercises, participants can write their
vote for each of the criteria on a slip of paper to maintain anonymity as to how
individuals rated their employer. For virtual scorecards, facilitators may choose
to have participants submit their votes through private chat messages or using a
web-platform polling tool. Scores will be tabulated, and an average score for each
criterion calculated.
c. Once scores have been identified for each criterion, facilitators should encourage
a discussion about potential solutions or ways to improve each issue. Ideally,
solutions should focus on low-cost solutions where feasible—for instance,
identifying ways to change processes and policies, rather than big infrastructural
actions like building new facilities. Of course, recommendations should reflect
employee priorities and needs, but a range of suggestions, including lower and
higher cost items, can increase the likelihood that employees and management
can agree on a range of recommendations to implement.
d. Focus groups will be replicated among various employee groups and among
management. Among management, the discussion—identifying criteria and voting
on corporate performance—will serve as a reflection and evaluation of their own
performance, as well as a broader discussion about the topic—for example, what
makes a gender-equitable workplace.
FIGURE 1A | Sample Scorecard Focus Group Recording Template

Scores Proposed
5 4 3 2 1 Strengths/ Actions for
Criteria V. Good Good OK Inadequate V. Inad. Weaknesses Improvement
1. Training
opportunities
2. Encourage
women’s
participation
3. Exchange Meeting
TOOL 1.5
a. Once both staff and management focus groups have been conducted, the next
step is to bring together representatives from both sides. In an ‘Exchange Meeting’,
representatives from each focus group should have the opportunity to present
their criteria and ratings, as well as proposed recommendations.
b. The Exchange Meeting discussion should lead to a final recommended action plan
that can be agreed by representatives of both staff and management. A sample
action plan is included below.
FIGURE 1B | Sample Scorecard Exchange Meeting Action Plan
Proposed Actions Who should lead on Who should support

making changes? work on changes?
1. Promotions should consider job HR » Employee Union
experience and positive work appraisals » Staff Association
(not only educational degrees, formal
certificates and qualifications, and
interview skills).
2. More opportunities for training/study HR » Line managers
leave for women and for general staff. » Women’s Association
» Employee Union
women’s representative
3. Assign tasks to allow women to prove Line managers » HR
leadership capacity. Supervisors
4. Narrow salary gap between general and HR » Employee Union
senior staff. » Legal Department
5. Review leave rotation arrangements HR » Executive Committee
(increased flexibility, shorter rotations). » Employee Union
4. Follow Up
Following the scorecard, it is key that clear lines of accountability and action are
established to ensure that the recommendations are followed up and acted upon.
Scorecards should be followed up at agreed intervals, for instance, every six months
or year. The power of the scorecard is in the participant ownership and its ability to
change corporate environment, as well as participant satisfaction by giving them a
voice and stake in improvements. To capitalize on this, there needs to be clear and
sufficient follow-up on the recommendations, as well as a follow-up scorecard to
capture change over a prescribed period of time.
TOOL 1.6
Pay Gap Survey Guidance and Terms of Reference
» GOAL: Outline policy guidance and steps to correct imbalances regarding equal pay
for equal work
To attract and retain a gender-diverse workforce, potential candidates need to be

confident that they are being paid fairly for their work. “Equal pay for equal work” means
that women and men will receive the same pay and same work conditions for the same
or similar job descriptions, and/or for jobs requiring similar levels of skill or qualification.49
But globally and across many industries, pay gaps persist between women and men
performing the same jobs.
Pay equity is not only the right thing to do—it also makes good business sense. Paying all
candidates equitably is important for retaining high performers and developing a strong
senior management pipeline.50 Furthermore, transparency can motivate workers and
encourage cooperation when colleagues know they are being fairly remunerated.51
Pay and related compensation should be set by the job function, not by the individual
performing it. Bonus pay should be awarded according to a clear and transparent system
so that all staff understand the basis and metrics for bonus pay.52
BOX 1D | Defining the Gender Pay Gap

The International Labour Organization has developed a definition to describe gender
inequalities in pay. According to the ILO:
The gender pay gap measures the difference between male and female average
earnings as a percentage of the male earnings. Overall, features such as differences in
educational levels, qualifications, work experience, occupational category, and hours
worked account for the “explained” part of the gender pay gap. The remaining and
more significant part, the “unexplained” portion of the pay gap, is attributable to the
discrimination—conscious or unconscious—that is pervasive in workplaces.
For more, see the ILO publication, Pay Equity: A Key Driver of Gender Equality.
49 International Training Centre of the ILO, Break Gender Stereotypes: Give Talent a Chance, Brussels: European Commission, 2008,
54.
50 ILO, Pay Equity: A Key Driver of Gender Equality, Geneva: ILO, 2015, 1.
51 Kristin Wong, “Want to Close the Pay Gap? Pay Transparency will Help,” New York Times, January 20, 2019.
52 ILO, Break Gender Stereotypes: Give Talent a Chance, 54.
How to Ensure Equal Pay for Equal Work
TOOL 1.6
1. Identify equivalent jobs, screening for gender bias
Use job evaluation metrics to determine which jobs should be paid equally. Be sure to
review these metrics for hidden gender bias. For instance, two jobs that are similarly
physical, such as cleaning and janitorial, might be rated differently. The stereotypically
male job of janitor could be deemed more physically intensive than stereotypically female
jobs of cleaning. Use the following criteria to review job classifications to ensure that
equal work is rated for equal pay:
• Skill: What training and skills are required to conduct this job?
• Effort: What is the physical or mental effort required to do this job?
• Responsibility: What responsibility does this job have over physical, financial, human,
or technical resources?
• Working conditions: What are the physical, psychological, or other pressures
associated with this job?
2. Conduct a Pay Gap Survey to Understand the Situation in Your Company

Once you have conducted a review to determine which positions should be paid
equivalently, the next step is to survey your own employment practices to understand
where pay gaps actually exist. A pay gap survey can help you identify differences in the
ways in which women and men are being compensated for equivalent work. Companies
may not even realize that they have a gender-related imbalance in pay, so pay gap surveys
can be valuable tools for identifying and addressing issues. These surveys also can help to
uncover other biases, such as lower wages for minority or local women. Pay gap surveys
and follow-up actions are a straightforward way for companies to ensure that they can:
• Recruit and retain a diverse workforce
• Demonstrate a commitment to addressing gender imbalance
• Highlight their commitment to transparency, gender equity, and diversity
As part of planning an assessment, consider ways to make information available to

employees and actions to take if pay gaps are revealed. Some countries are moving
towards mandating transparency around pay gaps: Australia, Germany, Austria, and
Belgium have passed laws requiring companies of a certain size to publish pay gap
information. The U.S. adopted a similar law in 2016, and starting in 2017, the UK started
requiring companies with more than 250 employees to publish pay gap information.53
53 UK Government, “Gender Pay Gap Reporting: Overview,” updated 25 March 2020.
Pay gap assessments can be complex and difficult. They require a look at multiple factors
TOOL 1.6
to identify areas in which women and men receive unequal pay for equal work. The model
terms of reference provided here details the specific steps required to undertake such an
assessment, which can be used for both internal and external purposes. The proposed
approach divides the work into two main tasks as follows:
• Conduct a quick baseline on pay equity: This can be incorporated as part of a broader
gender audit or can be conducted independently. Use these questions to build this
baseline of the company’s status on pay equity:
• Is there a policy on equal pay for equal work?
• How have staff been informed of this policy?
• Is someone within the organization responsible for implementing this policy?
• Has the job evaluation metric been reviewed for gender bias?
• Has a pay gap review been conducted in the past to identify gaps in pay for
equivalent work?
• Conduct a pay gap survey: The survey is a deeper dive to identify jobs or job families
where women and men are not earning equitably. It helps uncover challenges or
bottlenecks getting in the way of equal pay for equal work. The survey should identify
target areas for improvement and potential actions to take. See below for a model
terms of reference for a consultant who could conduct the survey, with the goal of
identifying jobs or job families within the company in which women and men are not
earning equal pay for equal work.
BOX 1E | Are Your Male and Female Employees Earning Equal Pay for Equal Work?
Not sure? Here are two methodologies to help you find out:
• ILO’s Gender-Neutral Job Evaluation for Equal Pay provides a step-by-step guide
for companies to compare jobs and evaluate their value, based on a number
of gender-neutral qualifications. This objective assessment of positions is a
necessary step in the gender audit to ensure that jobs typically held by women
are not undervalued. For more, see the ILO publication “Promoting Equity.”
• Logib: The Swiss Federal Office for Gender Equality has developed the Logib
statistical tool for company self-assessments. To complete the assessment,
you will need to input pay, qualifications, and employment profile data for all
employees. The tool is available for free download here.
Model Terms of Reference for a Pay Gap Review
TOOL 1.6
Introduction
[Outline rationale for conducting a pay gap review. Introduce steps taken thus far to develop a
business case for gender equity, as well as other actions such as gender audits, management
support, education, and staff awareness-raising. Explain the context for the pay gap review and
how results will be used.]
Consultants retained to conduct the pay gap review will be called the “consultants” for the
purposes of this ToR.
Objective
The objective of the pay gap review is to identify gender-based disparities in
compensation—including salary, benefits, and bonuses—awarded to women and men
who hold equivalent jobs in the company. The review will identify gaps, try to identify the
drivers of the disparities, and make suggestions for addressing the disparities.
Scope of Work
The assessment will involve the following activities:
a. Evaluate jobs across the organization to determine jobs with same or similar job
descriptions, and/or jobs requiring similar levels of skill or qualification, so that jobs
and salaries can be compared.
b. Based on the job’s assessment, develop a methodology for evaluating salary data
between and across job families to analyze salary by job and by gender to identify trends
and pay disparities. Data should be controlled for years at the company, but findings
should be analyzed by gender, age, and role. If the company wants to assess race-based
pay gaps, data can also be analyzed for ethnicity, race, and other relevant metrics. Where
relevant, data should be disaggregated between local and international hires and among
work sites to highlight potential differences between headquarters and country/regional
offices, and from country/regional office to country/regional office.
c. Analyze findings to identify pay biases or trends based on gender.
d. Identify areas of gender bias versus gender-correlated trends: For instance, is there a
trend towards lower salaries for women because of gender bias or because many women
have taken time out from working for family reasons, meaning fewer years of experience?
The analysis should explore the extent to which such trends are justified, as well as
identify situations in which there is truly unfair bias with no basis in a business rationale.
e. Identify challenges and opportunities for addressing gender-based pay disparities.
Deliverables
TOOL 1.6
a. Pay gap review methodology
b. Pay gap review draft, to include the following components:

i. Introduction: Introduce the company, business case for gender pay equity,
context for the gender pay gap study, initiatives and programs already underway,
management support, and plans for follow-up and implementation based on the
study.
ii. Summary of interviews conducted and business units reached, as well as
methodologies used.
iii. Summary of findings and recommendations: Key findings and recommendations
for addressing main challenges and capitalizing on opportunities.
iv. Results by business unit and priority area as outlined in the scope of work, and any
additional findings.
v. Detailed evaluation and proposed follow-up steps.
c. Finalized pay gap review: Provide a final, revised version of the review that
incorporates company feedback gathered during the review process.
Reporting
Identify a contact person within the company to whom the consultants will report and
who can respond to questions they may have.
Timeline
Identify timeline for the entire job, as well as for each of the specific deliverables.
TOOL 1.7
Gender Diversity Board Assessment 54
» GOAL: Assess board gender diversity

» TARGET UNIT: Executive Board
A stocktaking of gender representation at the executive board level can help determine
what action is necessary to strengthen gender diversity. This exercise should examine
the board’s current gender composition. It should also look at the ways in which new
board members are selected and the frequency with which new directors are chosen. In
addition, it should examine the board’s operational policies and procedures to evaluate
women’s ability to participate in board activities.
An independent consultant should conduct the stocktaking exercise and present the
results to the board. The company and its shareholders should have access to the results,
as well as to action plans that address issues identified.
Here are some suggested questions to include in a board stocktaking exercise on gender.
On Board Composition:
• What is the ratio of women to men on the board in executive and non-executive
positions (including chair, deputy chair, treasurer)?
• What is the ratio of women to men in decision-making positions on the board?
• What is the ratio of women to men on the board?
• How long has each member been on the board?
TIP: Map change in gender diversity over time (for instance, at five-year intervals). Compare with
board performance and company performance over time.
• What are the individual qualifications/backgrounds of board members?
On Board Operating Procedures:

• Is there a policy on board gender diversity?
• How often is board performance assessed?
• How are board members’ performance measured?
• Does the nominating committee (or the committee responsible for ensuring gender
diversity) have a clear reporting obligation to the board?
54 This tool was adapted from a range of existing board checklists, including the Australian Institute of Company Directors’
Checklist for Assessing Board Composition, Sydney: AICD, 2016, and draws on resources including International Corporate
Governance Network, ICGN Guidance on Gender Diversity on Boards, London: ICGN, 2013.
On Protocols for Replacing Board Members:
TOOL 1.7
This is a qualitative assessment of how the board is composed, whether there is
impartiality in board member selection, and how key skills are evaluated.
• How often are new board seats available?
• Are there term limits?
• If there have been any changes, such as moving from no term limits to term limits,
how has this changed board composition and impacted company performance?
• What is the protocol for selecting new members?
• How diverse are the networks and mechanisms through which new candidates are
considered and selected?
• Is there gender bias or imbalance in the networks/avenues through which potential
candidates are identified?
• Does the board have in place a skills matrix to identify and address any skills gaps
through board member recruitment?
• If the skills matrix exists, how often is it updated?
By gathering responses to these questions, companies will have a better overview of the
level and extent of the current board’s gender diversity and whether there are policies
or board self-assessments in place to support increased gender diversity. Analysis of the
results will highlight gaps and reveal areas to address, monitor, and sustain.
ADDRESS: TOOLS 1.8–1.21

This section includes tools to help companies address the gaps and opportunities that
they identified through the assessments included in Tools 1.2–1.7. This includes:
1. Guidance on creating an overarching corporate strategy and policy: A corporate
gender strategy that lays out a company’s goals, intentions, and plans for achieving
them is the bedrock of any gender program. A gender policy lays out the practical
rules and expectations for achieving that policy. This section includes information and
all the required materials to develop a concrete gender policy (TOOL 1.8), as well as a
equity strategy (TOOL 1.9). It also includes guidance and terms of reference for hiring a
gender equity champion (TOOL 1.10). A gender champion will be the point person for
all gender-focused activities, manage the program, and ensure that it has the attention
and commitment required to keep the program going.
The Terms of Reference for the Gender Equity Champion (1.10) occurs after the
guidance on strategy and policy because some companies may need those in place to
mobilize funds for a gender champion. But where possible, the earlier that a gender
champion can be brought on board, the easier it will be to develop the strategy and policy.
2. Guidance on Creating Specific HR Policies: This includes guidance on specific HR policies
and programs that can help companies become more gender inclusive and equitable
(TOOL 1.11), including guidance on identifying and eliminating pay gaps; promoting
work-life balance (including flexible work policies, family leave, support for breastfeeding
mothers, and employer-supported childcare); ensuring gender-appropriate personal
protective equipment and workplace safety; and a review of gender-based violence
programs. This section also includes guidance on how to set specific recruitment targets
(TOOL 1.12) and a checklist for building a gender-diverse board (TOOL 1.13).
3. Guidance on Creating and Improving Gender-Focused Structures and Staff Capacity:
In addition to having a robust gender policy and gender strategy, and associated HR
strategies, companies need to have additional structures in place to support the creation
of a more gender-diverse workplace. This can include having senior leadership visibly
demonstrate commitment to gender diversity (TOOL 1.14) and creating a gender task
force representing and giving voice to staff across your institution (TOOL 1.15). This
section also includes guidance on supporting gender equality in virtual workplaces
(TOOL 1.16) and providing support for pregnant women and new parents (TOOL 1.11).
4. Guidance on Strengthening the Talent Pipeline: This section includes specific guidance
for promoting gender diversity in recruitment and retention (TOOL 1.18) and a job
description template to reduce bias and attract diverse applicants (TOOL 1.19), as well
as guidance on how to develop a mentorship program (TOOL 1.20) and how to support
the continued development of women’s careers as leaders (TOOL 1.21).
TOOL 1.8
Gender Policy Guidance and Sample Gender Policy
» GOAL: To state corporate goals, standards, and expected behaviors around gender
diversity
1. Why have a gender policy?

This tool provides guidance on a key building block for any company’s gender strategy: an
overarching gender policy. While the strategy is like a team’s plan for how to win a game,
the policy is akin to the rules of the game. It is essential to have clear policy, to make a
clear commitment, and to ensure that all staff are familiar and accountable for a gender-
equitable corporate culture. This policy should not operate alone, but complement other
HR policies to communicate a comprehensive commitment to gender equity.
The policy should communicate why a company thinks gender diversity and equity is
important, i.e., why working towards gender equity is a corporate goal, and how the
company anticipates that gender diversity will help the company. The policy should also
outline what the policy itself is meant to achieve (for instance, support gender equity,
increase equity in promotions, etc.) and what measures the policy authorizes to achieve
these ends. Companies should also consider, and state clearly, to whom the policy
applies. The policy should apply not only to full-time staff, but also to part-time staff and
contractors and suppliers.
2. Key Components of a Gender Policy

a. Context/Introduction: This should include brief background on gender issues in the
company, and why a gender policy is being developed now.
b. Purpose: This section should outline what the policy aims to achieve—for instance, to
communicate the company’s goals with regards to gender equity, the measures the
company commits to in order to realize those goals, and who will be held accountable
for adhering to the policy.
c. Values statement: The values statement should communicate why the company has
a gender policy. This should be a clear signal to staff that gender equality is a core
corporate value—and why. For instance, a values statement could outline that gender
diversity is important to the company because equality and diversity are core company
values, and also out of a recognition that gender diversity (among other types of
diversity) are integral to supporting peak company performance. Measures to be used
to achieve gender diversity could include recruitment, retention, and promotion policies
TOOL 1.8
that seek to ensure equal opportunities for women and men, as well as respectful
workplace policies to ensure that women and men feel safe, comfortable, and valued
in the workplace. The gender policy can also outline measures that will be taken to
support gender equity in procurement, and in community engagement activities.
d. Applicability: To whom does this policy apply? Companies need to decide if the policy
will apply to all staff, including contractors. It is recommended that the gender policy
apply to all contractors and staff to maintain consistency and standards throughout
the organization.
e. Definitions: This section can define any key terms used in the policy, including but not
limited to:
i. Gender: Gender refers to cultural, social, cultural, or behavioral norms associated
with being male, female, transgender, intersex, and gender diverse, and the
relationship between people based on these norms.55
ii. Employee: Define who is included in the policy (and under the term ‘employee’). It
is recommended to say that the term ‘employee,’ as used in this policy, includes all
full-time and part-time staff, and all contractors.
iii. Gender equality in the workplace: Gender equality in the workplace is the goal
that all employees are treated equally, and have the same access to opportunities,
compensation or other reward, and resources, regardless of gender.
iv. Gender equity in the workplace: Gender equity means fair treatment for all. “It
may include equal treatment or treatment that is different, but which is considered
equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations, and opportunities.”56
f. Commitments: This section should outline specifically what the company plans to
do to achieve the values statement. Commitments may be organized around the
following themes:
i. Broadly supporting a gender-aware and gender-responsive workplace culture that
all employees and contractors are expected to understand and uphold
ii. Commitment that all recruitment, promotions, performance evaluation, and
dismissals will be done regardless of gender, and that materials—including
recruitment materials and hiring, promotion, and dismissal criteria will all be
gender-inclusive and aware. Specific mechanisms could include (but not limited to):
1. Gender-inclusive language in recruitment materials
55 Drawn in part from Western Sydney University (WSU), Gender Equality Policy, WSU, 2017.
56 WSU 2017.
2. Minimum standards for participation in shortlists and as interviewers in
TOOL 1.8
interview panels. For shortlists, targets for representation of women should
reflect a reasonable goal for the context. Interview panels should always
include at least one woman, and where the panel is more than four people, it
should include at least two women.
3. Job descriptions and KPIs that do not specify gender or inadvertently
disadvantage women applicants
4. Standards for job interviews that include prohibiting questions regarding
gender, family situation, or future family plans, but also include providing
information on family-friendly benefits
5. Regular gender pay gap audits
6. Gender disaggregation of all HR data, including shortlists, hiring, upgrades, and
promotions
iii. Coordination with the family leave policy, which should outline opportunities for
parental leave for both primary and secondary parents, including in situations of
adoption, and which can be used before and/or after birth/adoption, as necessary
iv. Provisions for workplace gender inclusivity and equity, including zero tolerance
for sexual harassment or violence, to be supported by a gender-informed
grievance mechanism
v. Specific support for staff experiencing domestic violence
vi. Provisions to ensure that equipment, PPE, and workplaces are appropriate for staff
vii. Support for breastfeeding and/or pumping mothers
viii. A code of conduct regarding gender-based violence and sexual harassment
ix. Activities to create more equity in procurement, such as reviewing procurement
policies for unintended bias, unbundling large contracts, shortening payment
intervals, and providing community trainings to increase opportunities for small
and local suppliers.
x. Integration of gender into all community engagement activities, including
increasing inclusive participation in community assessments, decision-making, and
monitoring and evaluation.
g. Responsibilities: This section should outline who will be responsible for implementing
the policy and what their roles will be.
h. Related Policies: The gender policy does not operate in a bubble. It may influence
other related policies. The gender policy can include a list of related policies and notes
on how it should influence them. Related policies may include:
i. Family leave policy: Family leave policies should allow for adequate time off for
TOOL 1.8
employees after the birth or adoption of a child. Policies should allow for leave for
both parents, i.e., both primary and secondary parents, even if the other parent
works for a different employer. For instance, if a couple has a child and the mother
works for a different company, a comprehensive family leave policy would allow
the father time off to participate in the early months of the child’s life. These
policies should apply for both parents, regardless of gender, and should also apply
for adoption, where families will also need time to adjust and settle in. This is for
the benefit of the family, but also for the company by ensuring that following such
major events, employees are able to focus on their families and have the best
chance to return to the job able to focus on work.
ii. Equal opportunity and diversity policy: Many companies have policies speaking
more generally to diversity and equality in the workplace. These policies should be
coordinated with the gender policy for continuity and complementarity
iii. Respectful and inclusive workplace policy: Many organizations have respectful
and inclusive workplace policies, which often outline the company stance on
harassment, bullying, language, and conduct. These policies should complement
the gender policy and be updated to ensure that they include and differentiate
sexual and gender-based violence and harassment.
iv. Recruitment and selection policy: The recruitment and selection policy can be
updated to reflect gender equity priorities, including a proactive modification of
language in recruitment notices and advertisements to be gender inclusive, as well
as setting standards for gender equity on shortlists and interview panels.57
v. Procurement policies: Procurement policies address, among other things, how
suppliers compete and are evaluated and selected, and payment policies. All of
these can impact how well smaller local firms are able to compete with larger
firms, and so may impact how well women-owned businesses are in securing
contracts.
vi. Community engagement policies: Community engagement policies outlining how
companies engage with the host community should also include specific provisions
for how to ensure that consultations, decision-making, and monitoring and
evaluation are inclusive, including ensuring women’s equal involvement.
3. Sample Policy Template

a. Introduction: [Background of the company, what has been done on gender, why this is
being implemented now]
57 List of complementary policies draw from WSU 2017.
b. Purpose: This policy represents [Company’s] commitment to having a robust and
TOOL 1.8
comprehensive approach to gender equality. The policy outlines [Company’s]
dedication to gender equality and outlines [Company’s] specific commitments towards
the goal of a gender-aware, inclusive, and equitable corporate environment. The
purpose of this policy is to:
i. State and communicate [Company’s] commitment to gender equality
ii. State and communicate the measures that [Company] is taking to achieve a
gender-aware, inclusive, and equitable corporate environment
iii. Define and communicate the behavioral standards to which all employees and
contractors will be held in pursuit of a gender-aware, inclusive, and equitable
corporate environment.
c. Value Statement: [Company] recognizes and values the diverse skills and perspectives
that its employees bring to the workplace. These diverse skills and perspectives are
informed by our employees’ differences, including their gender. In order to support a
diverse staff, and to benefit from these differences, our employees must feel that their
workplace is a place of security and fairness, and that all staff are equally valued and
have equal opportunities for recruitment, retention, and advancement.
[Company] is committed to realizing gender diversity through informed recruitment,
retention, and promotion practices that attract and support a diverse and high-quality
workforce. These measures are meant to help [Company] to attract, motivate, and
retain a diverse, qualified, and motivated workforce, reduce staff turnover, improve
productivity, foster innovation and creativity, and build a cohesive, inclusive workforce
that allows [Company] to operate at peak performance and growth.
d. Applicability: This policy applies to all contractors, part-time staff, and full-time staff.
e. Definitions:
i. Gender: Gender refers to cultural, social, cultural, or behavioral norms associated
with being male, female, transgender, intersex, and gender diverse, and the
relationship between people based on these norms.58
ii. Employee: Define who is included in the policy (and under the term ‘employee’). It
is recommended to say that the term ‘employee,’ as used in this policy, includes all
full-time and part-time staff, and all contractors.
iii. Gender equality in the workplace: Gender equality in the workplace is the goal
that all employees are treated equally and have the same access to opportunities,
compensation or other rewards, and resources, regardless of gender.
58 Drawn in part from WSU 2017.
iv. Gender equity in the workplace: Gender equity means fair treatment for all. “It
TOOL 1.8
may include equal treatment or treatment that is different, but which is considered
equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and opportunities.”59
f. Commitments: In order to meet the values stated above, [Company] commits:

i. [Company] will actively support a gender-aware and gender-responsive workplace
culture which values gender diversity, works towards gender equality, and
practices gender equity in all elements of policies, operations, and workplace.
Towards this end, all of [Company’s] employees will be supported and expected to
understand gender and gender issues, and will be expected to uphold this policy.
ii. Hiring, advancement, performance management, retention criteria, and
promotions will all support equal opportunities regardless of gender. Recruitment,
evaluation, and interview materials and promotion and advancement criteria will be
gender-inclusive (for instance, in the language used). Recruitment and performance
management criteria will not discriminate, implicitly or explicitly, on the basis of
gender. Gender will be integrated in all HR reporting, including on gender balance
in staffing, corporate governance, and average pay. Specific mechanisms that will
be put in place to achieve this goal will include, but not be limited to:
1. Gender-inclusive language in recruitment materials
2. Minimum standards for participation in shortlists and as interviewers in
interview panels
3. Job descriptions and KPIs that do not specify gender or inadvertently
disadvantage women applicants
4. Standards for job interviews that include prohibiting questions regarding
gender, family situation, or future family plans
5. Regular gender pay gap audits
6. Gender disaggregation of all HR data, including shortlists, hiring, upgrades,
and promotions
7. To be coordinated with the family leave policy, improved gender equity in
parental leave, including [xxx] days of parental leave for the primary parent
and [xxx] days of leave for the secondary parent, regardless of gender. Leave
would apply in cases of natural birth or adoption and could be used before
and/or after birth/adoption, as necessary. Leave will apply for secondary
parents, even if the primary parent does not work at [Company]
iii. [Company’s] workplaces will be gender inclusive and gender equitable, and all staff
will be made to feel valued, fairly treated, and safe. [Company] will have zero tolerance
59 WSU 2017.
for behavior that detracts from this environment and will strive to ensure that all
TOOL 1.8
workplaces, including accommodation, are safe for all staff, regardless of gender.
iv. [Company] will have a grievance mechanism with specific training and support for
staff experiencing sexual harassment or violence.
v. [Company] will make provisions to support any staff who are experiencing
domestic violence, including up to [x] days of supplemental leave for the purpose
of attending court proceedings, consultations or appointments, relocation, or
other related activities [potential options might include low interest corporate
loans, security support, emergency accommodation for staff and dependents].
vi. [Company] will aim to ensure that all workplaces, including equipment, PPE, and
infrastructure such as changing rooms, toilets, etc., are appropriate and equitable
for all genders.
vii. [Company] will provide paid breaks for breastfeeding and/or pumping and will
provide a dedicated space for both, including refrigerator, sink, and electrical access.
viii. All staff will be expected to sign a code of conduct committing to defined standards
of behavior with regards to bias, discrimination, and sexual harassment and violence.
ix. [Company] will collect gender-disaggregated data to monitor gender diversity of
supplier ownership and review procurement policies to ensure that they do not
inadvertently disadvantage based on gender.
x. Community engagement programs will be designed to equitably compensate,
support, and empower both women and men.
g. Responsibilities: The following outlines responsibilities for implementing this policy:

i. All employees, including all full-time and part-time staff, are responsible for
upholding this policy and the associated code of conduct
ii. All contractors doing business with [Company] are responsible for upholding this
policy and the associated code of conduct
iii. Managers, senior managers, and all corporate leadership are responsible for
upholding and implementing this policy and the associated code of conduct.
They are also responsible for ensuring that staff have the appropriate training
and support for implementing this policy.
h. Related Policies: This policy is complementary to the below policies, which also
support gender-inclusive and gender-aware measures to reach gender equity across
[Company’s] operations: family leave policy; equal opportunity and diversity policy;
respectful and inclusive workplace policy; recruitment and selection policy.60
60 This tool draws from several sample gender policies, including WSU 2017 and CARE International “Final CARE International
Gender Equality Policy,” June 2018, cited Nov 6, 2020.
TOOL 1.9
Establish a Gender Equity Strategy
» GOAL: Develop a strategic roadmap for how your company will create a gender-equitable
work environment across the company
» TARGET UNITS: Senior Management, Training, Human Resources, Gender Equity
Champion
Gender Strategy and Gender Policy: Setting the Scene for Gender Equity
This tool provides guidance on developing a gender equity strategy that builds on the
gender policy outlined in TOOL 1.8. The gender strategy is a programmatic document,
outlining how your company will achieve its gender equity targets; the gender equity
policy is an important piece of this strategy and is the set of corporate rules that will
guide corporate decisions and employee action. The strategy is a dynamic document
which can be updated and adapted, but includes the guiding plan for how to meet gender
targets, including specific steps such as setting targets, outlining the common set of rules
and expectations for all staff regarding gender equity (the policy), as well as any other
programs that will be implemented (training, communications, monitoring, etc.) to help
the company achieve its goals. The policy, on the other hand, should be established as a
fixed set of principles that the company and staff rely on to guide decisions.
Establishing the Gender Equity Strategy

The gender equity strategy is the foundation for any gender diversity improvement
initiatives. It provides the structure for gender equity commitments, actions, and progress
monitoring. The strategy should be a flexible, dynamic document that lays out a company’s
goals for gender equity, identifies how those goals will be met, coordinates activities, and
clarifies accountability. It should frame clear targets, time-bound goals, and the pathway
towards those goals, based on the findings from the gender audit. The strategy should
be linked to the business case by detailing a concrete set of actions and the associated
theory of change that will help the company address shortcomings identified in the gender
assessment and realize the gains outlined in the business case. A comprehensive gender
strategy can help companies to achieve:
• Unified vision: A strong gender strategy provides a clear set of objectives and values
that the company can aim for. A clear, common, and communicated vision facilitates
actions towards that goal, accountability for progress, and coordination between
different parts of an organization. This can help ensure that all units are working
towards the same goal and hold to the same standard. It also enables teams to learn
from others’ experiences.
• Consistency of approach: A defined strategy ensures that teams are adopting the
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same goals and techniques. When several approaches are being piloted, all units can
learn from the experience.
• Motivation and momentum: A strategy that includes incentives and monitoring can
help motivate organizations to meet their goals.
• Identify progress: A strategy that includes specific goals provides a framework to
measure progress and determine needed course corrections. Such information is
especially important for companies required to report to investors and stock exchanges.
Developing a Gender Equity Strategy

What follows is a step-by-step guide to developing a gender equity strategy.
Step 1: Appoint the gender champion and develop a gender task force.
The first step in developing a gender strategy should be to get the human resource
infrastructure in place to develop and implement the strategy. This should include the
gender champion and a gender task force. More details on the roles and responsibilities
of the gender champion and the gender task force are in TOOLS 1.10 (Terms of Reference
for a Gender Equity Champion) and 1.15 (Creation of a Gender Task Force and Terms
of Reference), but the gender champion should take the lead on development and
implementation of the strategy if the role is a full-time one. Where a dedicated position
such as the gender champion is not feasible, the part-time gender champion should still
work closely with HR and senior management on the development and implementation
of the strategy. The gender task force should provide input on the strategy, as well as
support communication and dissemination of the strategy to general staff.
Step 2: Set company-wide goals for gender equity and diversity.

Based on the gender audit, the employee scorecard, and any other assessments conducted,
the next step in developing a gender strategy is to identify the priority areas and related goals,
which are a precursor to more specific gender targets and should focus on the company’s
vision for gender diversity. The goals should reflect the key issues that staff identified through
the audit and scorecard. Where staff ideas outstrip capacity for action, management may
prioritize by using the business case to identify priority areas with the greatest business
impact. To further help prioritize goals, there are several additional key considerations to
keep in mind. First, identify priority areas for your company. While all are important, rank
them in order of importance. Several factors could influence this prioritization, such as
which areas require the most improvement, or where improvement will have the greatest
business impact. Use Table 1D to help you rank priorities: High (H), Medium (M), or Low (L).61
61 Adapted from: Australian Government Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Gender Strategy Toolkit, Sydney: Australian
Government, 40.
Next, rate company progress. Rate each area, on a scale of 1–5, in terms of how well
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gender-equity principles have been integrated.
Finally, examine the table to compare priority areas with areas of greater or lesser
progress. Are there high-priority areas with poor performance to date? Are there
unexpected gaps or areas that need improvement? Discuss with the task force how to
prioritize key areas.62
TABLE 1D | Ranking Gender Diversity Priorities
POTENTIAL PRIORITY AREAS PRIORITY RATING PROGRESS TO DATE

Gender Equity throughout
the Workforce
Gender Equity in Recruitment
Gender Equity in Promotions
Women’s Representation in
Leadership and Management
Gender Pay Equity
Gender Inclusive Culture
Equity of Training and Professional
Development Opportunities
Family-Friendly Work Environment
Management Accountability for
Gender Equity
Gender Inclusion in Monitoring
and Reporting
Gender Mainstreaming in Policies
and Processes
Gender Equity in Procurement/
Supply Chain
Gender Inclusion in Community
Engagement
Investment in a Diverse Talent Pipeline
62 Ibid, 39.
Step 3. For priority goals, set specific targets.
TOOL 1.9
Based on Step 2, identify key gender equity targets for each priority goal (see TOOL 1.12
for guidance on target setting). Develop draft targets to align with key corporate goals.
Figure 1C below is a “Gender Equity Continuum.” It can help you set targets as well as
measure the integration of gender issues and the extent to which they are considered. By
identifying your current spot along the continuum, you can set targets to move from one
stage to the next—for instance, from Compliant to Integrated—over a set time period.63
FIGURE 1C | Gender Equity Continuum
Gender Equity Continuum

Avoiding Compliant Programmatic Strategic Integrated Sustainable
The company The company Ad hoc Gender Gender Gender
does not even is compliant response to strategy equality is equity is the
ackowledge with regulations specific gender- exists and is mainstreamed norm
gender as a key regarding related issues implemented
business issue gender equality
Step 4: Validate goals and targets.

Goals and targets should be discussed and validated with management and relevant
business units to ensure widespread understanding, support, and buy-in for the goals.
Here is a set of indicators to guide your implementation of a gender equity strategy.

Originally developed by IFC in collaboration with Lonmin for the publication Women in
Mining: A Guide to Integrating Women in the Workforce, they are reprinted in Table 1E.64
A gender equity strategy is a dynamic document that includes

the guiding plan for how to meet gender targets, outlining
the common set of rules and expectations for all staff regarding
gender equity (the policy), as well as any other programs that will
be implemented (training, communications, monitoring, etc.) to
help the company achieve its goals.
63 Australian Government Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Gender Strategy Toolkit, 39.
64 IFC and Lonmin, Women in Mining: A Guide to Integrating Women into the Workforce, 17.
TOOL 1.9
TABLE 1E | Model Gender Equity Strategy Targets
TRAINING/
HUMAN CULTURE CHANGE/
MANAGERS ENGINEERING MEDICAL RESOURCES COMMUNICATIONS
Outputs » # of change » # of jobs » # of policies » # of hours
houses built assessed developed/ training provided
» # of for updated on gender bias
underground women » # of women » # of participants
toilets installed assisted with in trainings and
» # of childcare workshops
appropriate » # of people
safety reached through
equipment communications
issued efforts
Outcomes » # of women employed by the company
» % of women employed by the company
» Female vs. male attrition rates
Anticipated » Compliance with government legislation
Impacts » Increase in income of women, thereby impacting community wellbeing
» Improved safety record due to hiring of women
» Improved machinery care record due to hiring of women
Step 5. Outline gender equity strategic action plan.

Based on the key goals and targets identified, identify key categories/types of activities
that will be undertaken to meet the stated targets. At this stage, the action plan does
not need to be in final detail, but it should follow a theory of change model—this can
incorporate the targets set in Step 4 and should outline the issue, the action, the expected
outcome, and the expected impact. This outlined plan will state what the company’s
key gender priorities are, what it intends to do about them, and how these actions are
anticipated to bring about the desired results. In addition to this theory of change as the
‘meat’ of the plan, the strategy document should include the following sections:65
• Introduction/context: This section should outline the key gender mainstreaming
goals, the business case behind these objectives, a summary of diagnostics, and the
company’s current status on meeting these goals.
• Key focus areas: For each focus area, identify the goals that have been set, anticipated
actions to reach these goals, roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities for key activities,
factors that would support or threaten success, and how progress will be measured. See
Table 1F for an example of how to structure action planning for each focus area.
65 Australian Government Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Gender Strategy Toolkit, 42.
• Consolidation of approaches by business unit: Different teams within an
TOOL 1.9
organization may have different roles to play across various focus areas. For
instance, while HR may be the primary actor on increasing gender in recruitment,
the communications team may also have a role to play in shaping how recruitment
messaging is put out to potential applicants. In addition to organizing the strategy by
focus area, also include an outline of specific tasks by business unit, which may cross
multiple focus areas.
• Monitoring, consultation, and timeline review: Ensure that business units are
aware of how and when progress will be monitored, as well as when the plan will be
reviewed, tweaked, and updated to support continued progress. Strategies should be
living dynamic documents, with set periods for review and adjustment.
• One-page summary of the gender equity strategy: This will enable easy
dissemination. Share the summary with all teams and make sure that they
understand their responsibilities, accountability, and opportunities for input and
revision. Based on the overall strategy, individual business units can develop their
own implementation strategies.
Once the strategy is complete, the company’s gender equity champion should develop
and implement training on the strategy for all staff across the organization. This will
familiarize staff with the strategy and reinforce corporate objectives and commitments, as
well as the role each business unit is expected to play.
TABLE 1F | Example of a Gender Equity Strategy Outline
KEY FOCUS AREA Recruitment

PROBLEM TO ADDRESS Too few women applicants
ANTICIPATED ACTIONS Coordinated outreach to local training institutions, improve gender
inclusiveness of recruitment materials, provide coaching for
potential female job applicants
DESIRED OUTCOME Increased number of female applicants
DESIRED IMPACTS At least 20 percent of job shortlist candidates are women
RESPONSIBLE UNIT Human Resources and business units
TIMEFRAME Effective immediately
MEASURING PROGRESS Quarterly review of total applicants, shortlists, and final candidates
STRENGTHS AND THREATS Strengths: Improved outreach activities, and gender-inclusive
TO SUCCESS recruiting can support success; Threats: Lack of female candidates
RESOURCES NEEDED Budget, staff time, consultants
(such as financial, staff time)
TOOL 1.10
Terms of Reference for a Gender Equity Champion
» GOAL: Lead and coordinate gender mainstreaming efforts
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources and Senior Management
About the Gender Equity Champion

The gender equity champion is the company’s lead on gender diversity and equity
initiatives. The champion directs some activities and serves in a coordinating role
for others. This individual—preferably a person with a decision-making role—is
responsible for implementing the business case and the gender strategy. The role of
the champion includes:
• Gaining buy-in from senior management and other key players in support of the
gender equity messaging
• Working with business units such as HR, procurement, and community engagement
to develop unit-specific gender action plans
• Helping teams to implement their gender strategies
• Providing organization-wide coordination, including by chairing and coordinating the
company’s gender task force (if applicable)
• Assisting with external messaging on the company’s gender commitments
This tool outlines the main responsibilities of the gender equity champion in a ToR.
While certain in-house staff might qualify for this position, be sure to allot time to do the
job rather than adding the role to existing full-time responsibilities. At a minimum, the
champion’s job should be considered a half-time position, and there is a strong argument
for designating it as a full-time position.
The champion role is not meant to substitute for subject-matter gender expertise in
business units (i.e., gender expertise among community development experts or gender-
based violence and harassment experts to conduct GBVH assessments). Rather, the
intent is to designate an individual to lead and coordinate implementation of the gender
strategy across the organization.
In terms of seniority, the champion should rank in upper/middle management at a

minimum. If the champion is not a senior manager, a board director should be designated
to provide senior-level support and traction for the champion’s proposals and work.
TOOL 1.10
Sample Terms of Reference for a Gender Equity Champion
Introduction
Outline the reasons [Company] wants to hire a gender equity champion. Introduce
steps taken to date on laying the groundwork for a gender equity strategy or program.
Describe the gender equity commitments that underpin the hiring of a gender equity
champion—for instance, commitments to increase recruitment of women, engage with
more women-owned businesses, or ensure equitable consultation and engagement with
male and female community members. Provide the corporate context and reporting lines:
Will the champion have a team or an office? To whom does the champion report? Has the
champion’s work program been defined or are plans in place to do so?
The objective of the gender equity champion position is to have a corporate focal point
who can provide leadership and coordination to help [Company] improve equity of
opportunities for women and men within [Company] as well as in [Company’s] interaction
with suppliers and the community. The champion will be responsible for developing
[Company’s] gender equity strategy, securing buy-in within the company, and working
across business units to support the implementation of the strategy.
Scope of Work
The gender equity champion’s responsibilities will include the following
1. Facilitate corporate agenda-setting for gender:

a. Identify drivers for gender diversity and develop a business case for gender equity:
• Identify key drivers for improving gender diversity within the company, such
as performance and profitability, corporate social responsibility, industry
commitments, or legislative requirements.
• Explore and consolidate these drivers into a company-specific business case for
gender equity. This business case should outline ways in which improvements in
gender diversity and progress toward gender equity will—or have the potential
to—create business benefits for [Company].
b. Cultivate senior leadership support for gender equity:
• Meet with senior leadership to present the business case for gender equity
• Work with senior management to secure their commitment to support gender
equity
c. Form a gender task force: The company’s gender task force will act as a sounding
board for corporate gender initiatives, help aggregate staff ideas, concerns, and
questions, and support information campaigns to inform staff on gender activities.
TOOL 1.10
For more information on the gender task force, see TOOL 1.15 (Creation of a
Gender Task Force and Terms of Reference for a Gender Task Force). Depending
on the size of the company, country-level and departmental task forces can be
developed to support implementation, which should include representatives from
all job grades. The task force itself should include male and female members.
d. Assume the lead role in the task force. Duties include:
• Convening and managing task force meetings
• Recording and sharing proceedings
• Coordinating presentations with management and human resources to keep the
task force updated on gender-focused activities
• Work with the task force on ways to best invite, collect, and communicate staff
concerns, ideas, and questions, as well as how to support communication
campaigns to general staff.
e. Lead the development of the gender equity strategy, in collaboration with HR,
senior management, and the gender task force:
• This strategy should provide the structure for commitments, actions, and
monitoring progress towards gender equity. The strategy should lay out
objectives, coordinate activities, clarify accountability, and frame clear targets,
time-bound goals, and the pathway towards those goals.
• This strategy should establish company-wide goals for gender equity and
diversity. These goals are a precursor to more specific gender targets and
should focus on the company’s vision for gender diversity. They should be
discussed and validated with management and relevant business units to
ensure widespread understanding, support, and buy-in for the goals.
• Work with HR and management on the development of specific gender targets,
that complement the gender strategy, map out proposed activities to meet
those targets, and frame them in a theory of change that outlines how specific
activities will help [Company] to meet its targets.
• Develop a monitoring and evaluation plan for measuring progress against
stated targets.
• Work with HR on a corporate-wide campaign to address sexual harassment and
gender-based violence if this does not yet exist.
2. Disseminate the gender equity strategy to all business units and support
implementation across [Company]:
a. Identify operational champions in various business units. The gender task force
can support this effort by providing an embedded gender ‘spokesperson’ to
support the operational champion.
TOOL 1.10
b. Work with senior management and business units to implement the gender
equity strategy:
• Presenting the strategy to teams
• Working with teams to identify where they fit into the strategy
• Helping teams develop unit-specific gender plans
• Supporting implementation of unit-specific gender plans
c. Provide input as HR and business units conduct assessments on relevant topics,
such as women in the workforce, the supply chain, and community engagement,
to help teams consider gender dimensions, ensure continuity of corporate
messaging and priorities across activities, and ensure as much coordination
between departments as possible.
d. Support HR in identifying independent teams to conduct gender audit and pay gap
studies, where required.
e. Work closely with supply chain and community engagement teams to develop
a business case for engaging with women-owned businesses and supporting a
gender-equitable approach to community development.
3. Serve as internal and external point of contact for questions or support regarding
[Company’s] gender equity strategy:
a. In addition to serving as the internal point person on gender equity, the champion
may be called on to represent [Company] publicly on matters related to the gender
equity strategy.
b. Document progress on gender equity initiatives for corporate storytelling.
c. Work with the communications team to ensure that progress is shared with
employees, management, and stakeholders.
In addition to these tasks, the champion will be responsible for developing additional
activities as needed to support training on and implementation of [Company’s] gender
equity strategy, as well as ensuring that individual business units can apply and act on
the strategy.
TOOL 1.11
Develop Human Resources Policies and Programs to Support a
Gender-Inclusive Workforce
» GOAL: Develop policies and programs that attract, support, and advance female
employees
To maintain a gender-inclusive workforce, you will need to identify and develop policies
and associated guidance that can help to make your workplace more attractive to both
women and men. While many companies have high-level policy frameworks outlining
gender equality and diversity, more specific policies and implementation guidelines that
clearly state how the company expects to support gender equality are important for
attracting and retaining a gender-diverse workforce. Policies that can help attract and
retain a more gender-diverse workplace can include, for example:
1. Equal pay for equal work (especially in countries where this is not legislated)
2. Policies to support balancing work and family life, including
a. Flexible work policies
b. Family leave policies
c. Support for pregnant employees
d. Support for nursing mothers
e. Guidance on employer-supported childcare
3. Sexual harassment and respectful workplace policies and codes of conduct
(See TOOL SUITE 4)
4. PPE and physical workplace safety
5. Review of employee benefits programs
In addition to making an employer more desirable for potential employees and more
accommodating to current employees, these policies can also make the workplace more
attractive to returning employees. Maternity leave can represent a key juncture for
employees, and supportive policies can help determine whether they choose to return to
the workplace after maternity leave. A study in New Zealand estimated savings of $75,000
for each employee returning to the workforce after maternity leave, highlighting how
important it is for companies to have policies that support new families.66
66 Office on Women’s Health, Business Case for Breastfeeding, 2014.
While these policies may reflect longstanding corporate values, it is important to have
TOOL 1.11
explicit and clear rules and guidelines that are communicated to and available for all staff in
order to have clear expectations, rights, implementation, enforcement, and accountability.
Below is an overview of several key gender policies. Note that this is not a comprehensive
list. Rather, the examples highlighted here serve to underscore important attributes of
policy options to consider.
1. Policies to Support Equal Pay for Equal Work

In many countries around the world, equal pay for equal work is not yet legally mandated.
Where there is no legal requirement for pay equity, companies can still demonstrate their
own corporate commitments to equity by enshrining pay equity in their own policies
through remuneration and/or gender policies. For more information on implementing pay
equity, see TOOL 1.6 (Pay Gap Survey Guidance and Terms of Reference).
2. Policies to Support Work-Life Balance

Companies that have introduced policies and programs to support balancing work and
family obligations report lower turnover, less absenteeism, and improved rates of return
from maternity leave.67 Policies that help employees balance their professional and family
responsibilities can improve an employer’s desirability and reduce attrition and turnover.
Replacing salaried workers can cost employers as much as 50% to 60% of the worker’s
annual salary, rising even higher for more senior employees (replacing a top executive
can cost around 213% of annual salary).68 Policies to help employees balance competing
demands in their lives over the course of their employment can therefore create
substantial benefits both to employees as well as employers.
2a. Flexible Work Practices

Flexible work practices can take many forms, and policies can include a range of flexible
work arrangements, such as:
• Flexible hours (may be based around set core business hours)
• Compressed work week
• Telework, where appropriate
• Annualized hours
• Shift-swapping
• School-term work schedules
67 Sodexo, Why You Should be Supporting Working Parents and How You Can Do It, cited June 2022.
68 Alison Moodie, Why Employers Efforts to Support Pregnant Employees can Backfire, The Guardian, 7 Nov 2016.
• Flexible route/assignment length for work that requires extended absences from home
TOOL 1.11
(shipping, some transport jobs, etc.):
• Giving employees choice of route length
• Accommodating ad hoc requests for short-term route changes for personal needs
• Reviewing annual rotations to ensure employees do not miss special events in
consecutive years
• Leave (with or without pay) for family or parental reasons
Flexible work policies allow employees to structure their time and/or location in a way that
makes their work more compatible with family or care responsibilities. Since more care
and family labor are undertaken by women globally, these policies can help companies
increase their attraction and retention of women.
Flexible workplace policies should apply equally to male and female employees. Allowing
and encouraging men to use flexible work policies can further improve gender equality
by sharing the burden and career disruption. It also can incentivize companies to see
family leave not as a downside to hiring women, but as a standard employee entitlement.
Women and men should be equally encouraged and supported to take advantage of
these policies. In evaluations of flexible work programs, companies should be sure to look
at both male and female uptake.
Companies also should take note of any legislative guidelines for flexible work. For
instance, in Australia, the Fair Work Act 2009 requires companies to allow requests for
flexible work arrangements for employees with children under school age who provide
care for a family member (as per the 2010 Carer Recognition Act), who have a disability
and/or dependents under the age of 18 with a disability, or who care for a family member
experiencing intimate partner violence.69
Flexible work should be used as a business arrangement to support qualified employees

and make it easier for them to juggle multiple roles. Of course, flexible work arrangements
will depend on the nature of the job. For instance, telework is clearly not feasible for all
types of employment (for instance, meter readers in the power and water sectors, transport
drivers, road construction, etc.), but employers could consider other types of flexible work,
such as job sharing and rotations70. Employers can maintain discretion over granting of flex
time, but requests should be seriously considered because doing so can help improve job
satisfaction and retain staff. It is of critical importance that guidelines for requesting and
granting flexible work arrangements are clear and transparent, with well-defined criteria.
69 Tara Diamond, “The Rise of Flexible Work in the Resource Industry,” Carlton Victoria: AusIMM, 2016.
70 The ILO defines job-sharing as “a voluntary arrangement whereby two persons take joint responsibility for one full-time job
and divide the time they spend on it according to specific arrangements made with the employer. A common form of job-
sharing is to split one full-time job into two part-time jobs.” International Labour Organization, “Work-sharing and job-sharing.”
In addition to using such policies to spell out provisions for granting flexible work, they
TOOL 1.11
can also be deployed as a way to help employees transition back to full-time work
following maternity/paternity leave or sick leave.
2b. Family Leave Policies

Paid family leave policies are another opportunity for companies to support employees,
as well as improve the attraction and retention of women. Most countries (the United
States, Papua New Guinea, and a number of island nations being the main exceptions)
require paid leave for new mothers, funded either by companies or a combination of
government and company funding. Such policies often include a mix of dedicated leave
for mothers to have the baby and recover from birth as well as parental leave available
to either parent for childcare during the first few months. A study by the U.S. Center for
Economic and Policy Research found either a positive or non-negative effect of parental
leave programs on profitability and performance, productivity, turnover, and employee
morale for nearly 100% of respondent businesses.71
Even where parental leave regulations are more conservative or focused primarily on the
mother, or where they are unpaid, companies can use their own policies to go beyond
legal mandates by providing paid leave for both parents. Doing so not only improves the
opportunity for gender equality by encouraging both women and men to take time off
to share parental responsibilities, but can also support gender equity in the workforce.
Allowing both women and men to take time off around the birth of a child can reduce
hiring biases against women and the extent to which taking maternity leave slows down
women’s career progression.
Companies should review their own policies to ensure that they are equally available to
women and men, as well as consider any incentives or disincentives to taking parental
leave. These can include, for instance, considering how positions are filled during
parental leave, how employees are evaluated or disadvantaged for time off in their career
progression, and options available to employees when they return from family leave.
Parental leave policies should include:

• Length of paid leave for new mothers and fathers, and options for any additional
unpaid leave
• Notice period: Timeframe for notifying employers of intent to take leave,
responsibilities in informing employers, and steps for managers to take to
accommodate pregnant employees and parental leave
71 Sodexo, Why You Should be Supporting Working Parents and How You Can Do It.
• Measures employers must take to find alternative job placements for pregnant/
TOOL 1.11
breastfeeding staff: This will depend on physical risk/health risk profile of the pregnant
employee’s job.
• Starting point of leave: For example, at birth or prior to birth?
• Notice requirements to extend parental leave
• Protocol for communication/engagement during the leave period
• Timeline for discussing return to work
• Job coverage protocols: This includes assurances that staff can return to the same
position and contingency planning when staff cannot return to the same position.
• Protocol for adoption of children and staff eligibility for parental leave72
Employees also have a responsibility to learn about their options and rights when requesting
parental leave. Consider periodic activities and events aimed at raising awareness.
How to Encourage the Uptake of Flexible Work and Parental Leave Policies
This involves effort on multiple fronts:
• Set the tone at the top. Managers should lead the way and demonstrate behavior
that supports the uptake of flexible work policies. They should be trained in flexible
work policies, including understanding the benefits of these programs to staff and to
business units, and there should be oversight across units to ensure that programs are
being implemented equitably.
• Develop informational campaigns about flexible work programs, targeting both
women and men.
• Review performance evaluation criteria to ensure that employees who take flexible
leave arrangements are not disadvantaged for promotions—for instance, by focusing
performance reviews on outcomes rather than on hours worked.
2c. Guidance on Supporting Pregnant Employees

Research shows that pregnant women and mothers face biases and discrimination. They
are often stereotyped as ‘warm but incompetent’ and are frequently passed over for
opportunities and promotions, forced to take leave, or even dismissed.73 TOOL 1.17 gives
guidance on how to address bias against women in the workforce, but this tool provides
suggestions on how employers can proactively support pregnant employees to continue
working effectively during their pregnancy.
72 Australian Human Rights Commission, Tool 4: Parental Leave Checklist for Employers, Canberra: Australian Human Rights
Commission, 2015.
73 Judy Clair, Kristen Jones, Eden King, and Beth K. Humberd, “The Right and Wrong Ways to Help Pregnant Workers,” Harvard
Business Review, 2016.
A note on providing support for pregnant employees: there are many ingrained societal
TOOL 1.11
biases around pregnant women, which can impact both employers and employees.
Employers may be concerned that pregnant employees may not want to work on
particularly challenging assignments, while pregnant women may be concerned about
their ability to handle pregnancy or motherhood and the demands of the workplace.
Employers which make assumptions—even well-meaning ones—about what pregnant
employees want or need can inadvertently undermine women and create more
insecurity, which has been linked to women’s workforce attrition. While trying to provide
accommodation and support for pregnant employees, employers should be aware of
the potential for signaling lack of confidence in pregnant employees.74 For instance, when
employers assume a pregnant employee would not want to be staffed to a particularly
challenging project or travel, etc., this can undermine employees and even contribute to
failure to return from maternity leave.75
To navigate this situation, employers should focus on providing practical help and creating
a widely understand framework of options and benefits that employees can determine
for themselves if and how to take advantage of them. Specific offers of support are most
useful and constructive when they are provided in response to requests, negotiated with
the employer, and support the employee’s autonomy.76 Examples of such specific types
of support include flexibility to attend doctors’ appointments or even to rest during the
workday. Employees should be consulted on the type of support they need, how to ask
for additional support, and how to best empower themselves to speak up if they need to
change something about their work environment.
Suggestions for how employers can support pregnant employees include:

• Communication: Make sure employees are informed of all maternal health and
childcare benefits, support structures for pregnant employees and new parents
(resource people in HR, employee resource groups, etc.), flexible schedule options, leave
options, performance management options, etc. related to pregnancy and parenthood.
• Consider Workplace Health Visit: Especially for remote workplaces, consider having
an OB-GYN visit the workplace to provide independent advice on everything from
prenatal care to testing and safe medications.77 In urban areas, ensure that employees
understand entitlements with regards to leave for medical visits. Clarify what this
covers (for instance, only doctor’s appointments, or are visits to acupuncturists,
lactation consultants, pre/post-natal massage covered? What is the difference in
coverage for the pre- and post-natal periods?)
74 Harvard Business Review, 2016.

75 Alison Moodie, “Why Employers’ Efforts to Support Pregnant Employees can Backfire,” The Guardian, 7 Nov 2016.
76 Harvard Business Review, 2016.
77 Carole Khalifé, How to Support your Pregnant Employees, LinkedIn 2016.
• Support system: Create staff meetups for pregnant employees and new parents.
TOOL 1.11
• Naps: Consider creating a rest room where women might be able to get rest as
needed, and discuss how to create flexibility to allow napping.
• Provide flexibility and specific logistical support: For instance, clearly communicate
about working hours flexibility to attend doctor’s appointments, take rest during the
day, etc.
• Proactively check in on performance management: Managers should take the
opportunity to check in with staff to set performance management goals and ensure
staff are empowered to speak up if or when they require support. Arrange for a
performance management check-in immediately prior to parental leave, and come up
with a flexible structure for re-entry.
2d. Guidance on Accommodation for Breastfeeding and Pumping Mothers

Supporting return to work for nursing mothers not only helps them transition back into
the workplace, but can also be good for businesses. Support for breastfeeding mothers
increases employee retention, reduces employee absenteeism, and lowers health care
and insurance costs. While breastfeeding support is typically only required for the first six
months to one year (some employees may choose to breastfeed longer), support during
this time can be impactful for employees, families, and companies over a much longer
term (see Box 1F).
BOX 1F | A Family-Focused Approach to Lactation Support

While many companies implement lactation support programs targeting female
employees, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power recognized that
decisions around breastfeeding involve the whole family: breastfeeding is time
and labor intensive for mothers, and health benefits for breastfed babies translate
into benefits for the whole family. Although 80% of its workforce is male, the LA
DWP initiated a lactation support program for mothers, fathers, and partners,
which led to a dramatic reduction in turnover and absenteeism for both male and
female workers. As a result of the program, 83% of employees were more positive
about their employer and 67% felt that it contributed to their intention to stay
with the department as a long-term employer. (Cohen R, Lange L & Slusser W.
2002; A description of a male-focused breastfeeding promotion corporate lactation
program. Journal of Human Lactation, 18(1), 61–65.)
Reducing Absenteeism: Breastmilk-fed babies are sick less frequently than formula-fed
TOOL 1.11
babies, which means fewer missed workdays for parents of breastmilk-fed babies. In a
study of breastfed and formula-fed babies, the incidence of one-day absences for mothers
to care for sick infants was more than twice as high for mothers with formula-fed babies.78
In a two-year study by U.S. insurer Cigna, mothers’ participation in workplace lactation
support programs was correlated with $60,000 in savings in employee absenteeism.79
Reducing Healthcare Costs: Correlated with reduced illnesses among breastfed babies,
breastfed babies require fewer doctor visits. In countries with employer-paid healthcare,
this means fewer insurance claims placed through employers. The same Cigna workplace
lactation program cited above led to an annual savings of $240,000 in healthcare costs
over two years.80
Reduced Turnover: Companies which support employees who choose to continue

breastfeeding and pumping support employee retention, saving significant costs
associated with employee turnover. For instance, U.S. firm Mutual of Omaha saw a
retention rate 24% above the national average for returning mothers due to its lactation
support program.81
Employers can support nursing mothers through several key initiatives:
1. Appropriate facilities: Where employees do not have private offices, companies

should provide private secure spaces for mothers to express milk. This can be a small
single-person room or a room with curtains or partitions to allow multiple women
privacy to express milk. Rooms should be lockable, have accessible electrical outlets
for each user and a small refrigerator for milk storage, and ideally a sink for washing
bottles and pumps. Many companies choose to supply hospital-grade pumps, which
can be used onsite and can make pumping faster and more efficient, reducing the time
needed. Employees should not be asked to express milk in bathrooms, utility closets, or
other non-sanitary and non-lockable places. Breast milk is food, and women should not
be asked to pump in places that would not be sanitary for food preparation. As a rule of
thumb, expressing milk should also be assumed to require as much privacy as would be
provided for using the restroom. Pumping rooms should be locked, but women using
pumping facilities should be provided with keys or keycode access. Depending on the
needs of the workforce—if employees use multiple worksites, for instance—keycode
access can provide employees easy access to multiple pumping rooms.
78 Rona Cohen, Marsha B. Mrtek, and Robert G. Mrtek, Comparison of Maternal Absenteeism and Infant Illness Rates Among
Breast-feeding and Formula-feeding Women in Two Corporations. American Journal of Health Promotion: November/
December 1995, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 148-153.
79 Office on Women’s Health, Business Case for Breastfeeding, 2014.
80 Ibid.
81 Ibid.
2. Flexible scheduling: Lactating mothers typically need to pump every two to four
TOOL 1.11
hours; with efficient pumps, pumping may take between 15 and 30 minutes per
session. All managers should be given sensitivity training on the flexibility needs of
pumping mothers, and employees should be allowed flexibility in their schedules for
pumping, with the understanding that this time may come out of lunches or other
breaks, or employees may be expected to come early or stay late.
In addition to scheduling during the day, HR, managers, and employees should
work together to ensure that lactating mothers are returning to work in roles that
can accommodate breastfeeding. This should include ensuring that breastfeeding
mothers are not in contact with any chemicals, radiation, or other safety risks.
Furthermore, HR and managers should consult with employees on whether any
job-specific accommodations need to be made—for instance, for women public
transport drivers, plan routes and breaks that will enable women to access pumping
facilities as needed.82
3. Training for managers: HR and all managers should be provided with training on
breastfeeding and the needs of breastfeeding mothers so that they can work with
returning employees to plan effectively. When managers understand the needs
of breastfeeding mothers—both in terms of the day-to-day time-management
requirements, as well the fact that breastfeeding is typically a temporary
accommodation—this can help managers and employees work together to find
solutions that work for everyone.
4. Clear communication and planning: When employees are discussing their maternity
leave and plans for returning to work, plans for breastfeeding should be a part of the
conversation to help managers plan with employees how to accommodate scheduling
and flexibility requirements.
5. Support: Consider creating a support and advocacy network for lactating employees to
create opportunities for support and discussion within the workforce. Employers can
also provide information to pregnant employees and partners, providing information
on the benefits of breastfeeding and informing them of support offered. As noted in
Box 1F, offering this support to male and female employees can create benefits for
families as well as employers.
2e. Guidance on Employer-Supported Childcare

For many families, access and costs of childcare, balanced against the demands of
benefits of a job outside the home, can be critical factors in whether potential employees
82 Maternity Action. Accommodating breastfeeding on return to work. Cited January 2022. See Maternity Action’s website for
many resources on supporting pregnant and nursing mothers and new parents.
are able to join the workforce. According to one research study, 23% of employees—
TOOL 1.11
including three times more women than men—have said that childcare challenges have
led them to consider leaving their jobs.83
The IFC has developed extensive guidance on the benefits of employer-supported childcare
for employers as well as employees, including case studies and detailed guidance for
employers. (For more information, please see the full report A Guide for Employer Supported
Childcare). The report highlights that providing childcare for employees’ children can lead
to improved employee retention, productivity, job satisfaction, and employee loyalty.
Employee-supported childcare can make an employer more attractive and in particular
help increase women’s participation in the workforce.84
“Many businesses find that increased profitability from family-

friendly workplace benefits—such as daycare services, fee
subsidies, breastfeeding support, and paid parental leave—
makes them worthwhile investments.”
—IFC Guide for Employer Supported Childcare, 17
Employers that want to offer childcare options for employees have numerous types
of arrangements to consider. Childcare could include subsidies for parents to secure
their own childcare, making arrangements with existing private childcare, organizing an
employer-supported daycare, providing support during school holiday periods (such as
children’s camps), etc. The choice of childcare should be based on the needs of employees
in the company’s particular situation. Some countries may have legal mandates for
employers to provide childcare, which should underpin any company decisions about the
type of care to offer.
Employers that want to provide childcare, in accordance with or going beyond legal
requirements, should follow the following steps85:
1. Identify and state the objective of the childcare program. Understanding a company’s
objectives (to attract applicants, including more female applicants; to increase
retention of female employees after parental leave, etc.) will help companies develop
indicators to measure success of the program and make any necessary adjustments.
83 Joanne Sammer, Support for New Parents can Keep Employees Onboard, Society for Human Resource Management, 2019.
84 IFC, A Guide for Employer-Supported Childcare, IFC, 2019,15.
85 IFC, A Guide for Employer-Supported Childcare, IFC, 2019, 26.
2. Understand the legal requirements in your company’s context.
TOOL 1.11
3. Assess what sort of childcare is desired, and feasible, in your company’s context. This
will include exploration of employee needs and interest, as well as understanding what
services are locally available. Companies may consider doing key-informant interviews
with community members, especially if one objective is to become a more desirable
employer for potential female employees.
4. Develop a program proposal, including identifying costs as well as key indicators to

measure success of the program. These indicators should be related to the goals
of implementing the program, such as increasing rates of application by female
employees (and the number of female employees who accept positions with your
company), as well as retention rates of parents (disaggregated by sex).
5. Implement the childcare program, and measure and track success.
3. Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Harassment Policies

Sexual harassment and gender-based violence can be issues in many workplaces, and
particularly in male-dominated infrastructure sectors. Infrastructure sectors can require
work in remote locations, travel, and/or work at early and late hours, all of which can
contribute to concerns or perceptions of the potential for gender-based violence.
Strong sexual harassment and gender-based violence policies and training that address
the behavior of employees on- and off-site are important prerequisites for establishing
a corporate culture that does not tolerate sexual harassment or gender-based violence.
They also contribute to a supportive and empowered environment in which women and
men can work effectively together.
Given the importance of this topic, TOOL SUITE 4 is entirely focused on policies, activities,
and interventions to address sexual harassment and gender-based violence-related
issues. It features draft model policies on sexual harassment and gender-based violence,
an outline of the types of services that companies should consider establishing, and a
draft code of conduct for on- and off-site employee behavior.
4. Guidance on PPE and Physical Workplace Safety

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a critical investment for many infrastructure
sectors. It can include (but is not limited to) foot, hand, eye, respiratory, thermal, full-
body, vibration, and hearing protection. However, PPE is often designed for men or made
‘unisex’—this can include large design features such as one-piece overalls down to details
about how items are cut and sized.
In many industries, the traditional rule of thumb has been for women to wear smaller-
TOOL 1.11
sized men’s PPE. Women are not just smaller versions of men, and their cuts and sizes
differ from how men’s clothing is cut. While of course women and men both come in an
infinite variety of shapes and sizes, clothes are tailored differently for women and men,
reflecting different average shapes, including differently shaped chests, higher waists,
narrower shoulders, smaller necks, shorter arms, and narrower fingers for women.86
When PPE does not fit properly, it can contribute to increased safety risks (too long
sleeves can get caught, improperly fitting eyewear can allow debris to enter, ill-fitting
boots can be a tripping hazard, etc.). Employees may feel discouraged from wearing
it, further contributing to safety hazards. Women who have to wear one-piece overalls
may find it challenging to go to the bathroom, potentially creating additional safety risks
where they may feel exposed if they need to use the bathroom while wearing a one-piece
overall. Some studies have also found that women employees with ill-fitting PPE are
likely to use mitigation strategies such as thick wool undergarments which can actually
increase the risk of certain infections.87 This can be both a cause of absenteeism, as well
as a health cost and potential liability issue for employers.
Not only does proper fit contribute to safety, but better fitting PPE is also more
comfortable PPE, which can encourage staff to wear it. Studies show that appropriate PPE
can increase women’s job satisfaction and self-efficacy, with the implication that this could
increase job retention.88
Some specific guidance for selecting appropriate PPE for women:
1. For earplugs, consider disposable foam earplugs, as these are more likely to fit women
2. Ensure hardhats have chin straps to help keep them from falling off
3. Safety goggles should be checked for fit, as ‘one-size’ goggles often too large for
women’s faces
4. Purchase PPE specifically designed for women, in a range of sizes. This should include
gloves and boots as well.89
5. Avoid simply buying ‘unisex’ PPE, which is often too large for women. If companies do
buy unisex PPE, at least buy several sizes to try to accommodate different body types.90
86 Randal Fisher, The Need for Unique Women’s PPE, Safety and Health, 2020.
87 Hogan Lovells, Personal Protective Equipment for Women Miners, 2015.
88 Relationship between Personal Protective Equipment, Self-Efficacy, and Job Satisfaction of Women in the Building Trades,
October 2013, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management 139(10), DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000739.
89 Thomas Bukowski, Women and PPE: Finding the Right Fit, 2014.
90 Ibid.
Some governments have actually included provisions in industry-specific regulations
TOOL 1.11
requiring companies to develop mandatory corporate codes of practice addressing provision
of PPE specifically for women.91 For example, the South African government published
guidelines for mining companies’ code of practice (CoP) regarding the provision of PPE for
women. The guidelines require companies to identify all potential health and safety risks,
and then outline how all risks related to PPE will be addressed. Such guidelines should clarify
the roles and responsibilities for ensuring that women have access to appropriate PPE:
1. Employer: The employer is responsible for ensuring access to sufficient quantities

of PPE, training employees on how to properly use and care for PPE, ensuring that
employees follow these instructions and have appropriate facilities to care for and
transport PPE, and developing ways to monitor the condition and replacement
schedule for PPE.
2. Managers: Managers are responsible for ensuring that employees are properly
using and maintaining their PPE, and that proper information is being gathered on
maintenance and care for PPE.
3. Female employees: Female employees are responsible for properly using, caring for,
and maintaining PPE, and alerting supervisors of any issues or problems.
4. Training: The CoP should include guidelines on training employees on the use, care,
and maintenance of PPE.92
5. Review of Employee Benefits Programs

In addition to developing policies to specifically support women’s engagement and gender
equality, consider conducting a review of your employee benefit programs to ensure
gender sensitivity. Such a review might include:
• Health insurance policies: To what extent are women’s health care needs (including but
not limited to birth control, prenatal care, and post-natal care) addressed? When family
members and dependents are eligible for care, are care options equally available for
women and men?
• Pensions: For instance, are pension plans structured in such a way that women are not
at a disadvantage because they take career breaks for family obligations?
• Employer-supported elderly care: Are childcare and elderly care policies gender-
sensitized? Do childcare policies provide equitable parental leave for male and
female employees?
91 Ibid.
92 Government of South Africa, Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996: Guideline for a Mandatory Code of Practice on the Provision
of Personal Protective Equipment for Women in the South African Mining Industry, 2015, 11-16
TOOL 1.12
Set Gender Recruitment Targets
» GOAL: Developing a gender-equitable hiring process to increase gender diversity and
inclusion in the workforce
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources, Communications
About Gender Diversity Targets

Gender diversity targets help companies measure progress towards gender equity goals.
They increase coordination and strengthen the commitment to meeting these equity
goals. Targets can focus teams internally and enable benchmarking with other industry
players and provide incentives and accountability for reaching corporate goals.
While targets (and quotas) cannot address the underlying reasons for under-representation
of women in particular parts of the workforce, they have been shown to be among the most
effective means of addressing gaps in gender diversity.93 “Targets with teeth” can significantly
help companies increase gender-equitable representation, especially at entry level. A three-
year McKinsey study of 118 companies found that firms with targets were much more
successful in recruiting entry-level female candidates than firms without targets.94
Targets should be specific and challenging. In addition to quantitative metrics, they should
include qualitative indicators of the ways in which people work together—for instance,
targets that signal a more respectful workplace, more inclusive meeting practices, and
more flexibility in work arrangements. Metrics also might include indicators like decreased
absenteeism and turnover, and higher employee satisfaction.95
Guide to Developing Gender Recruitment Targets

This step-by-step guide will help you create gender recruitment targets.96 For examples of
the kinds of targets to set, see Table 1G.
1. Secure leadership support: Is senior management supportive of setting targets

and involved in the target-setting process? To build broader support for meeting
targets and create momentum for reaching the targets, senior managers must
publicly endorse the effort. Including gender diversity gains in senior management
performance evaluations can build momentum and buy-in from the top down.
93 Catherine Macdonald, The Role of Gender in the Extractive Industries, Helsinki: UNU-Wider, 2017, 19.
94 Women in Mining Canada, Welcoming to Women: Action Plan for Canada’s Mining Employers, 23.
95 Ibid.
96 These steps are based on: Australian Government Workplace Gender Equality Agency, “How to Set Gender Diversity Targets,”
Canberra: Commonwealth Government of Australia, 2013.
2. Develop a gender equity policy and strategy (TOOLS 1.8 and 1.9): Targets cannot
TOOL 1.12
exist in the absence of a policy stating them and a strategy to help achieve them.
Targets should be part of a broader gender equity policy, and the related strategy
should include the steps that will be taken to develop a gender-diverse work
environment and the specific actions to help achieve the recruitment targets.
3. Establish targets: Targets should be clearly defined (i.e., target gender ratios for
particular positions). They can include immediate goals and longer-term targets, but
they must be achievable, with small, incremental steps to enable effective progress.
Targets should be discrete and measurable—for instance, retention rates for women
following maternity leave, rather than trying to measure vague indicators such as
“inclusive culture” or “diverse workforce.” Be sure that targets are:
a. Accountable: Ensure that managers and staff have the ability to advance progress
towards targets and are held accountable for meeting them.
b. Manageable: Ensure that the targets relate to outcomes, strategies, and tactics that
managers can actually control, so that they can realistically be held accountable for
meeting goals.
c. Realistic: Goals should be reasonable and achievable.
d. Specific to the organization: Targets are a great way for companies to benchmark
themselves within an industry and can be a way to demonstrate commitment
and distinguish performance. Fundamentally, however, targets should be about
the needs and goals of the company itself, so they should be based on the results
of the gender assessment. They should incorporate the analysis of recruitment
and turnover data and identified bottlenecks for gender-equitable recruitment
and retention.
4. Review and refine targets: The target-setting process should include representatives
from different business units, including staff and managers. After draft targets have
been set, review targets with key staff to ensure understanding and buy-in.
5. Publicly communicate targets: In addition to external communication through

annual and quarterly reports, targets should be shared internally with staff.
Communications should include the business case for a gender-diverse workforce, a
description of the target-setting process, and details on how they will be achieved.
a. Establish accountability: Identify the ways in which business units and individual
managers will be held accountable for meeting recruitment targets. Specify
training for selection teams to counter any bias.
b. Create incentives: In addition to accountability and incentives for managers, setting
team incentives can contribute to organization-wide staff buy-in on the gender
diversity front.
TOOL 1.12
c. Set up reporting systems: Ensure that reporting systems capture progress as well
as the impact of changing gender diversity.
d. Disaggregate reporting to the departmental and/or business unit level, and ensure
reporting is publicized within the organization and to all stakeholders.
e. Establish systems for routine review: Review findings on an annual basis and
identify areas for change and improvement.
f. Follow up with additional gender audits: Survey staff on issues of organizational
culture, bias, and ways to increase opportunities for recruitment and retention
of women.
TABLE 1G | Setting Targets97
TYPE OF TARGET TARGET

Gender equity » Improve ratio of women to men in a given department from X to Y in
in employment the next two years
» Increase ratio of women to men in senior management in the next
two years
» Bring retention rates of mid-career male and female staff to parity within
the next two years
Review HR » Review all job descriptions and recruitment materials related to positions
policies and in all departments for gender-discriminatory or discouraging language
physical with the current fiscal year
infrastructure » Review HR policies regarding ergonomics, PPE, workplace safety, and
equipment to ensure that these consider differences in safety needs
between women and men
» Ensure that all departments on site comply with HR policies on
ergonomics, PPE, workplace safety, and equipment
» Renovate all toilet (and shower facilities, where applicable) to be code
compliant within the current fiscal year
Gender- » In employee engagement surveys, improve employees’ perceptions of
inclusive work acceptability of taking parental leave by XX percent:
environment • Improve parity in perceptions on career development opportunities
between male and female employees
• Reduce perception gap by XX percent
97 Women in Mining Canada, Welcoming to Women: Action Plan for Canada’s Mining Employers, 76.
TOOL 1.13
Checklist for Building a Gender-Diverse Board
» GOAL: Increase board gender diversity
» TARGET UNIT: Executive Board
The checklist that follows can help improve gender diversity on boards by changing the
way in which candidates are identified, selected, and held accountable for performance.
Based on the findings of the gender diversity board assessment (TOOL 1.7), you can
customize this list according to your needs.98
• Develop a strategy for improving gender diversity on the board: Activities can
include any of the actions listed here, outlined with clear timelines and accountabilities.
They should align with gender diversity policies in the company.
• Formalize a commitment to achieving gender diversity on the board. This does
not have to include a quota, but the chairman of the board should be encouraged
to make a public or internal commitment to gender diversity and hold board
members accountable.
• Commit to minimum gender diversity targets in candidate pools.
• Require search firms to meet minimum gender diversity targets in their proposed
candidate pools.
• Require the nominations committee to report on measures taken to address gender
diversity in the recruitment process.
• Adopt long-term strategies to support the development of a gender-diverse pool
of candidates. This can include identifying mechanisms through which the board
can proactively support the development of future female board candidates—for
instance, by developing mentorship, training, and networking opportunities that
reach out to female candidates.
• Appoint a board-level champion for this work.
• Monitor and modify board practices to support gender diversity:
• Maintain an up-to-date skills matrix for necessary board member skills, keep an
updated record of how current board members’ skills complement the matrix, and
use this record to guide recruitment of new board members.
• Consider term limits for board members to promote turnover and potentially
disrupt social networks that often favor men over women in senior management
and corporate governance positions.
98 This checklist draws on guidance from International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN), ICGN Guidance on Gender
Diversity on Boards, London: ICGN, 2013.
• Provide board member training to increase awareness of the importance of gender
TOOL 1.13
diversity and the benefits to the company at all levels.
• Include gender diversity as a key agenda item and in KPIs of the board as a whole
and of individual board members.
• Promote gender diversity throughout the company: As noted, the board’s gender
diversity strategy should align with the company’s organization-wide gender equity
strategy. The board should also take responsibility for assessing gender diversity in
senior management, as well as reviewing gender diversity measures across operations.
• Collaborate for improvement: Network with other companies to discuss successes
and challenges with gender mainstreaming.
• Develop metrics for board performance:
• Identify metrics to monitor performance of the board as a whole, as well as of
individual members. These can include attendance, likelihood of sanction for non-
performance, and company performance. Share the metrics and communicate
results to shareholders.
• Demonstrate public accountability for gender diversity on the board and commit to
transparency.
• Make a public commitment:
• It may take time to develop a pipeline and identify suitable candidates for a
gender-diverse board. Still, boards can start the process immediately by adopting
a commitment to gender diversity and communicating this commitment in board
documents and other key corporate reporting formats.
• Disclose current gender diversity status and action plans for improving gender
diversity at the board level and in annual reports to shareholders as well as
throughout the organization.
TOOL 1.14
Checklist for Senior Leadership to Demonstrate Commitment
» GOAL: Demonstrate commitment to creating a gender-equitable work environment
across the company and to shareholders
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources, Senior Management, Training
Effectively supporting and developing gender diversity requires buy-in throughout an

organization. Leadership at the executive level is a must for organizational change. A large-
scale McKinsey study found that companies with leaders who demonstrated the behavior
and commitments they were asking of their staff were five times more successful in making
the change. In addition, as commitment to gender diversity becomes more important to
shareholders, senior managers have an important role to play in communicating to them
about the ways in which the company is advancing gender equity goals.
Senior managers can demonstrate their commitment and support in a number of ways,
from how they communicate their buy in and the incentives they develop to the internal
and external programs in which they participate. This demonstrated commitment also
includes putting in place accountability systems to ensure that staff throughout the
organization are held responsible for organizational change. The checklist that follows
provides a range of ways in which senior managers can use their own participation to
demonstrate and encourage gender diversification throughout their organizations.
“Leadership support and endorsement are critical to fostering

gender diversity and equality in an organization, which impacts
the bottom line. Leaders have the power to influence key decisions,
ensure that gender-smart policies are implemented throughout
the organization, hold staff accountable, and pave the way for
addressing corporate gender gaps in attracting and retaining
the best talent. Leaders can also lead by example internally and
externally and build partnerships.”
—AmCham France and BIAC, Putting All Our Minds to Work: Harnessing the Gender Dividend
Senior Manager Checklist for Demonstrating Commitment to Gender
TOOL 1.14
Diversity
Internal Commitment and Communication

• Communication and culture change
• In person and in writing, make a statement to all staff about the importance of gender
diversity. Explain the business case and alignment with corporate priorities. The
gender equity champion or gender equity task force could take the lead in this effort.
• Explain all measures to be taken to support gender equity in the workplace. Ensure
that staff understand the reasons that gender equity is a corporate priority. Be clear
that the efforts are part of a plan for a stronger, more effective business model,
rather than a plan to prioritize women over men.
• Use corporate reporting materials to communicate the corporate position on gender
diversity and the measures in place to all stakeholders.
• Lead the push for organizational cultural change by taking a prominent and
visible role in addressing gender diversity complaints or concerns and supporting
transparency in handling all complaints.
• Spearhead the development of gender equity policies and publicly encourage
uptake of these policies. CEOs can take the lead in driving the development
and adoption of equal pay for equal work, flexible work policies, and maternity
and paternity care, for instance. Most important, managers must foster a work
environment that encourages staff to access such policies without jeopardizing
their advancement.
• Incentives
• Develop and support incentive programs for gender diversity, including financial
incentives for managers and departmental awards for teams that meet gender
diversity and work-life balance goals.99
• Personally present awards and highlight winners at company-wide events to
demonstrate commitment and support.
• Accountability
• Appoint a senior executive point person for gender diversity, for example at the
senior vice president level who is accountable to the CEO. The senior point person
can be male or female, but should have time allocated specifically for this role. Too
often, this is confused with simply adding these responsibilities to the duties of to
the company’s highest-ranking female executive.
99 Australian Human Rights Commission, Women in Male-Dominated Industries: A Toolkit of Strategies, 2013 52.
TOOL 1.14
• Appoint a gender diversity task force that includes heads of business units and other
representatives of those units. The taskforce should work with the senior executive
point person to identify challenges and opportunities, develop a common, organization-
wide approach to supporting gender diversity along with goals and targets, and
ensure monitoring and accountability for achievement of goals and targets.100
• Work with HR and senior management teams to set targets for increasing gender
diversity in each business unit.
• Develop KPIs that include advancing gender diversity and establish accountability
mechanisms to hold managers accountable for meeting targets.
• Leadership development
• Work with HR to set up women’s leadership development programs, including
mentorship, networking, and skills-building programs.
• Play an active role in these programs to demonstrate commitment.
• Create mentorship programs for junior staff, particularly female staff, with senior
female staff where possible.
BOX 1G | The Value of Mentoring

A 2006 study of Sun Microsystems by Gartner and Capital Analytics used statistical
analysis to quantify the financial impact of mentoring. The study examined the
progress of more than 1,000 employees. Among the findings:
• 25 percent of those who were provided with mentors had a salary grade
change over a given period
• 5 percent of those without mentors had a salary grade change over the same
time period
• 28 percent of mentors had a salary grade change compared to 5 percent in a
non-mentor control group
• 72 percent of mentorship participants were retained compared to 49 percent
in a non-mentorship control group
• Mentees were promoted five times more often than a non-mentorship
control group
• Mentors were promoted six times more often than non-mentor control group
Source: Knowledge @Wharton, “Workplace Loyalties Change, but the Value of Mentoring Doesn’t,” University of
Pennsylvania, May 16, 2007.
100 Calvert Group Ltd, City of San Francisco Department on the Status of Women and Verite, “Gender Equality Principles,” 2008.

TOOL 1.14
External Commitment and Communication
• International gender equality agreements and pacts
• Demonstrate support and commitment by affiliating with global partnerships. Among
the prominent international initiatives are the Women’s Empowerment Principles,
EDGE gender certification, Male Champions for Change, and HeForShe. See Box 1H for
more detail on these initiatives.101
• Use tools and resources provided by these groups to meet the company’s gender goals.
• International gender equality forums and events
• Participate in events to share knowledge and discuss progress on gender advancement.
Participation in these events can present an opportunity to convey your company’s
gender equality commitments and actions, learn from others, and generate new ideas
and partnerships for supporting gender equality. Among the more prominent events
are those organized by the Clinton Global Initiative, ILO, the World Economic Forum,
and the United Nations.
• Gender equity awards programs
• Support public relations efforts to recognize employees’ gender equity efforts and
enable the sharing of experiences by putting in place awards programs. Such awards
also help position the company as an employer of choice for future employees. Here
are a few examples of awards programs:
• WEP CEO Leadership Awards: The awards program of the Women’s Empowerment
Principles initiative recognizes concrete and innovative actions by CEOs to advance
the Women’s Empowerment Principles.102
• Catalyst Awards: These awards recognize efforts to support the recruitment,
development, and advancement of all women, including diverse women.
Qualifications for the award include a thorough examination of candidates’
initiatives, including an onsite evaluation, to evaluate proven, measurable results
that benefit women across a range of dimensions, such as race/ethnicity, sexual
orientation, gender identity, religion, generation, nationality, disability, and
indigenous or aboriginal peoples.103
• Business in the Community: This is the UK’s most comprehensive workplace award
for gender diversity. Participants receive customized feedback and recommendations
to support improved performance, peer comparison, and a confidential score.104
101 It is important to note the potential issues that can arise with male advocates/champions programs. In some instances,
work with male champions has inadvertently overly highlighted differences in traditional roles between women and men
and the importance of women in the community specifically because of their important domestic roles. This can have
the effect of reinforcing women’s reproductive and domestic roles, rather than emphasizing the importance of equitable
opportunities and equal rights. Male advocate/champion programs need to be designed carefully so that they do not
overemphasize the difference in roles and responsibilities, but rather focus on the benefits of equality.
102 Find out more at https://www.weps.org/.
103 Find out more at http://www.catalyst.org/catalyst-award.
104 Find out more at https://www.bitc.org.uk/.

TOOL 1.14
BOX 1H | Global Gender Equality Compacts and Resources
UN Global Compact: Women’s Empowerment Principles CEO Statement

The Women’s Empowerment Principles are a partnership initiative of UN Women and
UN Global Compact (UNGC) to help the private sector promote gender equality in the
workplace, marketplace, and community. As of 2020, over 2,700 CEOs have signed the
CEO Statement of Support, committing to employing the WEPs to advance gender
equality. For more see: UN Global Compact, “Women’s Empowerment Principles.”105
EDGE Gender Certification
The EDGE Certification scheme is a leading gender equality certification. It helps
companies demonstrate their commitment to gender equality. EDGE currently
works with 200 organizations in 50 countries and 30 industries. For more see:
EDGE Certification Program.
Male Champions for Change
Gender is often mistaken for a women’s issue, but gender equality concerns and
benefits both women and men. In male-dominated industries such as oil, gas, and
mining, male participation and commitment to gender equality is essential. The
Male Champions for Change (MCC) program started in Australia but has since been
replicated in various countries and contexts. The program brings together influential
male leaders to redefine the role of male champions for gender equality and to create
a peer group of these leaders to support the work towards gender equality. The MCC
Coalition now includes over 260 CEOs, board directors, and governmental, university,
and military leaders, in 155 countries, representing over 1.5 million employees across
more than 230 organizations. For more see: Male Champions of Change.
HeForShe Champions: Male Advocates for Gender Equality
This initiative of UN Women provides a platform for men and boys to work as
partners in achieving gender equality. The first HeforShe parity report was launched
at the 2016 World Economic Forum, featuring key gender-related data from ten
global companies whose CEOs have signed on to HeForShe’s 10x10x10 program.
The program is a pilot effort to engage global leaders from across government,
the private sector, and academia in a commitment to advance gender equality.
Participating companies included AccorHotels, Barclays, Koch Holding, McKinsey &
Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Schneider Electric, Tupperware Brands, Twitter,
Unilever, and Vodafone. The report included information on percentage of female
employees, percentage of women in senior leadership roles and on the board, and
the percentage of new hires who are women. For more, see heforshe.org.
105 Aditi Mohapatra and Lauren Gula, “Women’s Empowerment Principles: Turning a Decade of Lessons into
Ambitious Business Action,” BSR, March 2020.

TOOL 1.15
Creation of a Gender Task Force and Terms of Reference for a
Gender Task Force
» GOAL: To create a consultative committee on gender, which can serve as a liaison
between staff and management on gender issues
For larger companies, a gender champion alone may be insufficient to lead gender equity
initiatives. The creation of a gender task force (GTF), made up of representatives from all
staff grades and teams, can provide input, reviews, and a staff voice, as well as support
communication to staff. A gender task force can provide staff with easily identifiable
focal points within their teams, who they can approach with ideas and concerns, and can
generally improve communication around gender issues throughout an organization.
Where companies are operating in multiple sites, consider having one task force per site,
or convene sessions virtually to aggregate between sites.
Draft Terms of Reference for a Gender Task Force
A. Introduction
Evidence increasingly demonstrates that companies that invest in gender equity within the
workforce and community improve productivity, reduce costs, and strengthen operations.
[Company] has expressed its commitment to improving the enabling environment for women
in the workforce and the interaction of its workforce with communities, including with regards
to gender. These terms of reference define the objectives, scope of work, and reporting for
a multi-stakeholder working group or gender task force (GTF), and outlines its objectives for
a [period], at which time the GTF process will be evaluated and adapted as necessary.
B. Objective
The goal of the gender task force will be to represent staff perspectives, in consultation with
human resources (HR) and senior management, on all activities aimed at creating a more
gender-inclusive work environment. The GTF, which will include representatives from across
[Company], will act as a sounding board for human resources and senior management for
consultation on any proposed gender-related initiatives, provide HR with input on gender
initiatives, and help HR and management to better understand staff perspectives and
concerns. The overall goal will be to ensure that there is a staff voice, input, and review for
gender-focused activities, as well as staff representatives that can participate and support
activities around creating a gender-equitable workplace.

C. Composition of the Gender Task Force
TOOL 1.15
Membership in the task force will be voluntary and alongside regular job responsibilities.
Members will be selected as representatives across all staff categories (i.e., general staff,
senior staff, management, and leadership). [Where possible, representatives can be elected.]
The task force will include two men and two women representatives from general staff
and senior staff, and one man and one woman between management and leadership.
The task force will also include a representative from HR, the gender-based violence and
harassment (GBVH) focal point, and any other representatives deemed necessary.
D. Scope of Work
Responsibilities of the gender task force:
The task force itself will:
• Help to evaluate, validate, assess, and improve key outputs such as the gender related
policies, strategic documents, procedures, and future assessments;
• Support the development of information campaigns on gender topics (i.e., available
trainings, opportunities such as mentorships, scholarships, etc.) and grievance
mechanisms, and processes for reporting sexual harassment and other gender-related
misconduct and policies (including GBVH);
• Participate in public communication of results.
• The task force will not replace the official company procedures for reporting instances
of sexual harassment or other gender-related misconduct.
• The task force will act to complement and support HR and internal communications
functions.
Responsibilities of members of the gender task force:
• Participation in monthly gender task force meetings;
• Serve as a liaison for their peers on issues related to gender by receiving
recommendations/concerns about gender in the workforce and transmitting
information to management through the gender task force meetings, as well as ensuring
that other staff members are aware of who they are and making themselves available
for staff concerns, questions, and ideas with regards to improving gender equality;
• Evaluate, provide comment on, and validate [Company] activities related to gender;
• Contribute to awareness raising activities to share what gender-related activities are
happening (i.e., trainings, information campaigns, new policies and grievance mechanisms);
• Monitor progress on future gender actions agreed by [Company].
E. Reporting
The gender task force will be managed by the gender focal point within the human resources
department, who will report directly to the human resources manager and the CEO.

TOOL 1.16
Supporting Gender Equity in Virtual Workplaces
» GOAL: Help HR teams support parents working from home
During the COVID-19 pandemic, families around the world have faced unprecedented
challenges balancing work and childcare. With schools closed and parents working
from home, research consistently shows that while there are increasing demands on
both mothers and fathers, mothers are taking on even greater workloads in the home.
According to UN Women, “the average woman now spends nearly the equivalent of a
full-time job doing unpaid childcare—a full working day a week more than the average
man.”106 This means that women, and mothers particularly, are now trying to balance
work against an unprecedented amount of domestic labor. As a result, women are “more
than twice as likely as fathers to worry that their performance is being judged negatively
because of caregiving responsibilities.”107
The pandemic has driven 400,000 more women than men out of the U.S. workforce.108 But
for those women who stay in the workforce, and the employers who want and are able
to keep them, adapting to the new situation by supporting women particularly to be as
productive as possible will be critical.
Beyond the drastically increasing workload in terms of housework and childcare that have
become hallmarks of the pandemic for women, a number of challenges are emerging
that impact mothers in terms of their ability to work from home. This tool looks at the
particular challenges that are emerging around women’s work from home and provides
recommendations to managers on how to mitigate these negative effects and support
women’s productivity in the virtual workplace.
Among the specific challenges:
Challenges to create a virtual workplace: Women are more likely to be working at the
kitchen table, while men are more likely to be working in the home office. Working from a
home office makes it easier to focus and harder to be interrupted. Mothers are 50% more
likely than fathers to be interrupted by children while working remotely, creating serious
challenges to concentration, productivity, and the ability to have calls and meetings.109
106 Alex Thornton, COVID-19: How Women are Bearing the Burden of Unpaid Work, World Economic Forum 2020.
107 McKinsey & Co and Lean In, Women in The Workplace 2020, 2020.
108 Kweilind Ellingrund and Liz Hilton Segel, COVID-19 Has Driven Millions of Women out of the Workforce. Here’s How to Help
them Come Back, Fortune.com, 2021.
109 Alison Andrew, Sarah Cattan, Monica Costa Dias, et al., “How are mothers and fathers balancing work and family under
lockdown?” Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2020.

TOOL 1.16
Challenges participating: Women are more likely to be talked over in virtual meetings
(and in live meetings) than men.110 As noted in previous tools, women are already less
likely to be given credit for their work, and their accomplishments are more likely to be
devalued. Virtual meetings make it even more challenging for women to gain recognition,
which can have an impact on future upgrades and promotions.
Challenges in being seen: With so many meetings moving to online video platforms, many
employers encourage or pressure employees to use the camera to create more of an ‘in-
person’ feel. However, research shows that women are typically judged more harshly than
men for their appearance in virtual (and in-person) meetings, especially women of color
and particularly Black women. The pressure to turn on the camera therefore carries with it
an extra burden for women, who are then subject to biases based on their appearance.111
For parents with small children, there is often a fear that having children appear in the video
frame will be perceived as unprofessional. Since women are 50% more likely to be interrupted
by children while working from home, they bear this risk more substantially than fathers.112
Challenges in time management: When parents must juggle home school and childcare
with work, many have to work more flexible hours—for instance, taking time off during the
day and working more in the evenings after children have been put to bed. Rigid company
operating hours create a significant challenge for parents who need increased flexibility to
manage competing obligations.
Challenges for fathers, but opportunities for all: The COVID-19 pandemic may be
shifting domestic tasks more equitably within the household. Fathers may now have the
opportunity to play a more active role, even in families where there was a more traditional
gender division of labor when the father worked outside the home. A positive externality
of the crisis may be that not only are household tasks more evenly divided, but also that
fathers request the required flexibility from their jobs as a result. Employers will need to
reflect this new division of labor in the type of availability they expect and the flexibility
that they provide to employees with families.113
How employers can adapt to the challenges of working from home to support gender equity:
• Create more flexible work options, including options to work from home, reduce or
adjust hours, and/or take unpaid leave.
• Wherever possible, and as much as possible, provide staff clarity and certainty.
For mothers, and particularly those who are taking on an outsize role in childcare
110 Alisha Haridasani Gupta, “It’s Not Just You: In Online Meetings, Many Women Can’t Get a Word In,” New York Times, April
14, 2020.
111 Allison S. Gabriel, Daron Robertson, and Kristen Shockley, “Research: Cameras On or Off?” Harvard Business Review, Oct 2021.
112 Alison Andrew, Sarah Cattan, Monica Costa Dias, et al., “How are mothers and fathers balancing work and family under
lockdown?” Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2020.
113 Ibid.

TOOL 1.16
during the pandemic, uncertainty about job performance and security can take a
serious mental health toll. Employers which communicate clearly about performance,
expectations, flexibility, and timelines (for instance, the earliest anticipated date for a
return to the office) can help employees plan and manage their own expectations.114
• Give guidance to managers on how to support staff working from home. Outline
flexible work options that are available to staff and communicate proactively to foster
understanding of options for managing these challenging situations.
• Create employee resource groups to enable staff to share experiences, tips, and
resources for managing this challenging period. Support can range from connecting
employees who are experiencing the same challenges with other employees in
the same situation to sharing online resources for keeping kids entertained. A
parents’ group at LinkedIn became a global forum for parents, including sharing
online scavenger hunts, providing tutoring between staff and children, and sharing
other resources. These groups can improve morale, strengthen connections among
employees, and help parents connect with others in the same situation.115
• Provide support for improved internet connections as needed. Many parents will be
juggling working from home with online schooling at the same time, so they may need
improved bandwidth to continue performing.
• Provide support for creating a more effective home office. For parents with children
at home, it may be even more important to create a separate home office space. For
mothers who are even more likely to be interrupted by children, this can lead to big
gains in productivity.116
• Survey parents on the type of support they need. Asking can not only enable you as
the employer to support your employees to be as productive as possible, but can also
demonstrate support during these unprecedented times.117
• Take inspiration from companies like Vox Media, which has taken to hosting online
‘virtual storytimes,’ including one hosted by the CEO, to entertain employees’ children
during the workday.118
• Consider schedules that explicitly support working parents. Companies such as
Skyscanner created a three-hour break for all employees in the middle of the day,
including supporting parents to take care of their children during this period.119
114 Dana Sumpter and Mona Zanhour, 3 Ways Companies can Retain Working Moms Right Now, Harvard Business Review,
November 2020.
115 Samantha McLaren, 6 Ways Companies are Supporting Parents Working from Home, LinkedIn, August 2020.
116 Elizabeth Baskin, Five Ways Companies Can Help Mothers Struggling with Remote Work, Forbes, March 2021.
117 Ibid.
118 Samantha McLaren, 6 Ways Companies are Supporting Parents Working from Home, LinkedIn, August 2020.
119 Ibid.

TOOL 1.17
Reducing Implicit Bias in the Workplace
» GOAL: Help HR teams understand implicit bias, implications for the workplace, and
strategies to mitigate it
While a number of tools in this toolkit provide guidance on policies and systems to put
in place to reduce bias, this tool highlights some of the deep-seated biases that can
disadvantage women in the workforce, how they can impact their ability to succeed
and rise through an organization, and ways to address them. These biases are often
called unconscious or implicit biases—biases that may be deep-seated and culturally
ingrained, but of which we may not be entirely aware. Addressing these biases is critical
for supporting women’s entry and progression on the corporate ladder. These biases
are key aspects of the ‘broken rung’ theory—that women find it harder to climb the
initial rungs of the corporate ladder, meaning they often remain concentrated in lower
positions. For instance, only 72 women are promoted to manager for every 100 men
who are made manager.120 When few women rise to junior management, even fewer are
able to rise to senior managers—which also then influences their ability to mentor and
sponsor junior staff.121 Understanding, naming, and addressing these biases can help
people to counteract them. As employers, being aware of these biases—and ensuring
that staff are aware and understand that even implicit biases will not be tolerated—is
an important step towards creating an environment in which all employees are able to
work to the best of their abilities.
The tool outlines five main types of implicit gender bias. Some of these biases are not
necessarily against women (such as affinity bias), but they are likely to benefit men
and disadvantage women, especially in male-dominated sectors. Others are based on
common perceptions of and about men’s and women’s roles, intelligence, and expected
behavior in society. While these biases are present globally, they may be more or less
pervasive in different cultures, so readers should consider the extent to which these
biases ring true in their cultural contexts. And it should be noted that even where deep-
rooted stereotypes and expectations about women and men seem to advantage men
and disadvantage women, assumptions that feed into overly normative views of men
(for instance, expecting women to take parental leave, but not allowing for men to do the
same) can contribute to damaging cultures of toxic masculinity. Efforts to break up these
biases will benefit both women and men.
120 McKinsey and Lean In, Women in The Workplace 2019, 2019.
121 Ibid.

TOOL 1.17
TABLE 1H | Types of Bias122
Implications for the Workplace Mitigation Measures
Affinity Bias
Affinity bias is the tendency to favor people who are like us in some way, and dislike or avoid
people who are different.123
» Interviewers are more likely to positively » Require mentors to have a gender-equitable
evaluate candidates similar to them. Where mix of mentees, either at a time or in
two candidates are similar but differ in sequence.
certain traits, interviewers are more likely to » Track distribution of positive performance
value characteristics that they shared with evaluations and the gender bias of
the applicant as more important than the managers and staff to determine if there
characteristics of the candidate to whom they are specific or widespread issues.
are less similar. » Make evaluation criteria specific and easily
» Mentors are more likely to support measure-able to reduce possibility of bias.
protegees who are like them in some way.124
» Managers are more likely to give positive
evaluations to employees who are similar.125
» In male-dominated workplaces, or where men
dominate management positions, affinity
bias can mean that men are more likely to
be mentored and/or get positive evaluations
than women.
Likeability Bias
Likeability bias is the expectation of women to be agreeable and likeable, and a negative
reaction to women who are ‘too pushy’ or ‘aggressive.’
» As a result of the likeability bias, women » Implement standardized criteria for
are more likely to be described as ‘bossy’ performance assessments to reduce the
or ‘aggressive,’ which can mean poorer potential for bias. The more specific and
evaluations and create challenges for standardized criteria are, and the less room
advancement. there is for subjective evaluation, the less
room there will be for bias.
122 This tool was developed drawing in large part from Lean In’s ’50 Ways to Fight Bias’ Gender Bias Cards, which are a
customizable set of training materials specifically focused on addressing implicit gender bias.
123 McPherson, Smith-Lovin, and Cook, “Birds of a Feather” Annual Review of Sociology, 2001; Hebl, Foster, Mannix, et al.,
“Formal and Interpersonal Discrimination: A Field Study of Bias Towards Homosexual Applicants,” Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 2002; Rivera, “Hiring as Cultural Matching: The Case of Elite Professional Service Firms,” American
Sociological Review, 2012.
124 Tammy Allen et al., “The Mentor’s Perspective: A Qualitative Inquiry and Future Research Agenda,” Journal of Vocational
Behavior 51 (August 1997): 70–89,.
125 C. M. Riordan, “Relational demography within groups: Past developments, contradictions, and new directions,” in G. R.
Ferris, ed., Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, vol. 19 (Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 2000), 131–73.

TOOL 1.17
» Women are more often described as ‘too » Track gender and performance evaluations
aggressive’ or ‘bossy’ in the workplace than to identify patterns, and consider
men. While being seen as aggressive and
126
recommending staff for anti-bias training
not well-liked can make it difficult for women where there seems to be a pattern of bias.
to succeed at work, so can being seen as too » HR should consider a collaborative process
nice and not-assertive enough.’127 to identify key leadership traits which can
» This bias can be even more exaggerated for help to support inclusivity.129
women of color, who often face specific racial
stereotypes that further limit ‘acceptable’
presentations of themselves.128
Performance Bias
Performance bias is the tendency to overestimate men’s performance and underestimate
women’s. Women therefore have to do more and better to be evaluated as equally competent
as male counterparts.130 As with the other biases listed here, this bias tends to particularly
disadvantage women of color and those with disabilities, who are more likely to be
underestimated and/or have their accomplishments met with surprise.131
» Women have to work harder to be evaluated » Make performance evaluation criteria as

similarly to male counterparts. Women’s specific as possible to leave as little room as
performance is often underestimated, which possible for bias and subjectivity.
makes it harder for them to advance. » Use specific criteria to ensure that
both women and men are being
equally evaluated in terms of their past
accomplishments and future potential.
126 McKinsey & Co and Lean In, Women in the Workplace 2017 (October 2017); Madeline E. Heilman and Tyler G. Okimoto, “Why
Are Women Penalized for Success at Male Tasks? The Implied Communality Deficit,” Journal of Applied Psychology 92, no. 1
(2007): 81–92; Madeline E. Heilman et al., “Penalties for Success: Reactions to Women Who Succeed at Male Gender-Typed
Tasks,” Journal of Applied Psychology 89, no. 3 (2004): 416–27.
127 Lean In, Welcome to the 50 Ways to Fight Bias Digital Program, cited June 2022.
128 Negin Ghavami and Letitia Anne Peplau, “An Intersectional Analysis of Gender and Ethnic Stereotypes: Testing Three
Hypotheses,” Psychology of Women Quarterly 37, no. 1 (2012): 113–27; Justine Tinkler, Jun Zhao, Yan Li, et al., “Honorary
Whites? Asian American Women and the Dominance Penalty,” Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World 5 (April 4,
2019).
129 Eric Luis Uhlmann and Geoffrey L. Cohen, “Constructed Criteria: Redefining Merit to Justify Discrimination,” Psychological
Science 16, no. 6 (2005): 474–80.
130 Williams and Dempsey, What Works for Women at Work, New York, NYU Press, 2014; Rudman, Moss-Racusin, Glick, and
Phelan, “Reactions to Vanguards: Advances in Backlash Theory,” Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2012.
131 McKinsey & Co and Lean In, Women in The Workplace 2019, 2019.

TOOL 1.17
MATERNAL BIAS
Maternal bias is the assumption that mothers—or women who are assumed to want to be
mothers—are less committed to their work than non-parents.132
» The maternal bias means that women who » Ensure that hiring and promotions criteria
are, or might become, mothers are viewed focus on necessary skills and experience,
as less committed, and even less competent rather than years on the job—criteria that
than non-mothers. These women are given prioritize years in a given role can unfairly
fewer opportunities—either because it is penalize parents who took time off to raise
assumed they can not handle them or would children and may miss out on qualified
not want them. candidates.
» Because mothers are seen as less committed, » Ensure that opportunities for travel and
when they make mistakes, these mistakes projects are fairly offered to all staff, rather
are seen as a result of distraction and lack of than assuming parents of young children
commitment, and are viewed more harshly are not interested.
than other people’s mistakes.133 » Encourage all parents to take parental
» Fathers who take time off for family reasons leave; the more parents who take it, at
actually get lower performance ratings all levels, the more normalized and de-
than mothers, indicating that the maternal stigmatized it will be.
bias cuts both ways: women are penalized
for being mothers, but this is a role that is
somehow more ‘acceptable’ than a man
prioritizing family over work.134
» In the workplace, maternal bias can also
mean that coworkers assume women are
not interested in travel, projects that require
extra commitment, or evening events. Failure
to give parents the opportunity to make these
choices for themselves can damage women’s
advancement opportunities and mean that
the company misses out on committed staff.
132 Williams and Dempsey, What Works for Women at Work, New York: NYU Press, 2014; Correll et al., “Getting a Job: Is There a
Motherhood Penalty?” American Journal of Sociology, 2007; Weisshaar, “From Opt Out to Blocked Out,” American Sociological
Association, 2018.
Association, 2018.
134 Scott Coltrane et al., “Fathers and Flexibility Stigma,” Journal of Social Issues 69, no. 2 (2013): 279–302; Laurie A. Rudman and
Kris Mescher, “Penalizing Men Who Request a Family Leave: Is Flexibility Stigma a Femininity Stigma?” Journal of Social Issues
69, no. 2 (2013): 32–40; Jennifer L. Berdahl and Sue H. Moon, “Workplace Mistreatment of Middle Class Workers Based on
Sex, Parenthood, and Caregiving,” Journal of Social Issues 69, no. 2 (2013): 341–66; Adam B. Butler and Amie Skattebo, “What
Is Acceptable for Women May Not Be for Men: The Effect of Family Conflicts with Work on Job-Performance Ratings,” Journal
of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 77, no. 4 (2004): 553–64.

TOOL 1.17
ATTRIBUTION BIAS
Attribution bias means that we give women less credit for the good things they do and blame
them more for mistakes.135
» As a result of attribution bias, we don’t value » As with many of the mitigation measures
women’s contributions as much—women listed above, ensure that performance
are much more likely to be interrupted, both evaluations and promotion/upgrade
by men and other women. Women are also evaluations are done against as
judged more harshly for mistakes and given standardized criteria as possible, including
less credit in collaborative projects. criteria for collaborative projects.
» Attribution bias can impact women’s self- » Ensure that criteria for hiring and upgrades
esteem in a vicious cycle. Women often are only functionally necessary ones, cutting
predict they’ll do worse on a task than men out criteria that speak more to duration of
do, and research shows that women are more employment than quality of experience.
likely to apply to a job only when they possess
100% of the qualifications, while men are
more likely to apply when they possess 60%.136
135 Egan, Matvos, and Seru, “When Harry Fired Sally,” NBER, 2017; Rudman, Moss-Racusin, Glick, and Phelan, “Reactions to
Vanguards: Advances in Backlash Theory” Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2012; Heilman and Hayes, “No Credit
Where Credit Is Due” American Psychological Association, 2005; Victoria L. Brescoll, Erica Dawson, and Eric Luis Uhlmann,
“Hard Won and Easily Lost: The Fragile Status of Leaders in Gender-Stereotype-Incongruent Occupations,” Psychological
Science 21, no. 11 (2010): 1640–42.
136 Georges Desvaux, Sandrine Devillard-Hoellinger, and Mary C. Meaney, “A Business Case for Women,” The McKinsey Quarterly,
September 2008, 4.

TOOL 1.18
Guidelines for Building a Gender-Diverse Talent Pipeline and
Workforce
» GOAL: To help companies attract a gender-diverse field of candidates
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources, Community Affairs
A company’s best hiring, retention, and promotion policies are built on having a
strong, gender-diverse talent pipeline. Traditionally, infrastructure sectors have been
heavily male dominated, and this can mean that women, as well as their families and
communities, do not think that infrastructure sectors are appropriate places for women
to work. This, in turn, can perpetuate the challenge of finding women qualified and
interested to work in the sector.
The most gender-equitable hiring practices cannot lead to gender diversity if there are no
qualified female applicants. This tool focuses on how to help create qualified candidates
in the host community, how to encourage these candidates to apply, and ways to create
more opportunity for female candidates to be considered.
1. Create more qualified female candidates

The first step to creating a stronger gender-diverse talent pipeline is to help more women
in the community get the training and opportunities that will make them into viable
candidates for employment. This is a step that should be undertaken in coordination
between the HR and community affairs departments, and can include communication
with education and training institutions, as well as with the community itself. HR should
meet with community affairs to outline the positions available and the skillsets and
qualifications required for successful applications. With this information, community
affairs can communicate with local education and training institutions, as well as with the
community in general, to encourage more gender-diverse applications. This can include:
• Direct investments to improve local educational and training opportunities
• Scholarships for female students to increase their opportunities to study
• Community outreach to inform the community about the potential for jobs for both
women and men, provided that candidates get the training they need, as a way to
encourage girls’ participation in education/training programs
• Mentorship programs between female staff and female students
• Presentations to current and potential students about the opportunities that may
await them.

TOOL 1.18
2. Encourage female candidates to apply
Supporting the growth in the number of qualified female candidates is a necessary
precondition, but the next step is encouraging women to apply. Efforts around this can be
coordinated between HR and community affairs, and can include initiatives such as:
• Improve local awareness of opportunities for women:
• Communicating with communities on how and where jobs are advertised and how
to apply. Information sessions should be organized at times and in places where
women are likely to be able to attend; providing childcare can make it more likely
that mothers and young women with childcare responsibilities can attend.
• Organizing webinars and in-person networking opportunities and company tours
to give applicants an authentic understanding of how the company works. Creating
relationships between the community and the company so community members
understand what goes on in the company and the environment and types of jobs
available can have multiple benefits beyond encouraging employees to apply.137 In
areas where there is cultural hesitance around women working in infrastructure
industries, improved communication and understanding of what these jobs look like
may demystify and help families support women’s applications. And in communities
where there is a sense that infrastructure companies have jobs but are not creating
sufficient local benefits, improved transparency and communication of what the
work looks like may help combat these perceptions.
• Encouraging community members to follow the company on social media and using
social media accounts to highlight opportunities for diverse employees.
• Publicizing strategically: Depending on where work is being done and the host
communities, women and men may have different access to certain public forums,
different literacy rates, and different ways of sharing information. Thus, certain
means of advertising job postings may favor men or women. For instance, public
bulletin boards may not be located in areas frequented by men or women, or print
advertisements may limit applicants to those who can read—which may not be a
necessary job criteria.
• Recommendation: Make sure you are familiar with information access patterns
locally and advertise accordingly. Consider using non-text-based means, such as
community radio or community forums, to spread the message more equitably.
• Gender-sensitize recruitment materials: Recruitment materials may be
inadvertently exclusionary or discouraging for female applicants in a number of ways.
TOOL 1.19 offers a detailed job description template outlining strategies to reduce bias
and attract diverse applicants, including:
137 Samantha McLaren, How to Create a Diverse Talent Pipeline: 4 Tips from Shopify, PowerToFly and Vrbo, LinkedIn 2019.

TOOL 1.18
• Remove gender-biased language: Job advertisements that use more male
wording are more likely to appeal to male applicants.138 To encourage more female
applicants, review recruitment materials to screen for gender-biased terms,
images, or language. ZipRecruiter found that job advertisements with more gender-
neutral language get 42% more responses.139 Certain language has been shown
to specifically appeal to different genders. For instance, while subtle, terms like
‘analyze,’ ‘competitive,’ and ‘determine’ are more often associated with males, while
‘support’ and ‘collaborate’ are more often associated with females.
• Recommendation: Review language to reduce gender-associated words. There
are free online tools, often called ‘gender decoders,’ that can help employers
determine whether job announcements include gendered language.140
• Specifically state that the job is open to all genders.
• Be specific on essential criteria: Review criteria listed for job postings and
eliminate any criteria that are not essential for the position. Research shows that
women are more likely to apply to jobs when they meet 100% of the required
qualifications; men apply when they have 60%.141 Women are more likely to
assume that they won’t be considered without all of the qualifications described as
essential, so many prefer not to waste their time by applying.142 This correlates with
research showing that men overestimate their experience and capabilities, while
women underestimate theirs,143 and a pattern in which women are more likely to be
hired based on what they’ve demonstrated they can do, while men are hired on the
basis of their ‘potential.’144
• Recommendations: Consider what criteria are genuinely essential, and only
include those. Avoid requiring a specific number of years in a given position or
experience, which can discriminate against women who took time off for family
reasons, and focus instead on necessary skills and experience.145 Describe job
requirements, not the person who will fill the job (or previously filled it). For
instance, for physically demanding jobs, describe the specific tasks, rather than
describing a ‘physically fit’ candidate.
138 Gaucher, Danielle, Justin Friesen, and Aaron C. Key. “Evidence That Gendered Wording in Job Advertisements Exists and
Sustains Gender Inequality,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 101.1 (2011): 109-28.
139 ZipRecruiter, “Removing these Gendered Keywords gets you more Applicants,” Sept 19, 2016.
140 One popular example is available here.
141 Bruce M. Anderson, To Hire More Women – Make This One Simple Change, LinkedIn 2019.
142 Tara Sophia Mohr, Why Women Don’t Apply for Jobs Unless They’re 100% Qualified, Harvard Business Review, 2014.
143 Williams and Dempsey, What Works for Women at Work, New York: NYU Press, 2014; Rudman, Moss-Racusin, Glick, and

TOOL 1.18
• Clearly state required or desirable skills; state any formal trainings/qualifications
required (but only require them when they are necessary for the job).
• Diversify representation in print, radio, and television: Ensure that both women
and men’s likenesses and voice are featured in a diversity of roles in print, radio, and
television advertisements.
• Recommendation: Review recruitment materials to ensure that they present a
gender-diverse and inclusive image, including women and men in operational and
management roles, as well as in non-traditional roles for women.
BOX 1I | Gendered Terms in Job Descriptions

The following words are classified as ‘masculine’ in job descriptions, meaning they
subtly convey preference for male applicants:
• Strong • Analysis • Individuals
• Drive • Determined • Self-Reliant
• Lead • Driving
Source: Talentfoot, “How to Explain Gender-Neutral Job Descriptions to your Boss,” 2020.
• Signal that you are an employer of choice for women:

• Signal commitment to pay equity: While concerns about pay equity may not keep
women from applying to certain jobs, a demonstration of pay transparency can
signal a company’s broader commitment to gender equity since women are often
paid less than men.
• Recommendation: Include the salary range in the job announcement.
• Signal commitment to a family-friendly workplace: Women may assume that
certain employers are more or less flexible and supportive of family commitments.
Employers which specifically highlight benefits that appeal to parents like parental
leave, flex work, childcare, and health care can encourage parents to apply,
especially women who often shoulder more of the family labor load.146
• Recommendation: List family-friendly benefits associated with the position in the
job advertisement.
• Include options for flexible work in advertisements: Clarify whether jobs require
standard on-site working hours, shift work, and/or the potential for flexible work
arrangements.
146 ILO, Break Gender Stereotypes: Give Talent a Chance, 50.

TOOL 1.18
• Strengthen referral pathways: Due to affinity bias, or our tendency to feel more
positively towards people who are similar to us, men in male-dominated sectors
tend to refer and hire other men. In the United States, for example, while white men
are just 34% of the labor market, they represent 40% of successful referrals.147 Some
companies have taken proactive steps to break up this male monopoly on referrals—
the social media company Pinterest specifically encouraged staff to refer more women
and minorities and saw a 24% increase in women and even greater numbers of
minority candidates. Computer giant Intel took a similar approach by increasing the
referral bonus for candidates who represented specific under-represented groups.148
• Recommendation: Consider providing staff incentives for successful referrals
of women.
3. Reduce bias in considering applications

Once women have applied, do they have an equitable chance of being shortlisted and
hired as male applicants? Several of the specific types of implicit biases described above
often create particular disadvantages for women candidates when job applications are
reviewed. To address this:
• Review applicants equitably: Due to ‘performance bias,’ women are often assessed
to be less capable than they are, whereas men are assessed to be more capable. As
such, women’s accomplishments are often undervalued, while men’s performance
is overestimated. Where they perform similarly, or have similar experiences on
their resumes, men are viewed more favorably than women. Studies show that in
recruitment, women need to demonstrate more accomplishments and experience
to be evaluated as qualified for a job, whereas men are more likely to be viewed
as qualified based on perceived ‘potential’ to do a good job.149 Several studies have
confirmed this tendency: in one, women’s names were replaced with men’s names,
and their chances of being hired rose by 60%. In another famous example, several
major orchestras found that 50% more women made it past the initial audition round
when reviewers could not see, but only hear, the musicians during their audition.150
• Recommendation: Remove names and photographs from resumes prior to review.
• Counteract maternity bias: Due to a ‘maternity bias,’ expectations are often different
for mothers than for non-mothers or men. Women often have to combat assumptions
and stereotypes around motherhood that can start as soon as they’re engaged to be
150 Claudia Goldin and Cecilia Rouse, “Orchestrating Impartiality: The Impact of ‘Blind’ Auditions on Female Musicians,” The
American Economic Review 90, no. 4 (2000): 715–41.

TOOL 1.18
married. Employers assume mothers—or newly married women who they assume will
soon become mothers—are less committed to work, including that they wouldn’t want
to travel or take on challenging assignments. Because of this bias, mothers are also
often more severely judged for small mistakes that seem to confirm this assumption
of lack of commitment.151 Some U.S.-based research also indicates that including
‘motherhood signifiers’ on resumes, such as holding a position on a local parent-
teacher council, makes women 79% less likely to be hired. And research indicates
that mothers are also paid less than non-mothers and men.152 Men also face similar
assumptions when they take time away from work for family reasons, often receiving
lower performance ratings and steeper reductions in future earnings.153
• Recommendation: Ensure that all HR staff are trained on maternity bias in order to
identify and address it in the hiring process.
• Improve fairness in interview panels: Where sectors or particular positions are heavily
dominated by one sex, it can be difficult for other candidates to be considered. (The
infrastructure sector is largely male dominated, but particular positions—for instance,
certain administrative or lower-level positions—may be predominately female.) This is
often due to ‘affinity bias,’ or the tendency to like and understand those who are similar
to us in some ways, as mentioned above regarding referrals. In the interview stage of
applications, this can mean that interviewers spend more time interviewing applicants
who are like them—for example, male interviewers may spend more time interviewing
men and find male candidates more appealing.154 Having both women and men on
interview panels can help significantly. Computer giant Intel started requiring at least
two women on interview panels, which helped increase representation of women in
new hires from 31.9% to 45.1% over two years, a change attributed to helping reduce
unconscious bias in hiring.155 In addition, developing specific criteria and a standard set
of questions of all interviewees can reduce bias and the tendency for interview panels to
evaluate candidates based on ‘corporate fit’ or ‘gut feeling.’
• Recommendations: Require that interview panels include women, for instance by
requiring that all panels are no more than 75% of one sex (i.e., no more than 75%
men or women on any interview panel).
Association, 2018.
152 “Getting a Job: Is There a Motherhood Penalty?” American Journal of Sociology, 2007.
153 Scott Coltrane et al., “Fathers and Flexibility Stigma,” Journal of Social Issues 69, no. 2 (2013): 279–302; Laurie A. Rudman and
Kris Mescher, “Penalizing Men Who Request a Family Leave: Is Flexibility Stigma a Femininity Stigma?” Journal of Social Issues
69, no. 2 (2013): 32–40; Jennifer L. Berdahl and Sue H. Moon, “Workplace Mistreatment of Middle Class Workers Based on
Sex, Parenthood, and Caregiving,” Journal of Social Issues 69, no. 2 (2013): 341–66; Adam B. Butler and Amie Skattebo, “What
Is Acceptable for Women May Not Be for Men: The Effect of Family Conflicts with Work on Job-Performance Ratings,” Journal
of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 77, no. 4 (2004): 553–64.
154 M. Riordan, “Relational demography within groups: Past developments, contradictions, and new directions,” in G. R. Ferris,
ed., Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, vol. 19 (Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 2000), 131–73.
155 Katherine Reynolds Lewis, “Diverse Interview Panels may be a Key to Workplace Diversity,” Working Mother Magazine, Issue
45, June-July 2017.

TOOL 1.18
• Develop a standardized and transparent recruitment process to reduce
opportunities for bias and increase applicants’ confidence in the application process.
This can not only increase confidence in hiring decisions, but can also improve
relationships between companies and host communities, which may have more
faith in how hiring decisions are made.
• Set minimum targets for the number of shortlisted female candidates. If you
are using a recruitment firm, confirm that the firm is aware of targets and held
accountable for meeting them.
• Develop a policy on appropriate interview questions. Avoid questions regarding
marital status, children, intent to have children, or sexual orientation. Review job
applications for any questions that may prompt gender bias:
• Applications should only ask for relevant information and not request details such
as pictures, marital status, or age. Where possible, applications should be stripped
of gender-identifying details (as well as other factors that are common bases
for discrimination) like first names, marital and family status, and age, as well as
photographs, before review.
• Applications should include opportunities for candidates to highlight previous
formal and informal work experiences that support their ability to do the job.156
TABLE 1I | Quick Guide Checklist for Companies
Recommendation Implemented?
INCREASING WOMEN APPLICANTS
Job advertisements/ Make pronouns inclusive (s/he) or replace with gender-
announcements inclusive terms (foreman/forewoman)
Include photographs that show women and men,
including in non-traditional roles
Review job announcements for gender-biased terms.
Consider running through ‘gender decoder’ software.
Trim ‘required’ qualifications to include only the most
necessary qualifications
Include salary range in the job advertisement
List family-friendly benefits that the employer offers
156 International Training Centre of the ILO, Break Gender Stereotypes: Give Talent a Chance, Brussels: European Commission,
2008, 50.

TOOL 1.18
Recommendation Implemented?
Improve referrals Offer incentives to staff for any women hires that come
from referrals
Increase women Include explicit expectations for gender equity in briefs
candidates from for all recruiters
recruiters
Ensure appropriate Review local information channels and adapt accordingly
messaging to ensure local women, including those who are illiterate,
hear about suitable job opportunities
Have local staff do community outreach and briefings on
job opportunities
INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN THE HIRING PROCESS

Review applications Remove names and photographs from applications for
equitably gender-blind review
Counteract Conduct outreach to all HR staff and interviewers on
maternity bias maternity bias
Overcome affinity Require interview panels to include at least one woman,
bias preferably two.
Create a specific set of questions and criteria for all
candidates
These recommendations are focused on bringing more women into the workforce, and so focus
on pre-hiring stages. TOOL 1.17 focuses on identifying and addressing implicit bias within the
workforce among male and female employees.

TOOL 1.19
Job Description Template to Reduce Bias and Attract Diverse
Applicants
» GOAL: Provides a template for HR departments to follow, with key components to
include—and those to avoid—to attract diverse job applicants
Job Title
• Use gender-neutral titles. For example, name the position “foreperson” instead of
“foreman,” or “chairperson” instead of “chairman.”
• Do not request gender, age, or marital status, and do not require/accept photos.
Explicitly prohibit your company from listing a gender or age preference in job
descriptions, and from requesting (or allowing) applicants to submit photos along
with their job application. While the legality of these practices depends on the country
or jurisdiction in which the company/job is located, following this guidance will help
reduce bias in the recruitment process.
Company/Organization Description
• Within the company description, consider including details about the company
culture or values. Additionally, if your company has taken proactive measures to
create an inclusive work culture and to promote diversity, include those. Mention
whether it has made specific commitments to promote diversity and equality, highlight
progress towards gender equity (for instance, mention relevant HR statistics), or has
achieved relevant standards, certifications, or awards, such as Human Rights Campaign
Foundation’s “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” list157 or EDGE Certification.158
Job Responsibilities
• Avoid gender-biased language.
• Use gender-neutral language and avoid using gendered pronouns.
• Avoid words that are traditionally seen as masculine to avoid discouraging women
applicants from seeing themselves in the role and applying. For examples of words
to avoid, see Box 1I and Table 1I and the sources referred to in TOOL 1.18. Consider
using “gender decoder” software to analyze your word choices.159
• List the job responsibilities rather than characteristics of the person who will fill the role.
157 Human Rights Campaign, “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality 2022.”
158 Learn more about EDGE certification here.
159 Popular software to look for gender bias in job announcements includes the “Gender Decoder” website.

TOOL 1.19
Required Qualifications
• Evaluate which qualifications and how many years of experience are really
necessary.
• Double check the list of required qualifications to ensure that only those that
are truly necessary to carry out the job functions are listed. Where additional
desired qualifications are relevant, include these in a separate list of “preferred
qualifications.”
• Change required years of experience into required experience and capacity. For
example, if a job announcement states that 10 years of experience are required,
is that really true, or would an excellent candidate with fewer years of experience
be able to succeed in the role? Listing fewer years of experience or not listing
a specified number of years could encourage excellent applicants with less
experience, including those who may have taken time off for family responsibilities.
To take it one step further, consider explicitly mentioning that the company
welcomes applications from individuals who have taken career breaks or who are
returning to the workforce after taking time for family responsibilities.
• If language requirements are listed, pay attention to whether “native” or
professional fluency is needed—the former could discourage fluent candidates from
applying, solely based on country of origin.
• Evaluate what educational background is really necessary.
• Consider whether a bachelor’s or master’s degree is necessary, or just a “nice
to have”? Listing educational requirements can unnecessarily perpetuate
socioeconomic bias and gender gaps in countries or regions in which women have
less access to higher education or STEM education than men.
Physical Requirements
• List whether there are any specific physical requirements for the job, but avoid
including those that are not crucial. Doing so will avoid inadvertently excluding
applicants with physical disabilities.
A LinkedIn article highlighting inclusive job descriptions included this example: “[This
role’s] work involves remaining in a stationary position most of the time in front of a
computer, using a keyboard, mouse, and telephone. Regularly operate a computer and
other office equipment. Occasionally move about the work site to access file cabinets,
office equipment, etc. . . . Communicate or exchange information with co-workers and
other individuals in person or electronically.”160
160 Kate Reilly, “6 Ways to Successfully Signal Your Company’s DEI Commitment in a Job Posting,” LinkedIn.

TOOL 1.19
Working Hours & Worksite Conditions
• Clarify the work schedule, location(s), whether the position will require working
nights or weekends, and whether travel will be necessary (and what percentage
of the time).
• Be sure to specify if the position will require working nights or weekends. For non-
office positions, clarify what types of shifts are expected.
• Including detail about options for workplace flexibility and whether remote work is
encouraged or permitted will help candidates assess whether the position is a good fit.
• If job sharing161 is possible, be sure to mention this.
• Consider mentioning whether lactation and milk storage facilities are provided onsite.
• For male-dominated industries such as mining that can present security concerns
for women employees, mention any facilities or measures to promote security and
gender inclusivity, such as secure transportation to and from work, or separate
bathrooms, changing areas, and sleeping accommodations.
Salary
• List the salary range for the job. The movement for salary transparency is gaining
momentum, with more and more employers listing salary ranges in job descriptions
and some governments162 now incentivizing or mandating that salaries be listed.
Listing the salary range for each position shows respect for the job seeker’s time,
saves time for both them and the company, and helps to close the gender wage gap.163
(Additionally, not asking candidates to disclose their previous salary helps to level
the playing field and uphold wage parity.) If the job description is for an internship or
fellowship, list whether it is paid or unpaid. Pay interns and fellows whenever possible.
Company Benefits & Leave Policies

• List company benefits in all job descriptions. Although not all employers list
company benefits and leave policies in their job announcements, this is a highly
recommended way to set your company apart and attract top—and diverse—
candidates in a competitive job market.
• In this list, include benefits related to work-life balance and family-friendly policies.
• Listing benefits such as parental leave, flexible work schedules, numbers of vacation
days, childcare options, and coverage or support related to fertility, adoption, and
161 The ILO defines job-sharing as “a voluntary arrangement whereby two persons take joint responsibility for one full-time job
and divide the time they spend on it according to specific arrangements made with the employer. A common form of job-
sharing is to split one full-time job into two part-time jobs.” International Labour Organization, “Work-sharing and job-sharing.”
162 Pequity, “Pay Transparency Laws 2022: Is Your Team Ready?”; Growth Business, “Salary transparency—is it happening in the
UK?”; and Likumi, Legal Acts of the Republic of Latvia, as examples.
163 National Women’s Law Center, “Salary Range Transparency Reduces the Wage Gap.”

TOOL 1.19
menopause164 will help attract a diversity of candidates in terms of gender, age, and
family status.
• Be specific: don’t just say generous vacation time or parental leave—say how much.
If your company provides parental/paternity leave, list these benefits—don’t only
list maternity leave.
• List opportunities for career development, continued learning, and
community service.
• If the company offers opportunities for career development through programs
focused on mentorship, sponsorship, leadership development, continued
education, tuition reimbursement, or even sabbaticals, list them. Company-
sponsored programs for employees to participate in volunteering or giving back
to the community can also be listed.
Equal Opportunity / Inclusivity Statement

• Include language that expresses your company’s commitment to diversity. For
example, World Bank Group job descriptions currently include this text: “We are proud
to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed
workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race,
ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.”165 Canada’s Hire for Talent offers another
example: “Our company values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Diversity
at our company means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are
recognized, appreciated, respected, and responded to in ways that fully develop and
utilize each person’s talents and strengths.”166
• Explicitly encourage diverse candidates to apply, such as by saying that women
and those from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
164 Wellbeing of Women, “Over 600 employers sign The Menopause Workplace Pledge.”
165 See the World Bank Careers site.
166 Hire for Talent, “4.3 How to Write an Inclusive Job Posting.”

TOOL 1.20
Sample Mentoring/Mentee Agreement
» GOAL: Improve leadership and management development by creating mentorship
relationships within the company
What is a mentorship program?

Mentorship programs connect junior and more senior staff, taking advantage of existing
expertise, knowledge, and experience in a company and/or sector to provide guidance
for more junior staff. Mentorship programs can demonstrate investment in younger
staff, help them develop more fulfilling career trajectories, and help senior staff share
knowledge and develop leadership skills. For companies, mentorship programs can
improve communication, relationships, and learning across an organization; demonstrate
investment in more junior staff; foster a culture of learning; and help staff to move more
purposefully through an organization.167
Why have mentors?

Structured mentorship programs that match more junior and senior staff can have myriad
benefits for mentees, mentors, and the companies they work for. Mentorship programs
not only offer junior staff the opportunity to learn from more experienced employees,
but can also help reduce turnover, improve information flow between various parts of
an organization, and increase employee satisfaction.168 A 2019 LinkedIn study found that
where companies invested in employees, 94% of those employees stayed in the company
longer, and investment in employee learning, including mentorship programs, increased
job satisfaction.169
For women in male-dominated sectors such as infrastructure, mentorship can be

particularly important. In these sectors, there may be fewer women in senior roles, meaning
that women may have fewer role models and fewer opportunities to connect with senior
women to navigate their own career paths. Establishing mentorship programs that match
young women staff with male or female senior staff can help them navigate their own career
decisions, make important connections, increase personal investment in their company, and
strengthen employee loyalty. However, women employees are less likely to have mentors,
and are less likely to seek out opportunities to be mentors or mentees than men are.170
167 Riia O’Donnell, How to Create a Mentorship Program (and Why You Should), Workest by Zenefits, 2019.
168 Stephanie Vozza, Mentorship Programs for Women: Advancing Your Employees and Your Business, Mastercard, 2019.
169 Ibid.
170 Stephanie Neal, Jazmine Boatman PhD, Linda Miller, Women as Mentors: Does She or Doesn’t She? DDI, cited June 2022, 5.

TOOL 1.20
A case study of Sun Microsystems found that both mentor and mentee participants
in their mentorship program were more likely to advance: mentees were five times as
likely to advance, and mentors were six times more likely. Retention rates were also
significantly higher among participants in the mentorship program—72% for mentees,
69% for mentors, and 49% for non-participants.171
Informal mentorship arrangements often evolve organically in organizations, but

developing a formal program can have even greater benefits. Formally organizing a
mentorship program can greatly expand who has access to mentorship arrangements. It
can enhance the likelihood that appropriate mentors and mentees find each other, which
is key to beneficial relationships. Furthermore, formal mentorship programs can be more
effectively structured and monitored, and where they are established and developed by
a company, they can include more formal learning opportunities, set aside more time
for participation, and are more likely to contribute to a sense of corporate investment in
employee learning and development.
How can mentorship programs help promote gender equity?

Formal mentorship programs can help support women’s advancement and contribute to
gender equity within a company. In male-dominated industries such as the infrastructure
and natural resources sectors, there are likely to be fewer women in leadership positions.
Women in more junior positions may not see as many senior women, and so may not see
as many avenues for their own advancement. Creating opportunities for communication,
guidance, and conversation can help women understand how senior women got to where
they are and how to anticipate and manage challenges to their own career development.
Cornell University found that mentoring programs improved promotion and retention
rates for minorities and women by 15 to 38% compared to non-mentored employees.172
Tips for establishing a mentorship program

• Invite interested parties to be involved in a steering group to develop the program.
Such a committee could include senior managers—women and men. The program
should include goals and a plan for monitoring progress. Determine how gender will
be addressed in the program—will there be an emphasis on female participants and/
or mentors?
• If there is a corporate gender champion, include him or her. The more formal the
program, and the more closely it is tied into a company’s existing gender objectives, the
more likely that the program may receive funding and traction to assure longevity.173
171 Naz Beheshti, Improve Workplace Culture with a Strong Mentoring Program, Forbes, 2019.
172 Naz Beheshti, Improve Workplace Culture with a Strong Mentoring Program, Forbes, 2019.
173 Hire, How to Create a Women’s Mentorship Program in your Company, cited June 2022.

TOOL 1.20
• Identify whether the program will include formal training for mentors, and if it will
include any formal training opportunities for the cohort of mentees.
• Mentors should include senior level staff and should include the most senior female
staff willing to participate. But do not limit mentee and mentorship to women; women
can benefit from being mentored by men, and vice versa.
• Try not to have mentees mentored by their own boss. Where the objective is to
help staff identify long-term goals and choices, mentees may not feel able to freely
communicate with their current superior. If possible, encourage mentees to choose
mentors who are not in their immediate reporting chain.
• Don’t force the pairings: If participants—either mentors or mentees—are not
enthusiastic about participating in a mentorship program, the program is not as likely
to succeed. Facilitating some choice among pairings is helpful. One technique is to give
mentors a choice of mentees, and then when each mentee has a selection of potential
mentors, allow the mentee to select the mentor of their choice.
• Have mentors and mentees set out their expectations in a formal mentorship
agreement, including how often they will meet, how long the arrangement will last, and
what they hope to get out of the arrangement.
• Management should create space in people’s work programs for participating in a
mentorship program. Where management emphasizes that mentorship is a priority,
this will reinforce investment in staff development and allow mentors and mentees to
take full advantage of the program.
Draft Mentorship Agreement:

This template is meant to be customized by mentors and mentees to suit their needs. It
can also be updated throughout the mentorship as goals and needs change. The following
questions should be discussed by the mentor and mentee and completed together.
1. What are your goals for this mentorship arrangement? If you have different (but
complementary) goals, you can include them here as well. What do you hope to achieve?
Mentor:
Mentee:
2. How will you achieve these goals? (i.e., in-person or virtual meetings; projects you will
collaborate on, etc.)
3. How often will you meet? If you cannot meet, how much notice will you commit to give
each other?

TOOL 1.20
4. How will you evaluate if you are meeting your stated goals, or whether you need to
change something to improve the effectiveness of the mentoring relationship? What
timeframe will you use to evaluate? This does not need to be a formal assessment, but
it can be helpful to set a timeframe for discussing the mentorship arrangement and
deciding, for instance, if more frequent/less frequent meetings might help, etc.
5. Do you both/either want your conversations to stay confidential? Are there certain
topics that you wish to remain confidential, but others do not need to be? (For
instance, you may ask your mentor for advice on career mobility, which you might not
want your current manager to hear. Or you may ask your mentor for advice on job
seeking and may benefit from your mentor helping your networking.)
6. Are there any topics that you wish to name as off limits in your mentoring relationship?
7. Conditions:
a. Agree that if either party decides to end the mentorship arrangement, this can be
done without blame or questions.
b. Agree to a time period for the mentorship arrangement or decide that the
relationship will continue as long as both want it.174
Date:
Sign:
Re-sign and date this agreement at your agreed evaluation intervals.
174 Adapted from Global Women in Science, Mentoring Agreement Template, cited June 2022.

TOOL 1.21
Guidelines for Developing Women’s Careers and Leadership 175
» GOAL: Support gender-equitable career development and mobility

» TARGET UNIT: Training
While many tools in this tool suite focus on creating opportunities and an inclusive
work culture, it is equally important to develop a cadre of leadership-ready women
candidates who can take advantage of a more inclusive work culture. Investments in
training and activities to support women’s career development will help ensure that your
company will be able to take advantage of the gains from a gender-diverse workforce and
management team—and that you will be successful in attracting and retaining women
with management potential. Such efforts are particularly important in areas where gender
gaps have been identified.
Actions to support women’s leadership development and advancements can include:

• Ensuring that women have equitable access to leadership development programs
already being offered
• Offering programs specifically targeted at developing women leaders by helping
women to step into leadership roles and take advantage of professional opportunities
• Creating programs that raise awareness about the challenges women face so that
supervisors/ managers are equipped to proactively support training programs and
women leadership candidates
• Offering company-wide inclusion training to create a more positive environment for
diversity
Activities to support women leaders can be undertaken in-house or by external partners

and can draw on successful examples piloted by other companies.
Ensure High-Level Support and Management of Training Programs

For training and development to be successful, there should be clear, visible high-level
support for the program. The gender equity champion should report directly to the
company’s senior executive, preferably the CEO, signaling a clear commitment to the goals
set out by the organization and removing bureaucracy that may impede programing. The
board should also be kept informed and involved in the development and rollout of a
women’s leadership program—ideally to complement gender-diversification efforts at the
board level as well—to ensure buy-in from shareholders.
175 This tool was developed for the Unlocking Opportunities for Women and Business toolkit by The Humphrey Group, a
Canadian-based firm specializing in leadership communication training.

Build Key Support Structures for Training
TOOL 1.21
In addition to high-level support, leadership training and development initiatives require
support across the company. In addition to support from the board and CEO as described
above, and leadership from the gender equity champion, support structures should include:
• Executive leadership
• Human resources department
• Participants’ supervisors
Support Activities
Leadership development and training programs cannot succeed alone. Training women
leaders and supportive male champions will only lead to changes in the face of corporate
leadership when they are supported by:
• Consistent communication about initiatives within the company, using mechanisms
such as companywide quarterly emails, annual progress reports, and town halls,
among others.
• Continuous engagement/visibility in training programs, using techniques such as
program kickoffs, welcome letters, conferences, and summits.
• Changes in incentive structures; for instance, creating manager KPIs that include gender-
inclusive promotions and upgrades, support for staff development, and flexible work.
In addition to these general recommendations, companies should implement concrete

activities to support women’s participation in trainings, depending on the specific
challenges associated. For instance, where training takes place in a different location
than work or outside of work hours, women may face particular childcare challenges. To
facilitate women’s participation in leadership training, consider giving women time off work
to participate in trainings during work hours or provide stipends for additional childcare.
Specific Skill Focus for Women’s Leadership Development

Training content should be developed to support leadership development for women, as
well as training male champions to better support women leaders.
Leadership Training for Supervisors and Leaders of Women (Often, Male and
Female Champions)
In order to support women’s leadership development, women’s managers need to
understand the importance, challenges, and ways to support the development of women
leaders. While male champions are often the focus of programs to improve inclusive
workplace cultures, female managers may also need capacity building. When women

TOOL 1.21
overcome challenges to become managers, they may have a keener perspective for
challenges other women face, but they may also have unique blind spots that prevent
them from seeing challenges that they did not personally experience—or they may
consider that they made it, so others can as well.
To help both male and female managers become allies for women’s leadership, training
needs to highlight both implicit and explicit challenges women may face to becoming
leaders, as well as presenting the benefits of a more diverse and inclusive leadership
pipeline. Challenges may include workplace culture and stereotypes, broader cultural
constraints, and ‘gender-intensified constraints’—issues that theoretically affect both
women and men but typically weigh heavier on women (for instance, childcare).
Supervisors also need to understand the ways in which their own leadership and
communication styles impact others and whether under their supervision feel supported.
Among the areas to cover in such programs:

• How women’s managers may have certain unconscious biases regarding female leaders
• Examination of the cultural context, and how this informs workplace culture
• Awareness-raising for ‘gender-intensified constraints,’ which managers may not
recognize as overly burdensome on women
• Leadership communication training
Leadership Training for Women

To create a corporate culture in which women have a strong leadership identity, women’s
leadership initiatives should be multifaceted and mutually reinforcing. Program design
should be based on barriers and needs identified by women within the organization.
The activities proposed here focus on women already in the workforce. As part of
these efforts, also consider reaching out to local communities to raise awareness about
potential industry careers and to encourage younger women into STEM sectors.
Key features of leadership programs for women include:

• Vertical and horizontal integration: Leadership development programs should
span the entirety of an organization, from senior to junior levels and across different
business units. This approach contributes to retention, as well as recruitment when
new hires can have immediate access to programs. The senior-most female leaders in
business units should play an active and visible role in training programs—specifically
in the context of delivery. In doing so, junior women will be exposed to senior female
role models. This exposure will help them develop strong leadership identities within a
given corporate culture.

• Networking opportunities: Development programs should include opportunities
TOOL 1.21
for women to formally and informally network. Networking opportunities provide
women with the opportunity to connect with other women who may face similar
challenges and can help them identify solutions. This could take the form of a formal
organization-wide women’s network, an annual women’s leadership conference, or
local women’s chapters. Such networks should include an executive-level sponsor,
country-level chapters, and yearly action plans.
• Tiered training: Typically, women are present at mid- and senior levels of leadership,
in addition to a range of junior positions. As noted above, senior women should play
an active and visible role in training; however, they too must be offered opportunities
to develop their leadership competencies. Here, contracting for external training
support is recommended, since professionals who specialize in leadership
development can provide the greatest impact. This training should focus equally on
leadership competencies for subordinates, peers, and more senior executives.
• Mentorship and sponsorship: Mentorships and sponsorships have proven an
important element in the advancement of women in organizations. Your company’s
leadership development program should feature such opportunities as a component
of the overall training initiative. Because mentorship serves as an important
mechanism for retention, these opportunities should be made available to mid- to
senior-level women in particular, since this is where attrition rates are typically the
highest. Senior mentors should have accountability for progress of mentees, according
to an agreed set of criteria. While these programs can be developed between senior
and more junior women, also think about mentorship and sponsorship programs that
work across gender to ensure that young women and men have equitable support in
their career growth. Examples of successful programs include PepsiCo’s Power Pairs,
which teams up senior leaders with more junior women of color to increase racial and
gender diversity in the leadership development pipeline.
• Leadership opportunities: Development programs also should include opportunities
for high-potential women to showcase their skills and abilities to the executive
leadership. Visibility is a critical component of career advancement. Many women, and
mid-level female employees in particular, have little exposure to the upper echelons of
leadership. Opportunities such as presentations to senior leaders heighten promising
women’s visibility while providing valuable experiences that build confidence.
Leadership training programs should cover a range of topics and subject matter.
Communications and career management are among the key areas.
Effective Communication Skills

Strong communication skills are a fundamental leadership competency. To navigate
corporate culture, women must have the tools to advocate for themselves and their

TOOL 1.21
ideas in a manner that resonates with those in power. Cultural norms—and the resulting
socialization—often discourage women from doing so, either in the home or in the
workplace. Leadership communication training gives women the tools to influence at
all levels of an organization, from delivering presentations to chairing meetings. By
developing effective communication skills, women are perceived as leaders. This training
should include:
• An understanding of optimal ways to address diverse and often male-dominated
audiences in an influential manner
• Tools to speak and write in an effective and organized fashion—for instance, how to
avoid habits that position women as subordinates
• Vocal training that encourages women to speak more effectively when surrounded by men
• Tools to help eliminate minimizing behaviors that reinforce traditional dynamics of
power, such as confident body language, conversational eye contact, measured pace,
and confident expression
By encouraging the application of these skills on a daily basis, training can help reinforce
positive leadership perceptions, which are critical to women’s advancement through the
career ranks.
Career Management
Career management is an important area of leadership development, and women
should have access to formal training. Career management is often supported by the
human resources department, but supervisors also should play an active role in helping
women build their short- and long-term career plans, as well as developing strategies that
balance work goals and personal responsibilities. This training also might include ways to
communicate career goals to senior leaders. In addition to comprehensive career planning,
women should have opportunities for out-of-office experiences, such as job shadowing.
Because women consistently cite tension between work and personal responsivities as
a barrier to advancement, the issue of work-life balance should be included in career
management planning. Training in this area should include guidance on ways to navigate
responsibilities and communicate effectively about personal and professional needs.
Hard and Soft Skills

In rapidly changing technical industries, it is critical that women have access to technical
training to keep them at the cutting edge of the sector. Training programs should
consider cultural norms which may mean that women have a relatively low level of
baseline knowledge. They also should involve creating opportunities for women to pursue
additional technical education, in either internal or external settings—and supporting
them as they take advantage of such continuing education programs.

TOOL 1.21
If there is a gender disparity in the ways in which employees make use of such programs,
consider undertaking an assessment to understand the reasons for the disparity.
Following the assessment, you can design interventions to increase women’s participation,
such as childcare subsidies to support women’s participation in continuing education.
The training programs should be integrated into career planning and prioritized by
supervisors. Integrating this type of training into annual objectives for women, tied to
performance, is another way to ensure that hard skills development remains a priority.
Soft skills training also represents an important area of development, particularly in

the context of leadership competencies. It is critical to ensure that those responsible
for women’s development know how to support them and to ensure that women who
have been identified for advancement can advocate for themselves and their abilities.
Such training includes the leadership training for women and supervisors and leaders of
women described above.

MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: TOOLS 1.22–1.23

TOOLS 1.22 and 1.23 include guidance for sustained monitoring of gender equity
programs. This includes tools for monitoring and evaluation, and reporting on progress
against gender objectives, as well as specific guidance on monitoring and sustaining
training programs for gender-equitable career development
Setting targets and monitoring them is critical for not only tracking progress, but also
for being able to show a narrative of why it pays to invest in gender equity. Whether a
company chooses to start with limited gender interventions or with broader systemic
change, being able to show not only how interventions have created changes for women
in the company, but also led to broader changes—in productivity, reduced HR costs,
improved team dynamics, etc.—is key to demonstrating the importance and value of
gender equity initiatives.

TOOL 1.22
Monitoring and Accountability
» GOAL: Track and support gender diversity progress
Developing strategies for monitoring indicators, rewarding growth, and promoting

sustained progress will help ensure that you can effectively track your gender diversity
gains and continue to improve.
Monitoring
The first step in developing a monitoring strategy is to determine what is being
monitored. With many gender interventions, there is a tendency to simply monitor how
a given intervention is impacting women within the company. But gender initiatives
are not only about increasing the number of women, for instance—they also support
creating a gender-diverse and inclusive workforce that improves the company as a whole.
Monitoring of gender interventions should include specific gender targets, but should
also be linked to broader company goals to capture how changes in gender inclusion and
diversity are impacting the company.
Indicators for gender programs should be SMART (specific, measurable, agreed-upon/

accountable, realistic, and time-based). Everyone in the company should be aware
of the targets and understand their role in helping to meet them, as well as their
accountabilities and responsibilities.
Next, companies need to determine the monitoring approach and frequency. How will
progress towards targets be reviewed? How often? What measurement instruments will be
used? Many of these instruments can be used multiple times, from the initial assessment
to subsequent monitoring and evaluation. Here is a suggested monitoring schedule:
Quarterly Monitoring
Recurring data collection should include:
• Recruitment: Gender ratios of job applicants, shortlists, new hires
• Promotion: Gender ratios on promotions for positions with qualified male and female
applicants
• Gender ratios in requests for telework and status of telework requests
• Percentage of women at each staff level, and in each job description

TOOL 1.22
Yearly Monitoring
This annual exercise should include:
• Abridged gender audit: Include a selection of questions from the initial gender audit
based on corporate priorities, as well as a review of the physical environment
• Follow-up pay gap study: Use same metrics as in original and evaluate change
• Review recruitment materials and advertisements and review targets for women’s
representation on recruitment shortlists
• Review performance reviews: Track changes in KPIs on gender
• Track number, frequency, and attendance for gender-related training activities
• Track reports of sexual harassment, and use of ombuds services
• Review uptake of flexible work arrangements by gender
• Review uptake of mentorship and professional development programs by gender
• Conduct additional monitoring to comply with the Global Reporting Initiative
Biennial Monitoring
• Repeat full gender audit
After determining your monitoring approach and setting a schedule, the next step is to
decide on reporting responsibilities for each of the metrics. Assign appropriate units,
designate specific measuring instruments to use, stipulate presentation format for results,
and set a timeline for completion. Led by the gender champion, the gender equity task
force should take charge of gathering all results.
After pulling together all the information, the gender equity task force should review and
analyze data to identify ways to improve and sustain positive results. The task force might
be able to handle this task on its own, or the group may decide to bring on an expert
consultant to assist.
For all of the metrics examined above, review accountability: Are responsible team leaders
aware of and trained on the progress they are trying to achieve? What kinds of specific
accountability mechanisms are in in place? For example, are results discussed during
performance evaluations? Are results linked to bonuses?
In addition, the monitoring process should include a look at whether incentives are in
place for teams and their managers to support continued investment in progress and
foster a sense of shared benefit and accomplishment.

TOOL 1.23
Monitor and Sustain Training Programs for Gender-Equitable
Career Development 176
» GOAL: Monitor and support training programs

Many companies will address challenges and opportunities to increase gender diversity by
instituting training opportunities for staff. To ensure that these programs are successful,
companies need to monitor the training programs to ensure that they continue to fit staff
needs and contribute towards gender diversity goals. Regardless of the type of training
being offered (whether hard or soft skills), the training should be evaluated as to whether
and how it contributes to the organization’s gender diversity goals.
Monitor
To monitor the effectiveness of training programs, companies should focus monitoring
efforts in three ways:
• Corporate-wide monitoring: Qualitative and quantitative monitoring should take
place throughout the duration of training. Training deliverables should be integrated
into corporate KPIs. In some cases, this may mean redesigning KPIs or adding new
KPIs to existing structures. By integrating these training deliverables into formal
performance indicators, the monitoring process is made easier. Such monitoring
systems make it easier to measure progress on gender goals, such as the number of
females promoted to senior leadership within the year.
• Informal, case-by-case monitoring of participant development: Managers/
supervisors of training participants should provide qualitative feedback on
development, both formally and informally. At a minimum, managers should provide
feedback on retention and application of training deliverables as they conduct
performance reviews. This feedback will support the monitoring data captured by the
human resources department. In addition, it holds managers more accountable for
ensuring learning retention and application.
• Program monitoring: Continuous monitoring of the training programs themselves
is important. This ensures that the training offered continues to meet the needs of
participants— needs that can change over time. Comprehensive program feedback forms
and monitoring of delivery systems enable better control over content and help identify
the kinds of changes necessary to ensure continued relevance of learning modules.
176 The Humphrey Group developed this tool.

TOOL 1.23
Sustain
Maintaining, internalizing, and building on skills learned is an essential investment in
training. The easiest way to ensure skills sustainability is to create multiple and mutually
reinforcing touchpoints.
• Managers/supervisors: They must play a central role in reinforcing new learning.
This means understanding program content so they can support participants as
learned skills are applied. Inclusivity leadership training helps sustain the gains from
soft skills training.
• Reinforcement systems: Formal mentorship/sponsorship programs help
reinforce the learning and contribute to sustaining gains. They give participants the
opportunity to test out and review the skills learned. Such programs also provide
valuable exposure to senior decision makers who could advocate on behalf of their
mentees in the future.
• Continuing networking opportunities at local, regional, and global levels:
These opportunities allow ongoing interaction among participants long after the
training has ended. They are particularly important for both hard and soft skills
development because they enable the sharing of best practices, lessons learned,
and feedback. Summits for high-potential leaders provide similar opportunities to
continue conversations around learning while acknowledging the accomplishments
of successful women.
• Community engagement: Tension between personal and professional spheres
can sometimes create barriers to women’s advancement. Engaging the community
through education in the types of programs being offered can reduce this tension.
Emphasis here should be on hard skills training that falls outside traditional roles for
women, leadership skills, and communication training. Engaging with the community
on these themes can help ensure the appropriate framing, given the local context.
• External feedback: Engaging with the community helps create a feedback loop. In
this way, community engagement is clearly linked to the bottom line, demonstrating
the business case for investment. Companies can offer soft skills workshops on
topics such as inclusivity, leadership, and communication training to local schools as
a part of their community investment initiatives. In doing so, they empower potential
employees with the skills needed to be successful if they are hired in the future.

Selected Resources for Further Reading

Women on Boards
• Australian Institute of Company Directors, Checklist for Assessing Board Composition,
Sydney: AICD, 2016.
• International Corporate Governance Network, ICGN Guidance on Gender Diversity on
Boards, London: ICGN, 2013.
• Paradigm for Parity, Paradigm for Parity Coalition.
• PwC and WIM (UK), Mining for Talent: A Review of Women on Boards in the Mining Industry,
2012–2014, London: PWC, 2015.
• PwC and WIM (UK), Mining for Talent: A Study of Women on Boards in the Mining Industry by
WIM (UK) and PwC, London: PWC, 2013.
Women in Senior Leadership

• Center for Women in Politics and Public Leadership, The Pathway Forward: Creating
Gender Inclusive Leadership in Mining and Resources, Ottawa: Carlton University, 2012.
Women in the Workforce

• American Chamber of Commerce in France and BIAC, “Putting all our Minds to Work:
Harnessing the Gender Dividend,” Paris: BIAC, 2012.
• Barclay, Mary Anne; Pattenden, Cath; Brereton, David; Beach, Ruth; Drinkwater, Diana;
Kemp Deanna; Parmenter, Joni; and Phillpot, Sokar, “Female mining engineering
and minerals processing students: career drivers, expectations and perceptions,”
in Unearthing new resources: attracting and retaining women in the Australian minerals
industry, Forrest ACT: Minerals Council of Australia, 2007.
• Bohnet, Iris, What Works: Gender Equality by Design, Cambridge: Harvard University
Press, 2016.
• Giannelos et al., “Business Case to Increase Female Employment in Transport,”
European Commission, 2018.
• Hewlett, Sylvia Ann; Marshall, Melinda; and Sherbin, Laura, “How Women Drive
Innovation and Growth,” Harvard Business Review, August 2013.
• IFC, SheWorks Knowledge Report: Putting Gender Smart Commitments into Practice at the
Workplace, Washington, DC: IFC, 2017.
• IFC, Investing in Women’s Employment: Good for Business, Good Development, Washington,
DC: IFC, 2013.

• IFC and Lonmin, Women in Mining: A Guide to Integrating Women into the Workforce,
RESOURCES
Washington, DC: IFC, 2009.
• International Labour Organization, Manual for Gender Audit Facilitators, Geneva: ILO,
2012.
• International Training Centre of the ILO, Break Gender Stereotypes: Give Talent a Chance,
Brussels: European Commission, 2008.
• Lean In, Welcome to the 50 Ways to Fight Bias Digital Program, cited June 2022.
• Minerals Council of Australia et al, Unearthing New Resources: Attracting and Retaining
Women in the Australian Minerals Industry, Canberra: Minerals Council of Australia.
• Schomer, Inka, and Hammond, Alicia, Stepping Up Women’s STEM Careers in Infrastructure:
An Overview of Promising Approaches, ESMAP Paper. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2020.
12.
• Women in Mining Canada, Welcoming Women: An Action Plan for Canada’s Mining
Employers, November 2016.
• Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Australian Government, Gender Strategy Toolkit,
Sydney: Australian Government.
• Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Australian Government, How to Set Gender Diversity
Targets, Sydney: Commonwealth Government of Australia, 2013.
Family-Friendly Workplace Policies

• Australian Human Rights Commission, “Tool 4: Parental Leave Checklist for Employers,”
Sydney: Australian Human Rights Commission, 2015.
• Australian Human Rights Commission, Women in Male-Dominated Industries: A Toolkit of
Strategies, Canberra: Australian Government, 2013.
• Clair, Judy et al, “The Right and Wrong Ways to Help Pregnant Workers,” Harvard
• IFC, A Guide for Employer-Supported Childcare, Washington, DC: IFC, 2019.
Bibliography
• 100 Resilient Cities, “The Power of Women’s Leadership in Building Urban Resilience,
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• Adema, Willem et al, “Enhancing Women’s Economic Empowerment through
Entrepreneurship and Business Leadership in OECD Countries,” Paris: OECD, 2014.
• Adler, Roy, “Women in the Executive Suite Correlate to High Profits,” Harvard Business
Review, January 2001.

• Al Fadli et al, “Board Gender Diversity and CSR Reporting: Evidence from Jordan,”
RESOURCES
Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 13(3), 2019, 29-52.
• Allen, Heather, “Approaches for Gender-Responsive Urban Mobility,” GIZ. 2018.
• Allen, Tammy et al., “The Mentor’s Perspective: A Qualitative Inquiry and Future
Research Agenda,” Journal of Vocational Behavior 51 (August 1997): 70–89.
• American Chamber of Commerce in France and BIAC, “Putting all our Minds to Work:
Harnessing the Gender Dividend,” Paris: BIAC, 2012.
• Anderson, Bruce M., “To Hire More Women – Make This One Simple Change,” LinkedIn
2019.
• Andrew, Alison; Cattan, Sarah; Dias, Monica Costa et al., “How are mothers and fathers
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• Australian Human Rights Commission, Women in Male-Dominated Industries: A Toolkit of
Strategies, Canberra: Australian Government, 2013.
• Australian Human Rights Commission, “Tool 4: Parental Leave Checklist for Employers,”
Sydney: Australian Human Rights Commission, 2015.
• Australian Government Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Gender Strategy Toolkit,
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• Baskin, Elizabeth, “Five Ways Companies Can Help Mothers Struggling with Remote
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• Beheshti, Naz, “Improve Workplace Culture with a Strong Mentoring Program,” Forbes,
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• Berdahl, Jennifer L. and Moon, Sue H., “Workplace Mistreatment of Middle Class
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• Brescoll, Victoria L.; Dawson, Erica; and Uhlmann, Eric Luis, “Hard Won and Easily
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• Buallay, Amina; Hamdan, Reem; Barone, Elisabetta, Hamdan, Allam, “Increasing female
participation on boards: Effects on sustainability reporting,” Int J Fin Econ. 2020; 1– 14.
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TOOL SUITE 2 | WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN
OVERVIEW: Supply Chains, Local Procurement, and

Women-Owned Businesses in the Infrastructure and
Natural Resources (INR) Sector
Infrastructure companies and urban service providers typically work closely with a range
of subcontractors, from small local firms to larger national or international partners.
These subcontractors represent many jobs tied to the infrastructure and urban sectors
and are important partners in ensuring that these sectors create economic benefit for
both men and women. Many already prioritize local hiring in their procurement plans
and policies because they recognize the significant benefits that can come from working
with local suppliers1—not only does doing so support local economic development and
demonstrate commitment to local growth and partnership, it also fosters local innovation,
entrepreneurship, and competition. While
companies that want to hire locally can be
Companies that go further
limited by the existing local capacity, those that
go further to cultivate a more diverse supply to cultivate a more diverse
chain that includes women-owned businesses supply chain that includes
can reap the benefits of strengthened supply
chains, reduced procurement costs, and
women-owned businesses
lower overall costs. For some companies, can reap the benefits of
developing a diverse supply chain requires strengthened supply chains,
additional investment or modification to
procurement procedures, but evidence shows reduced procurement costs,
this investment pays off in terms of local and lower overall costs.
relationships as well as business benefits.
Reasons for the Lack of Diversity in Infrastructure and Urban Supply Chains
Representation of women-owned businesses in the corporate infrastructure supply
chain remains limited, mirroring similar gaps in public procurement. Several factors
contribute to these gaps. Starting with the demand side of the equation, companies may
have trouble identifying women-owned businesses that are locally owned and meet their
procurement needs. Companies may not see a business case for making the extra effort
to reach out to women-owned businesses. And companies might not know how to go
about incorporating women into supply chains in a meaningful and cost-effective way.
On the supply side, one reason for the lack of engagement with women-owned
businesses could be that local women-owned businesses are typically small and often
1 Jackie VanderBrug, “The Global Rise of Female Entrepreneurs,” Harvard Business Review, September 4, 2013.
concentrated in just a few industry sectors. In many contexts, particularly where women
OVERVIEW
have more limited access to finance, women-owned businesses struggle to find the capital
to scale up sufficiently to meet procurement requirements for major companies. For
example, smaller companies might struggle to provide all the services requested when the
larger firm that is issuing bids bundles contracts together. Smaller companies also might
not want to accept a job when the contract terms involve delays between completion of
work and time of payment. And local women-owned businesses often lack access to the
same business and community networks that male-owned businesses do, meaning that
they might not know about upcoming tender opportunities and might also have a harder
time competing against more networked competitors.
Just as TOOL SUITE 1 addressed how companies can improve representation of women
in their own workforce, this tool suite outlines the benefits that can come with a gender-
diverse supply chain and the reasons that a proactive gender-diverse supply chain policy
can yield positive results. It offers strategies for companies that want to build stronger
connections with women-owned businesses and increase the number of women-owned
contractors in their supply chain. It also highlights ways that companies can support
the development of local women-led businesses so they are procurement-ready for
integration into the supply chain. (For additional information on developing local women-
owned businesses through community engagement strategies, please see TOOL SUITE 3:
Tools to Address Gender Equality in Community Engagement, TOOL 3.13: Create Local
Economic Development and Empowerment Opportunities for Women and TOOL 3.14:
Guidance Note for Building a Women’s Entrepreneurship Community.)
The Business Advantages of

Supplier Diversification Studies have shown that companies that
Supplier diversification—promoting prioritize supplier diversity…
the use of women-, local-, and
minority-owned suppliers in the
supply chain—is becoming an
have a 133% greater return
increasingly important trend on procurement investments
in procurement because of the
potential for positive bottom-line
impacts and local community spend 20% less on buying operations
development. Studies have
shown that companies that
prioritize supplier diversity have and have considerably smaller
a 133 percent greater return procurement teams than those
on procurement investments, with lower supplier diversity.
spend 20 percent less on buying
operations, and have considerably smaller procurement teams than those with lower
OVERVIEW
supplier diversity.2 According to the United Nations, supply chain diversity can:
• Increase competition between vendors and thus drive down costs
• Facilitate innovation and collaboration with smaller suppliers on more customized
products
• Improve corporate reputation and relationships with the community3
A recent IFC study notes that women-led

businesses in the supply chain “result in
A recent IFC study notes that
stronger and larger supplier networks women-led businesses in the
that contribute to higher input quality supply chain “result in stronger
and more competitive prices over time.”4
And for consumer-facing companies, and larger supplier networks
suppliers that reflect the diversity of that contribute to higher input
the customer base can help to more
quality and more competitive
quickly anticipate, innovate, and adapt to
changing user needs.5 prices over time.”
One reason for such convincing data is that globally, women-owned businesses are
growing faster than male-led businesses. The number of women-owned firms in the
United States grew twice as fast as all privately owned U.S. firms between 1997 and
2006. Growth in women-owned businesses increases options for companies looking for
suppliers, which can help keep bottom line costs down. Thus, companies that proactively
encourage and support women-led businesses to compete for contracts have the
opportunity to profit from this entrepreneurship and innovation boom.6
Benefits for Broader Economic Development Research shows that for

In addition to reduced procurement costs, supporting every additional 1 percent
locally owned (or as close as possible to the host
of women’s share in
community) women-led businesses produces broader
benefits: community stability, growth, and economic household wages, family
development, all of which can yield positive dividends savings can grow by
for company-community relationships.
approximately 25 percent.
2 IFC, “Women Entrepreneurs are Essential for Private Sector Development in Emerging Markets,” Washington DC: IFC, 2015, 1.
3 UN Women, The Power of Procurement: How to Source from Women-Owned Businesses, New York: UN Women, 2017, 29.
4 IFC, “Putting Gender Smart Commitments into Practice: SheWorks One Year Progress Report,” Washington, DC: IFC, 2015, 4.
5 Supply Chain Dive, “Walmart’s Sourcing from Women-Owned Suppliers Drives Business,” March 8, 2018.
6 Deloitte and BIAC, Putting All Our Ideas to Work: Women and Entrepreneurship, Paris: BIAC, 2015, 11; EY, “Scaling Up:
Why Women-Owned Businesses Can Recharge the Global Economy,” New York: EY, 2009; IFC, “Putting Gender Smart
Commitments into Practice,” 4.
Women are key community actors. Evidence
OVERVIEW
shows that when women control the Closing the financing gap between
community’s money, funds are more likely to male-led and female-led businesses
be reinvested in families and to the benefit
in emerging economies would lead to
of the community. Some research shows that
for every additional 1 percent of women’s 12 PERCENT GROWTH
share in household wages, family savings can IN PER CAPITA INCOME IN
grow by approximately 25 percent. Women- THESE COUNTRIES BY 2030.
led businesses and businesses that benefit
women through employment represent
an important community development driver.7 One report from Deloitte and BIAC cites
Goldman Sachs estimates that closing the financing gap between male-led and female-led
businesses in emerging economies would lead to 12 percent growth in per capita income
in these countries by 2030.8
Challenges in Identifying and Supporting Women-Owned Businesses

Many companies have robust local procurement plans in place, some of which go to great
lengths to work with local women-owned businesses. Still, many companies face challenges
finding and engaging with these businesses. Some of these issues are detailed below.
Women-Owned Businesses and Employers of Choice for Women

It would be inaccurate to suggest that women cannot benefit from businesses owned by
men, or that women-owned businesses necessarily benefit communities more than male-
owned companies that employ substantial numbers of women. Still, the focus of this tool
suite is on maximizing the business benefits of working with women-owned suppliers
and helping companies identify and develop such suppliers. Of note for corporate users
of this tool suite, these efforts should be directed at increasing engagement with local
women-owned businesses, not merely women-owned businesses that may have little or
no connection to host communities.
This tool suite complements TOOL SUITE 1, which makes a clear case that companies
with significant numbers of female employees may be more profitable and efficient, even
if women are not the owners. Combined, the two tool suites provide the full range of
guidance to ensure a gender-diverse supply chain, including the use of women-owned
contractors and suppliers with significant numbers of female employees.
7 IFC, “Putting Gender Smart Commitments into Practice;” EY, “Scaling Up: Why Women-Owned Businesses Can Recharge the
Global Economy”; Carmen Niethammer, “Women, Entrepreneurship and the Opportunity to Promote Development and
Business,” Washington, DC: Brookings, 2013, 31.
8 Deloitte and BIAC, Putting All Our Ideas to Work: Women and Entrepreneurship, 11.
Identifying Women-Owned Businesses
OVERVIEW
Women-owned businesses can be defined with a number of different criteria; see
TOOL 2.3 for more details. Leaving aside definitional issues, many companies report
difficulties in identifying compliance-ready local women-owned businesses. Research
suggests that women-owned firms tend to be smaller and not as capital intensive. They
also typically employ fewer people, all of which can make them harder to identify. The
size differential is due to a variety of reasons, including different attitudes towards
debt and risk, fewer business networks, and limited access to finance. Initiatives like
SheTrades (see Box 2A) aim to increase the visibility of women-owned businesses.
BOX 2A | SheTrades: Bringing Together Supply and Demand

SheTrades is an initiative of the International Trade Center that brings together
female entrepreneurs and suppliers, with the aim of connecting 1 million women
entrepreneurs with markets by 2020. It was created in response to concerns that
corporations were having a hard time identifying suitable suppliers—and that this
was getting in the way of increasing gender diversity in their supply chains.
Through the use of the SheTrades app, female entrepreneurs can connect with
others, expand their networks, and internationalize their businesses, giving them
increased visibility.
The app itself is the result of a global tech challenge sponsored by SheTrades in
partnership with Google and Brazilian tech firm CI&T. Greenbell Communications,
a woman-owned Kenyan technology firm, won the competition and created the
SheTrades platform.
For more information: shetrades.com
Limited Numbers of Women-Owned Firms

In some markets, one reason for the difficulty in finding women-own businesses is that
there might not be many such businesses, particularly in certain sectors. While women-
owned businesses face many of the same challenges as any other business, they also
often encounter added difficulties, particularly in certain countries where women still face
regulatory and legal barriers. In Kuwait, for instance, women are not permitted to work
past 8 p.m. Women in Swaziland need the permission of a male relative for a range of
tasks, including opening a bank account, getting a passport, or enforcing a contract. And
women in Tanzania are sometimes prohibited from using land as collateral.9
9 EY, “Scaling Up: Why Women-Owned Businesses Can Recharge the Global Economy,” 10. Also see World Bank Group,
“Women, Business and the Law: Getting to Equal,” Washington, DC: World Bank 2015.
OVERVIEW
GLOBAL BANK ACCOUNTS According to IFC research,
WOMEN ARE 25%
LESS LIKELY THAN MEN
58% TO HAVE ACCESS TO
65% THE INTERNET OR OWN
A MOBILE PHONE,
both of which can create
barriers to entrepreneurship in a
WOMEN MEN technology-dependent world.
Even where these restrictions do not apply, women often have a harder time accessing
finance, which can limit entrepreneurship and business growth. Globally, 58 percent of
women have bank accounts, compared to 65 percent of men.10 They typically have lower
levels of financial literacy. Women can be more debt-averse than men, which inhibits
business startups.11
Women also face more subtle barriers. For instance, situations requiring social contacts
and informal channels to access finance put women at a disadvantage, because in many
contexts they may lack such networks.
In addition, women who live in certain places may be less mobile than men and may not
have the same access to technology. According to IFC research, women are 25 percent
less likely than men to have access to the Internet or own a mobile phone, both of which
can create barriers to entrepreneurship in a technology-dependent world.12
Another limitation for female business owners is that while they may offer quality
products, they may not have as much business experience or the expertise to pursue
business opportunities in optimal ways. This inexperience can compound their
challenges in securing investors13.
10 World Bank, “The Global Findex Database 2014,” Washington, DC: World Bank, 2015, 15.
11 Niethammer, “Women, Entrepreneurship and the Opportunity to Promote Development and Business”, 31.
12 IFC, “Women Entrepreneurs are Essential for Private Sector Development in Emerging Markets,” Washington, DC: IFC, 2017, 1.
13 IFC, “Women-Owned SMEs: A Business Opportunity for Financial Institutions,” Washington, DC: IFC, 2014, 1 and 6. Also,
Deloitte and BIAC, Putting All Our Ideas to Work: Women and Entrepreneurship, 3.
OVERVIEW
INITIATIVES TO IDENTIFY AND FOSTER WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES
IFC supports a number of initiatives to support the growth and capacity-building of local women-owned
businesses,14 including:
BANKING ON WOMEN PROGRAM: Through this program, IFC works to increase access to
finance for women entrepreneurs. IFC uses its capital investment to help financial institutions
support women entrepreneurs, works with non-traditional financial access mechanisms, supports
women’s engagement in value chains, and provides training and advisory services to support
women-owned businesses. Banking on Women has $2.5 billion committed to women-owned small
and medium enterprises (SMEs) through financial intermediaries.15
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS OPPORTUNITY FACILITY: IFC partners with Goldman Sachs on

this program, which improves female entrepreneurs’ access to capital, provides entrepreneurship
training, and offers a global forum to promote best practices for women-owned SMEs. The facility
also supports investment climate programs that promote partnerships between government and
the private sector to make it easier to start and grow small businesses.16
WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING: IFC research has found that many women’s
entrepreneurship training programs have limited results because they lack programs that build
confidence, leadership, and presentation skills in addition to business skills development. The
study also found that too few of these programs include mentorship, sponsorship, and coaching or
post-training support, and that many failed to make a connection between training programs and
access to financial products. To address these gaps, IFC has developed a customizable women’s
entrepreneurship training program, which was successfully piloted in Turkey and Palestine.17
SME FINANCE FORUM: IFC manages the Group of 20’s SME Finance Forum, an initiative of
its Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion. The forum is a platform for knowledge sharing to
help increase access to finance for SMEs.
INSURANCE: IFC is spearheading an initiative to partner with private insurers and development
donors to increase women’s access to insurance as a way to enhance their financial stability and
entrepreneurship.
In addition to IFC, other organizations such as the International Trade Center with its SheTrades initiative (see
Box 2A) and WEConnect (see Box 2B) are working to make it easier for companies to identify businesses that
are verified as women-owned and that meet certain capacity and scalability standards. By creating platforms
and developing certifications, they are helping women-owned businesses and companies connect.18
14 For more information, see the IFC Gender Business Group website.
15 IFC, “Banking on Women: Changing the Face of the Global Economy.”
16 For more details, see IFC’s Entrepreneurship and Gender website.
17 IFC, “Women Entrepreneurs are Essential for Private Sector Development in Emerging Markets,” 3.
18 Kara Valikai, “Why Bringing Women Owned Business into the Supply Chain Makes Business Sense,” Devex, 2013.
OVERVIEW
BOX 2B | WEConnect: A Global Network for Women-Owned Businesses
WEConnect International is a global network that connects women-owned
businesses with supplier opportunities. Through the network, businesses that are
majority-owned (minimum 51 percent) or managed and controlled by women
are identified, trained, registered, and certified. The platform targets women-led
businesses outside the U.S. and connects these businesses with corporate buyers,
including major multinational corporations. Corporations can register on the
WEConnect website to become corporate members, and women-owned businesses
can sign up to become certified suppliers.
For more information: weconnectinternational.org
Engaging with Women-Owned Suppliers

Given the benefits and challenges of working with women-owned companies outlined
above, what additional steps can companies take to identify and help develop women-led
suppliers?
This tool suite offers a set of effective actions, starting with a self-assessment on supply
chain diversity. Additional actions include:
• Developing a gender-inclusive procurement policy to improve the identification of and
contracting with women-owned businesses
• Hosting workshops or collaborating with partners like IFC to train local communities on
starting businesses and applying for contracts, which will help cultivate more women-
owned businesses
• Creating mentorship and development programs to help women-owned firms scale up
to meet corporate needs
“Women usually reinvest a much higher part of their earnings in

their families and communities than men, spreading wealth and
creating a positive impact on future development.”
—OTAVIANO CANUTO, Vice President of the World Bank’s
Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network
TOOL SUITE 2: Tools to Integrate Women-Owned and

Gender-Diverse Businesses into the Supply Chain
Tool Suite 2 features ten tools to help companies identify and develop local women-
owned suppliers and local suppliers with significant numbers of female employees.
Tool 2.1 introduces how all the tools in this Tool Suite work together, and the remaining
tools provide detailed guidance for assessing the current state of diversity within the
supply chain and ways to address the gaps with an approach that also supports the
development of local women-owned businesses.

↓ TOOL 2.1: Road Map for Using All Readers Introduces how all the tools in
Tools in Tool Suite 2 this Tool Suite work together
↓ ASSESS AND PREPARE: Assess gender gaps in the company supply chain and assess
the company’s capacity to put in place staff, structures, and plans to address these
gender issues. Tool 2.2 includes a sample self-assessment to help determine the
current degree of engagement with women-owned businesses.
↓ TOOL 2.2: Self-Assessment of Procurement Assess current degree of

Supply Chain Gender Diversity engagement with women-
and Inclusion owned businesses
↓ ADDRESS: Take specific practical actions to increase gender diversity, inclusion, and
gender- equitable opportunities in the supply chain. Tools 2.3–2.9 help design an
approach for increasing procurement from women-owned businesses.
↓ TOOL 2.3: Considerations in Procurement Establish clear criteria for

Defining Criteria for ‘Women- suppliers to qualify as women-
Owned Businesses’ owned businesses
↓ TOOL 2.4: Developing the Human Identify and present

Business Case for Increasing Resources, business case arguments for
Engagement with Women- Senior engagement with women-
Owned Businesses Management owned businesses
↓ TOOL 2.5: Developing a Code Procurement, Establish a protocol and clear

of Conduct for Increasing Community set of guidelines for increasing
Engagement with Women- Affairs engagement with women-
Owned Businesses owned businesses
TOOL SUITE 2
↓ TOOL 2.6: Developing a Procurement, Create a comprehensive
Comprehensive Gender Diversity Community program that supports
Supply Chain Program Affairs increased supply chain
diversity
↓ TOOL 2.7: Support Development Procurement, Cultivate women-owned

of Local Women-Owned Community businesses that can support
Businesses Affairs supply chain needs
↓ TOOL 2.8: Guidance Note on Municipal Establish municipal strategy for

Women-Owned Businesses and Corporations increasing engagement with
Public Procurement in Cities women-owned businesses in
procurement
↓ TOOL 2.9: Sample Needs Procurement, Assess the coaching and

Assessment Questionnaire to Community soft skills needs of female
Develop a Coaching Program for Affairs entrepreneurs
Women-Owned Businesses
↓ MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: Monitor progress and institutionalize mechanisms to

ensure continued improvement in engagement with women-owned businesses. Tool
2.10 proposes indicators that will help to track, monitor, and sustain progress on the
company’s supply chain diversity goals.
↓ TOOL 2.10: Indicators to Monitor Human Track, monitor, and sustain

Progress on Supply Chain Resources, progress on increased gender
Gender Diversity Goals Procurement, diversity in the supply chain
Senior
Management
TOOL 2.1
The tools in Tool Suite 2 all support companies to increase the participation of women-
owned businesses in their procurement. Companies do not need to use all these tools
in order to improve gender inclusion in their supply chain. This roadmap provides an
overview of the tools and provides suggestions on how to combine them into effective
approaches. In most cases, companies should start with what is feasible from a time and
money perspective—doing something is better than doing nothing.
1. ASSESS & PREPARE: The first stage of the gender journey in any company is to
understand the status of gender inclusion in the supply chain.
• If you need to get a rapid overview of the extent to which opportunities for women-
owned businesses are incorporated into procurement processes and policies, as
well as the gender diversity of your supply chain at present, use the Self-Assessment
of Supply Chain Gender Diversity and Inclusion (TOOL 2.2).
2. ADDRESS: Once you have collected baseline data to better understand how gender
diverse your supply chain and procurement policies are, the next set of tools can be
applied to inform, and proactively increase, opportunities for women-owned businesses.
• Lay the groundwork: To enable the company to act with clear goals and the
support of management, it is important to lay the groundwork. TOOL 2.3 walks
you through the various ways that companies can choose to define ‘women-
owned businesses’ in order to establish eligibility and parameters for inclusion
in supply chain diversification efforts. To develop a coherent case for company
management that will help senior leaders see all the business reasons for
endorsing gender diversification in the supply chain, TOOL 2.4 provides a step-by-
step guide.
• Establish company procedures and policies: Once management support is in
place and eligibility has been defined, TOOL 2.5 outlines how to develop a code of
conduct for increasing gender diversity in the supply chain. TOOL 2.6 sets out the
procedures and approaches that companies can take to develop a comprehensive
gender diversity supply chain program.
• Support capacity building of women-owned businesses: Tools in this section
TOOL 2.1
focus on what companies can do to support the development and thriving of
local women-owned businesses—both current and potential suppliers. TOOL 2.7
outlines what a program of support for women-owned businesses might involve.
TOOL 2.9 provides a needs assessment questionnaire for developing a coaching
program for female business owners, in recognition of research which highlights
the importance of confidence and building soft skills to the success of women-
owned businesses.
• Cities-specific guidance: In the context of municipal procurement, TOOL 2.8
outlines guidance on how municipal corporations can realize particular benefits
from increasing engagement with female suppliers.
3. MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: Finally, TOOL 2.10 suggests guidance on how companies
can monitor and track progress in growing their engagement with women-owned
businesses in the supply chain.
ASSESS & 2.2 Self-Assessment of Supply Chain Gender

PREPARE Assess situation
Diversity and Inclusion
2.3 Considerations in Defining Criteria for

‘Women-Owned Businesses’
Lay the
groundwork 2.4 Developing the Business Case for
Increasing Engagement with Women-
Owned Businesses
2.5 Developing a Code of Conduct for

Establish policies Increasing Engagement with Women-
and procedures Owned Businesses
2.6 Developing a Comprehensive Gender
Diversity Supply Chain Program
ADDRESS
2.7 Support Development of Local
Support capacity
building 2.9 Sample Needs Assessment
Questionnaire to Develop a Coaching
Program for Women-Owned Businesses
2.8 Guidance Note on Women-Owned

Cities-specific
Businesses and Public Procurement
guidance
in Cities
MONITOR 2.10 Indicators to Monitor Progress on

& SUSTAIN Supply Chain Gender Diversity Goals
ASSESS AND PREPARE: TOOL 2.2

Conducting a self-assessment of your company’s current level of engagement with
women-owned businesses will help uncover gaps and identify areas of focus for future
actions and initiatives.
The tool in this section provides a model self-assessment in the form of a scorecard that
can be used for an initial internal stocktaking and to uncover bottlenecks in identifying
and attracting women-owned suppliers19. Results also can trigger a review of supplier
criteria to ensure that they are not unfairly or unnecessarily excluding women-owned
businesses. Use of the scorecard assumes the following:
• The company currently has some sort of procurement plan.
• The company collects data on supplier diversity.
• The company has a gender equity champion who can support the integration of
gender into procurement activities (for more details on a gender equity champion
and a sample Terms of Reference describing their role, please see TOOL 1.10 in
TOOL SUITE 1).
If your company does not have a local procurement plan, IFC’s ‘A Guide to Getting
Started in Local Procurement’ offers important fundamentals.20 The tools provided here
complement the IFC guide with an approach for integrating the gender dimension into
local procurement plans.
19 The guidance used to develop this tool includes: WEConnect International, “Global Supplier Diversity and Inclusion: Reaching
the Gold Standard,” 2015; UN Women, The Power of Procurement: How to Source from Women-Owned Businesses; and tools from
the Royal Bank of Scotland.
20 IFC, Guide to Getting Started in Local Procurement, 2011.
TOOL 2.2
Self Assessment of Supply Chain Gender Diversity and Inclusion
» GOAL: Assess the current degree of engagement with women-owned businesses
» TARGET UNIT: Procurement
This scorecard tool helps companies assess the extent to which they currently engage
with women-owned businesses in their supply chain. It also looks at the state of existing
support for increased engagement with women-owned businesses, including what senior
management is doing and what types of corporate systems are in place. It draws on
guidance from IFC and other organizations.
The scorecard lets you rank your company’s current engagement with women-owned
companies, its existing procurement policies, and the extent to which you currently
support the development of local women-owned suppliers.
Using the Scorecard

The scorecard looks at several aspects of the current procurement environment.
• Current engagement with women-owned businesses as contractors and
suppliers: How many women-owned businesses are currently engaged as Tier 1 and
Tier 2 suppliers? Are suppliers and subcontractors required to engage with women-
owned businesses as subcontractors? Are they held accountable for this?
• Awareness and outreach to women-owned businesses: To what extent is the
company aware of local women-owned businesses? How could they fit into the supply
chain? To what extent is the company working to develop these opportunities?
• Current procurement practices and criteria: Does the company facilitate and
incentivize working with women-owned businesses? How are these priorities
expressed, within the company—for instance, are they included in the procurement
plan? Or are there other ways in which these priorities are laid out?
• Corporate climate for prioritizing engagement with women-owned businesses:
How is management demonstrating leadership on the topic? What building blocks
have been put in place to proactively support the strategy?
• Monitoring and evaluation: Does the company monitor and track engagement with
women-owned businesses? If so, to what extent?
Scoring
TOOL 2.2
Score each of the criteria on a scale of 1–8.
• 1–2 points: From zero activity to little activity
• 3–4 points: From ‘some work, but primarily in response to crisis’ to ‘some work, but
not regularly’
• 5–6 points: From ‘regularly working on these issues, although not comprehensively’ to
‘working on these issues regularly and comprehensively’
• 7–8 points: From ‘excellent implementation’ to ‘outstanding implementation’,
including continuous feedback and improvement
Repeat this assessment every year to track progress. Use the results to reflect on progress
and identify ways to improve engagement, either by updating procurement criteria or
through outreach to local women-owned businesses.
See TOOLS 2.3–2.9 for specific guidance on how to address bottlenecks identified in the
scorecard.
TABLE 2A | Gender Equity in Procurement Scorecard: Assessing the Supply Chain,

Policies, and Activities
Current Engagement with Women-Owned Businesses as Contractors

and Suppliers
SCORE 1–8 SCALE (1 is low; 8 is high)
Assess the current ratio of Tier 121 women-owned suppliers/contractors compared to

all Tier 1 suppliers/ contractors
Assess the ratio of company spend with women-owned businesses compared to
total company supply/ contracting spend
TIPS: For additional assessment and deeper understanding:

• Break down spending on women-owned businesses by department
• Identify departments with the highest and lowest ratio of spending with women-owned businesses.
• Identify reasons for departmental disparities
21 A Tier 1 supplier, for the purposes of this tool suite, is a supplier from whom the company contracts directly for goods or
services—i.e., not via a third party. A Tier 2 supplier subcontracts to the company one degree removed (via Tier 1 suppliers)
and in the same manner. A Tier 3 supplier is a subcontractor two degrees removed.
Awareness and Outreach to Women-Owned Businesses
TOOL 2.2
Does the company maintain (or have access to, through a chamber of commerce
or other entity) a current database of local, regional, and national women-owned
businesses that meet supplier criteria?
Is the database updated regularly? Would it be updated if supplier criteria is
updated?
Does the database identify key services or sectors where women-owned businesses
are clustered?
In a standard RFX22, does the company currently include any language encouraging
women-owned businesses to apply?
In vendor outreach activities, does the company take steps to include women-
owned businesses or to target sectors where there is a cluster of women-owned
businesses?
Has the company conducted any assessment/inventory/analysis to identify viable
local women-owned businesses as suppliers or subcontractors?
Does the company make specific outreach efforts to women-owned businesses, for
instance through community workshops, seminars, or trade fairs?
Does the website specifically encourage women-owned businesses to respond to
RFX?
Are local partnerships in place to support procurement from women-owned
contractors/suppliers?
Does the company support events to inform local women-owned businesses about
procurement opportunities?
Does the company hold or support capacity-building activities to develop local
women-owned suppliers?
Does the company have in place mentoring or training activities to help develop
local women-owned businesses?
Does the training include business fundamentals as well as technical skills?
Does the company support initiatives to build access to finance for local female
entrepreneurs, for instance through partnerships with local finance institutions?
22 RFX is a standard acronym used in procurement to cover all iterations of ‘Request for Proposal’.
Current Procurement Practices and Criteria
TOOL 2.2
Is there a local procurement policy or commitment that specifically mentions

increasing the number of women-owned businesses in the supply chain?
Does the company have a clear policy that defines what is meant by women-owned
business—i.e., female ownership or number/ratio of women employees?
If a policy exists for Tier 1 suppliers on engagement with women-owned
subcontractors, does it extend to subcontractors/Tier 2 or 3 suppliers?
Does the company have in place a procurement audit process that specifically
assesses the degree of engagement with women-owned businesses?
Are procurement criteria defined in such a way that may disadvantage smaller
business or other types of businesses where women are more heavily represented?
(For instance, are vendors required to have been in business for a certain number
of years, have a certain amount of income, have a formal bank account, or require
Internet access?)
TIP: Consider whether these criteria are absolutely necessary, or if they could be modified so they
do not preclude newer, smaller vendors.
Is engagement with women-owned businesses highlighted during orientation and

training for procurement staff?
Do procurement staff receive ongoing training and capacity building on ways to
engage with and support women-owned businesses?
Are there incentives in place to encourage engagement with women-owned
businesses as subcontractors and/or suppliers?
Have local procurement plans, targets, and opportunities been reviewed to identify
areas where specific women-owned businesses could be encouraged to engage?
Have local procurement plans and targets been reviewed to identify areas where
capacity-building initiatives would enable local women-owned contractors to meet
supplier/procurement demand?
Corporate Climate for Prioritizing Engagement with Women-Owned
TOOL 2.2
Businesses
Has the gender equity champion (or other staff member) developed a business case
for incorporating women-owned businesses in procurement?
Have the CEO and senior management team communicated their commitment to
increasing the number of women-owned businesses in the supply chain?
Does the company have in place a dedicated local procurement team with a
mandate that includes a specific objective to increase engagement with women-
owned businesses?
Has the company allocated a specific line item in the budget to support increased
engagement with women-owned businesses in the supply chain?
TIP: Examples include engaging with WEConnect or organizing assessment and training for
procurement staff on gender issues.
Do annual reports include information about engagement with women-owned

businesses and progress towards increased gender diversity in the supply chain?
Monitoring and Evaluation

Are there clearly stated goals on the number (or percentage) of women-owned
businesses in the supply chain the company aspires to?
Does the monitoring and evaluation system include tracking of the number of
women-owned businesses in the supply chain and amount of procurement spend
with them?
TIP: This includes total spend as well as departmental data.
Are the above numbers tracked and reported quarterly?

Does the monitoring and evaluation system include an indicator related to contracts
with women-owned businesses?
Do performance evaluations for purchasing department managers include
recruitment targets for increasing the number of women-owned businesses
contracts?
Are improvements in engagement with women-owned businesses included in
annual reporting?

Following the self-assessment, companies can take action to address key bottlenecks and
obstacles to engagement with women-owned businesses. Here is a step-by-step guide.
1. Define the criteria for ‘women-owned business’: BeforeBefore embarking on

a program to increase engagement with women-owned businesses in the supply
chain, companies need to consider which criteria they will use to define eligibility.
Ownership, control, independence, and certification are all relevant factors to
consider. (For more, see TOOL 2.3.)
2. Develop a business case: If corporate buy-in is low, a well-developed business

case provides the basis for strengthening senior-level leadership and cultivating a
supportive corporate culture. The business case should include quantitative and
qualitative assessments of how more engagement with women-owned businesses
will increase profitability and/or improve relations with the community. The gender
equity champion can lead this effort, which should target senior management as well
as all departments with purchasing and/or subcontracting needs. Use the business
case to secure senior management buy-in and identify operational champions within
departmental purchasing teams. (For more, see TOOL 2.4.)
3. Update the local procurement policy to support increased engagement with

women-owned businesses: Based on results of the assessment, amend your local
procurement policy to lower barriers to entry for women-owned businesses and—
ultimately—to increase engagement with them. This includes altering policies and
procurement criteria that needlessly disadvantage women-owned contractors and
updating advertising and community engagement strategies for better outreach. (For
more, see TOOL 2.5 and TOOL 2.6.)
4. Develop programs to support implementation of the updated policy: This includes

revising communications, arranging for procurement staff training, setting up local
partnerships, and identifying accountabilities and incentives. (For more, see TOOL 2.5.)
5. Identify and secure additional resources and tools needed to implement these
plans: Implementation of the updated plan may require additional staff, consultants,
and training budget.
6. Support development of local suppliers to meet supply chain needs: Based on the
findings of the assessment, companies may need to update training programs and/or
develop new community partnerships to support the development of women-owned
businesses that could qualify as local suppliers.
TOOL 2.3
Considerations in Defining Criteria for ‘Women-Owned Businesses’
» GOAL: Develop clear terminology and definitions that allow for the identification of
women-owned businesses in procurement programs and policies
» TARGET UNITS: Procurement; Community Engagement
Developing a program to engage with women-owned businesses in a company supply chain

begins with defining clear criteria for a business to qualify as ‘women-owned’. This tool
helps companies to identify the right combination of criteria in order to establish baselines,
measure progress, and determine which local businesses are eligible for inclusion in
procurement targets or preferential selection processes23. Clarity in procurement guidelines is
a requirement for implementation, and helps to avoid accusations of fraud, bias, or tokenism
or ‘fronting’, i.e., when women are nominally offered an ownership stake in a company, but
with their de facto rights to exercise decision-making severely curtailed or overwritten.
Policymakers, researchers, and supporting organizations like training firms or NGOs

may also find this tool useful in terms of providing guidance on how to target policies,
programs, studies, and support. Finally, small business owners themselves can use
this tool to clarify whether they fall into the category of a woman-owned business or a
business primarily employing women.
Criteria for Evaluating the Gender-Inclusiveness of Potential Suppliers

1. Ownership
A business where at least 50% of equity is owned by a woman or women is the most
often-cited definition of a women-owned business. However, it is not only the composition
of ownership that matters—the criteria also may include how the company bylaws, voting
arrangements, shareholder agreements, and other structures determine the exercise of
ownership interests in practice. For example:
• Companies may have a proviso that grants veto power to a male owner—even if the
other owners are female.
• Companies may grant a male owner the sole right to dissolve the company without
requiring the assent of other owners.
• Companies may stipulate that if a woman owner wishes to sell her shares, she must
give first right of refusal to a male.
23 The guidance used to develop this tool comes from UN Women, The Power of Procurement: How to Source from Women-Owned
Businesses.
In any of these scenarios, female shareholders will face severe constraints in exercising
TOOL 2.3
their ownership rights. The situation is further complicated by the fact that ownership
is not static but evolves over time as the company capitalization changes. A business
may start out as 100% women-owned and founded, but it may require capital to grow
and seek out equity investors to meet this need. Equity investors often ask for restricted
stock arrangements as a condition of coming on board to protect themselves against
the perceived risk of investing. A common restriction from early-stage investors is to
require the founders to remain actively engaged in the running of the business for the
duration of the term. For these reasons, companies seeking to procure from women-
owned businesses should look carefully at the structures of the businesses in question to
understand how substantive the rights of female owners really are. Ideally, voting rights of
female owners should be unencumbered and unconditional, with full ability to partake in
decision-making, if the business in question is to qualify as a women-owned business24.
2. Control
In addition to ownership rights, a woman-owned business should also be one in which
women have authority in daily decisions about the management and operations of the
company. For example, one or more of the senior officers of the company should be
female. Typically, a woman should also hold the position of the highest officer (usually
CEO). Again, it is important to look beyond titles. If the female CEO or managing director
is required by the articles of incorporation to seek the consent of other (male) signatories
to carry out actions like borrowing money, hiring staff, and signing contracts, then the
woman in question does not have effective control of her business.
3. Independence
If a women-owned business could not operate without the licenses, permits, and/
or insurance held by another business, that women-owned business would not be
considered independent. Reliance on other close partners to carry out core operations
runs the risk that the woman-owned business may be controlled by their affiliates,
thus undermining the goal to economically empower women through gender-diverse
contracting. The Women’s Business and Enterprise National Council (WBENC)25 and
WEConnect International26 both include independence stipulations in their eligibility
24 For example, to qualify as a women-owned small business under the U.S. Small Business Act, a business concern that
otherwise meets the applicable size standards must be at least 51 percent unconditionally and directly owned and controlled
by one or more women. For more information, click here.
25 The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) is the largest certifier of women-owned businesses in the U.S.
and a leading advocate for women business owners and entrepreneurs. For more information, click here.
26 WEConnect International is a global network that connects women-owned businesses to qualified buyers around the world.
For more information, see Box 2B or WeConnect International.
criteria for defining women-owned businesses. An independent business concern can be
TOOL 2.3
defined as one in which:
• The woman or women owner(s)’s expertise must be indispensable to the business’s
potential success; and,
• The woman or women owner(s) have the ability to perform in their area of specialty/
expertise without substantial reliance upon finances and resources (e.g., equipment,
automobiles, facilities, etc.) of males or nonwoman business enterprises.
4. Valid Certification
There are several options for certifying suppliers as women-owned businesses. These
include requiring self-certification by businesses that are seeking to register as company
suppliers; requiring government certification; or using a third-party certification process
in line with a set of recognized international standards. Each option has strengths and
drawbacks. Self-certification may be the simplest to administer but may also prove
ineffectual without verification of supplier paperwork and relies upon suppliers having
the capacity for honest and critical self-assessment. Government certification creates
a uniform standard aligned with relevant national policies and laws, but in practice the
success of such an effort depends on government capacity and expertise to implement
it. Third-party certification (for example through an organization such as WeConnect
International) can present an additional expense for companies, but brings many
advantages that the previous two options lack—the credibility of independent evaluation,
the opportunity for suppliers to connect to regional or global communities of peers, and
affiliation with a recognized standard, which in turn may help suppliers attract capital
from mission-aligned investors.
5. Businesses Employing Majority Women

As stated in the introduction, the focus of this tool suite is primarily on helping companies to
increase their engagement with women-owned businesses. However, if one of the goals of
gender diversifying the supply chain is to create greater economic opportunities for women,
then it follows that it is not only the percentage of female ownership of potential suppliers,
but also the number and type of jobs they create for women, that should be of interest
to companies. Evidence suggests mutuality between these two goals: women-owned
businesses also tend to employ more women. In an International Trade Centre (ITC) survey
of 20 developing countries, 40 percent of the firms owned by women employed mostly
female workers, compared with just 22 percent of firms owned and managed by men27.
27 International Trade Centre (2015), Unlocking Markets for Women to Trade. Source data from ITC NTM surveys in 20
developing countries, 2010 to 2014.
Companies may wish to track their impact on the indirect employment of women (i.e.,
TOOL 2.3
employment created in supply chain businesses); suggested indicators are included in
TOOL 2.10. Companies may also choose, for example, to require suppliers to include in
their bid submission a gender breakdown of their current workforce and/or any targets or
policies they have in terms of gender equality in the workforce. UN Women, for example,
encourages suppliers to include information regarding the percentage of women (1)
employed in the supplier’s organization, (2) in executive and senior positions, and (3)
shareholders. While such data are not a factor in the evaluation of tenders, UN Women
uses them for statistical purposes to support its mandate to promote gender equality
and women’s empowerment. It states that “suppliers are invited to (1) become signatories
to the … [Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)] (for companies with more than 10
employees), or (2) sign the Voluntary agreement to promote gender equality and women’s
empowerment (for companies with fewer than 10 employees)”28.
28 UN Women, “Gender-responsive Procurement.”
TOOL 2.4
Developing the Business Case for Increasing Engagement with
» GOAL: Identify and present business case arguments for engagement with women-
owned businesses
A Strong Business Case Demonstrates Value

A strong business case is an important first step towards increasing gender diversity in the
supply chain. It validates and rationalizes the effort and investment put forth by showing
the benefits that can accrue. It includes non-financial benefits in addition to the financial
value. Among the non-financial benefits: Improved community relations, potential
leveraging with community engagement programs, and reputational gains.
A sound business case will help secure senior management buy-in for revising the local
procurement plan and creating incentives and accountability for increasing engagement
with women-owned vendors. Operational champions in each departmental purchasing
team can be useful contact points for implementing these updated policies and
monitoring success stories, bottlenecks, and challenges.
The company’s gender equity champion and gender equity task force can take the lead
on building the business case, which should highlight both the potential benefits of a
gender-diverse supply chain and steps the company could take to address any gaps.
It complements the self-assessment of the local women-owned business environment
detailed in TOOL 2.2.
In building the business case for investing in women-owned business suppliers,

remember to incorporate the non-financial benefits such as those noted above—as
well as a longer-term perspective—in making the case. This information is critical, since
in some instances the costs of supplier diversification might not be offset immediately.
For example, in situations where a smaller women-owned business does not have the
scale to meet the needs of major international companies, an upfront capacity-building
or training investment might be required before the business is able to meet these
needs. Thorough detail on the short- and long-term financial and non-financial benefits
of supporting women-owned businesses will provide a clear indication of the value such
efforts bring—both for the company and the broader community.
Use the diagnostic provided in Table 2B to help develop and frame a business case for
increasing gender diversity in the supply chain.
TOOL 2.4
TABLE 2B | Business Case Diagnostic: Engaging with Women-Owned Businesses
1. COST SAVINGS: Identify potential cost savings from working with

» Identify potential “conventional” and women-owned vendors: To what extent can
these suppliers provide equivalent services? For example, are there reasons that
women-owned businesses would not be able to meet procurement needs equally?
What are the specific barriers to entry for women-owned vendors based on market
status—such as recent entry to the market or scale of current contracts and/or your
procurement criteria?
» Compare pricing between conventional suppliers and women-owned vendors that
provide equivalent products and services: Are prices competitive? Are there potential
cost savings from women-owned vendors? If the women-owned businesses are not
the lower-cost vendors, what other benefits might come from contracting with them,
such as better quality, value, or user appeal?
» Compare product quality between conventional suppliers and women-owned vendors
that provide equivalent services: Would working with women-owned vendors lead to
improved product quality or help respond to and/or capture different market share?
» Identify opportunities to build the capacity of women-owned vendors that cannot
supply comparable products/ services: Could they reach the point where they could
provide comparable goods through a moderate degree of training?
» Identify aggregate cost savings from contracting with women-owned vendors.
2. ADDITIONAL COSTS: Identify potential costs that may result from

contracting with women-owned vendors
» Are the local women-owned businesses currently operating at required standards
or would additional training be needed to scale them up to meet quality and volume
needs?
» Identify the type, scope, and length of training needed so these vendors could
become viable suppliers: How many trainings? Over what period of time? How
often would the training need to be repeated? Develop cost estimates for these
trainings and compare them to the anticipated financial benefits from working with
that particular vendor.
» Conduct overall cost-benefit analysis for training: First, calculate the number of new
vendors that could become qualified through training. Next, compare the value of
qualifying these newly registered suppliers with the training costs—does the value
offset the cost?
TOOL 2.4
3. BUDGET: Consider ways to fund training and outreach by leveraging
community engagement activities
» Connect with the corporate social responsibility/community engagement teams:
Identify opportunities to cross- subsidize women-owned vendor training and
outreach through programs run by these departments.
4. NON-FINANCIAL BENEFITS: Itemize the broader benefits of working

with local women-owned vendors
» Examine and evaluate non-financial benefits, including improving community
relations, enhancing local economic development by empowering women, meeting
community investment and local sourcing requirements, and complying with
government requirements for gender diversity in supply chains.
» Detail the community engagement dividends from cultivating and contracting with
women-owned vendors.
» Quantify or otherwise demonstrate ways in which these dividends would help
offset—and perhaps more than make up for—financial costs.
TOOL 2.5
Developing a Code of Conduct for Increasing Engagement with
» GOAL: Develop a protocol and clear set of guidelines for increasing engagement with
» TARGET UNITS: Procurement
The Role of Codes of Conduct

Even before your company has fully developed its gender equity policy, a formal code of
conduct can help outline a commitment to gender diversity in the supply chain. Also known
as a code of ethics, the code of conduct is a corporate policy that guides employees on
behaviors extending well beyond processes and procedures. It details the company values
that underpin all activities, goals, and objectives. Having in place a supplier diversity code
of conduct sends a signal to all staff that it is a core company value and prioritized business
principle. It also offers guidance on integrating this value into procurement operations.
Be sure to collaborate with the various relevant units in developing such a code, including
the gender equity task force, procurement, legal, business services, and compliance.
Representation from senior management is equally important.
You may decide to sign on to an existing code of conduct, such as the one developed by
WEConnect International and the Royal Bank of Scotland (see Box 2C). Or you might want to
develop your own code as a start towards a more comprehensive gender diversity program.
Developing a Supplier Diversity Code of Conduct in 5 Steps

Follow these five steps to create a supplier diversity code of conduct.
Code development step 1: Establish objectives for supply chain gender

diversification.
These might include:
• Creating a more innovative and competitive marketplace for suppliers
• Creating more economic opportunities for diverse suppliers within the surrounding
community
• Creating procurement opportunities that reflect the diversity of the local community
• Developing a procurement plan that aligns with the values of the company and with
the general procurement policy
TOOL 2.5
BOX 2C | WEConnect and the Royal Bank of Scotland: Supplier Diversity Code
of Conduct
WEConnect International and the Royal Bank of Scotland developed a template for a
supplier diversity code of conduct. Companies can sign on to the code, which serves
as a strong signal to internal and external stakeholders about their intent to update
procurement policies, community engagement, and monitoring and evaluation metrics
to support greater engagement with local women-owned businesses. The code’s
objective is to define company commitments and lay the groundwork for a more
specific and detailed plan of action to increase gender diversity in the supply chain.
For more information: weconnectinternational.org
Code development step 2: Define key terms.

• What does a gender-diverse supply chain mean for your company? For instance,
how will your company define women-owned businesses? (For more details on the
potential criteria to consider, see TOOL 2.3.)
• What percentage of women-owned suppliers is your company’s target?
Code development step 3: Identify the code’s scope.

• Will the code apply to all employees with procurement responsibilities?
• What about Tier 1 and 2 suppliers? Are they expected to abide by the code in their own
dealings with suppliers and contractors?
Code development step 4: Outline key principles.

This involves defining the guiding principles to which the code’s signatories are
committing, such as:
• Reviewing supplier criteria to ensure that they are not creating an unnecessary and
undue burden on new or smaller companies.
• Communicating more effectively with potential suppliers to ensure that RFX reach a
wider range of potential suppliers: There are several ways to do so, such as hosting/
participating in supplier conferences and making procurement policies more
accessible and easier to understand.
• Exploring options to reduce contract size: For instance, decoupling multiple activities
so they are not bundled as part of a larger contract. This will ensure that smaller,
women-owned businesses are not excluded from eligibility.
• Simplifying and streamlining the application and contracting processes to reduce the
TOOL 2.5
time burden on smaller suppliers.
• Reviewing contract award criteria to focus on value for money, rather than simply the
lowest -cost options.
• Reviewing payment procedures to ensure that payments are made promptly and
within short timeframes to reduce pressure on smaller firms.
• Providing feedback to firms on unsuccessful bids as part of supplier development
programs.
• Ensuring that small business development initiatives support businesses of all sizes:
This includes exploring opportunities to work with microenterprises and ensuring that
small business development programs have a connection to funding mechanisms to
create more meaningful opportunities.
• Partner with suppliers to explore options for low-cost innovation.29
Code development step 5: Monitor and evaluate.

Commit to effective and ongoing monitoring and evaluation, with indicators for:
• Number and type of suppliers
• Effectiveness of training activities
• Cost effectiveness of suppliers.30
Adopting a Supplier Diversity Code of Conduct in 4 Steps

Developing the code is only the first phase. The next phase involves rolling out the code
company-wide and ensuring adoption and uptake. Here are the steps to take in helping
your company adopt the newly developed code of conduct.
Code adoption step 1: Share details of the code with key managers and gain buy-
in by involving them.
• Engage with heads of key departments, including procurement, legal, compliance,
sustainability, and business services, as well as senior management to review, amend,
and finalize the code. Endorsement from the highest levels is critical to successful
implementation.
29 The information in Step 4 draws on: UN Women, The Power of Procurement: How to Source from Women-Owned Businesses,
and Connaughton and Gibbons, “Beyond Compliance: Top Supplier Diversity Programs Aim to Broaden Value Proposition,”
Atlanta: The Hackett Group, 2016.
30 WEConnect International and Royal Bank of Scotland, Supplier Diversity and Inclusion Code of Conduct: Adopting the Code.
Code adoption step 2: Set a timeline for development of a more comprehensive
TOOL 2.5
gender-inclusive local procurement policy.
This should include updated procurement criteria and procedures and updated
communication and training plans.
Code adoption step 3: Design a communication plan for the rollout.

• How, when, and where will the new code be unveiled?
• Identify specific strategies and approaches for communicating with staff, corporate
stakeholders, other companies, and the community.
Code adoption step 4: Develop a monitoring and evaluation plan.31

How will successful implementation of the plan be monitored? Potential indicators
might include:
• Percentage of spend with diverse suppliers
• Number or percentage of suppliers classified as “diverse”
• Percentage of suppliers meeting or exceeding expectations
• Number or percentage of “diverse” suppliers that are strategic partners
31 Based on Connaughton and Gibbons, “Beyond Compliance: Top Supplier Diversity Programs Aim to Broaden Value
Proposition,” 3.
TOOL 2.6
Developing a Comprehensive Gender Diversity Supply Chain
Program
» GOAL: Develop a comprehensive program for increased supply chain diversity
» TARGET UNITS: Procurement
After signaling intent to improve supply chain gender diversity with a code of conduct, it
is time to focus on creating a comprehensive gender diversity supply chain program. This
process is based on the supply chain self-assessment (see TOOL 2.2) and is detailed here.
Action item 1. Review and update local procurement policy.

Review the policy with an eye toward making it easier for women-owned businesses to
qualify and register as vendors and addressing bottlenecks as identified in the assessment.
• Define women-owned businesses and clarify criteria for qualifying as such, in accordance
with the code of conduct. (See TOOL 2.3 for more details on qualifying criteria.)
• Highlight areas of the local procurement policy or current procurement guidelines that
contribute to the bottlenecks and challenges that were identified in the assessment:
• How are tenders advertised? Is circulation of opportunities typically reliant on word of
mouth, business networks, or other types of communication that may disadvantage
smaller, newer firms, or those without access to more established business networks?
• Review criteria for authorized vendors to determine whether financial or legal
requirements are unnecessarily precluding or overly hindering local women-
owned firms. Do these requirements—such as duration of company’s existence or
minimum amount of income in preceding year—prevent women-owned vendors
that otherwise have the qualifications and capacity from bidding on the job?
• Are contracts typically bundled together—including multiple types of tasks—in a way
that excludes smaller businesses? Smaller businesses, which often include many
women-owned businesses, may have difficulty responding to larger, more complex,
or multi-task bids.
• What is the typical payment structure for contracts? Are companies expected to
invest significant time in planning or early-stage work before the first payment? Such
expectations could pose an undue hardship on smaller firms.
• Identify ways to modify the current standards without altering essential qualifications
or qualitative standards: This extends to all bidders, not just women-owned vendors.
There are several options here, including the possibility of substituting alternate
evaluation criteria or the potential for providing more support to bidders so they can
meet the standards.
TOOL 2.6
BOX 2D | Anglian Water’s Platform for SME-led Innovation and Partnerships
Anglian Water, a company that supplies water and water recycling services to
more than 6 million domestic and business customers in the east of England, is
engaging with local suppliers in creative ways to deliver environmental solutions.
“SMEs and local suppliers are an untapped opportunity,” says the company Head
of Sustainability, Andy Brown, who believes supporting local suppliers is critical,
especially for innovative ideas. “Cutting-edge businesses might not be able to
demonstrate long-term success. Offer them low-risk opportunities and work
together to monitor it.”
To encourage smaller businesses to share ideas, Anglian Water has launched an
online portal, the Water Innovation Network. This free business network allows
potential suppliers to present their solutions to the challenges being faced.
One successful example of the Water Innovation Network in action is a new
partnership between Anglian Water and Concrete Canvas, an SME that produces
a flexible concrete-impregnated fabric that hardens when hydrated to form a
thin, waterproof concrete layer. It is 10 times quicker to install than conventional
concrete and better for the environment. Concrete Canvas used the Water
Innovation Network to pitch the idea to Anglian Water, and within nine months the
product was being trialed on a site.
Source: Katie Jacobs, “How Anglian Water is Making Water Cleaner” 2017
Action item 2. Develop accountability and implementation incentives.

Hold departments accountable for achieving targets on engaging with women-owned firms.
They should justify reasons they have—or have not—succeeded in reaching these targets.
• Create incentives: This will encourage departments to reach targets for engaging
with women-owned businesses. The incentives should extend to managers by way
of incorporating progress towards meeting women-owned business engagement
targets into managerial performance evaluations. Performance should be measured
in part by quantitative indicators, such as the number of women-owned businesses
engaged, as well as qualitative indicators, such as the level of effort to identify,
include, and engage these businesses.
• Create voluntary or compensated mentorship programs: In particular, such programs
should involve opportunities to connect female staff with local female entrepreneurs.
If the programs are voluntary, consider other types of recognition, such as awards
programs to honor teams that contribute the most toward community mentorship.
Action item 3. Provide training and support to help develop local women-owned
TOOL 2.6
businesses.
In addition to establishing policies requiring local inputs, many companies are investing in
the development of local suppliers in nearby communities. (For more on support for local
women-owned businesses through community engagement activities, see TOOL SUITE 3.)
• Ensure that programs address the specific needs of women-owned businesses:
Remember that these businesses often lack equal access to networks, capital, and
finance.
• Consider support for microenterprises: Typically, women-owned firms are smaller
than those headed by men, in part because of unequal access to capital. If provided
the appropriate support, some of these microenterprises could become strong and
capable suppliers.
• Work with financial institutions to provide financing for training participants:
Encourage financial institutions to provide such funding on their own, or partner with
them in support of these new businesses. According to Deloitte, some companies
work with funders to offer “women-bonds” specifically to support women-owned
businesses; other business accelerators and incubators provide equity funding to
women-owned SMEs to promote growth.
• Make use of local content programs to support mentorship and networking for women-
owned businesses: These firms do not have the same networks as male-run businesses,
so programs that help them build new networks can lead to longer-term benefits.
• Review training curricula to ensure that programs are targeted and inclusive. (See Box
2E for more.)
Action item 4. Review and update communication strategies.

Keeping women-owned vendors informed about upcoming contracting opportunities is
key to meeting goals for gender-diverse procurement. Use findings from the assessment
regarding local women-owned businesses to guide this outreach. Here are some
guidelines to assist you in revising and updating communications strategies to ensure a
more gender-diverse contracting pool:
• Take a look at the way opportunities are communicated: Is language gender-
inclusive—for example, using terms like “foreman or forewoman”’ instead of just
“foreman” or “foreperson”? Are women-owned businesses and businesses that include
a significant number of female employees specifically encouraged to apply?
• Designate male and female staff to represent the company at local trade fairs: This will
send a strong message that the company is interested in contracting with both male-
and female-owned companies.
• Conduct local workshops to teach small business owners, and even specifically women
TOOL 2.6
business-owners and their representatives, how to respond to RFX. Topics should
include registering as a vendor and understanding qualifications and requirements.
• Set up a local enterprise center or kiosk and provide training on how to register online:
This will assist potential vendors that have limited Internet access. (See TOOL 2.7 for
more on capacity building.)• Encourage businesses to register online as suppliers and
urge them to spread the word to colleagues at other businesses.
BOX 2E | Making Training Targeted and Inclusive

Among the ways for companies to get the most out of their investment in training
for potential women-owned suppliers:
• Ensure that training for local suppliers on how to qualify and register as local
suppliers is gender- inclusive.
• Make training equally accessible to males and females by providing childcare and
offering events at different times of the day.
• Provide female mentors and coaching specifically geared toward women-owned
businesses.
• Create specific mentorship, training, and incubator programs for women-owned
businesses.
• Provide targeted training.
• Provide non-cognitive skills training to build women’s self-confidence, with a
focus on personal development and leadership.
• Identify key sectors where women-owned businesses could flourish and build
programs geared toward these industries.
• Partner with local players to develop women-owned businesses: For example,
work with local banks to train women on financial fundamentals and opening
business accounts, and encourage banks to consider offering credit or advances
against corporate contracts.
• Partner with training institutions to provide targeted training with specific
outreach to women: Programs should provide childcare and lead to specific
supply chain opportunities.
• Develop a knowledge-sharing and feedback mechanism for minority applicants and
suppliers: This enables suppliers and potential suppliers to learn from each other.
• Communicate to Tier 1 and 2 suppliers and contractors that they are responsible for
TOOL 2.6
implementing the code of conduct and diversity and inclusion targets in their contracting.
• Review and revise the company’s internal communications on the updated local
procurement plan:
• Consider adding incentives and accountability for implementing the updated plan
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with the plan
• Identify communication strategies to inform staff of changes and additional updates
• Provide training on the updated policy for all staff with procurement responsibilities
• Review and revise the ways in which the company communicates to the public about RFX.
Action item 5. Identify and secure additional resources needed to implement

the plans.
Update the budget to include expenditures associated with gender diversification.
Additional costs may include:
• Staff: Will additional staff or consultants be required for the training or mentorship
activities?
• Compensation: Will staff who offer mentorship services be compensated, or will
there be a monetary reward for the staff member that provides the most voluntary
mentoring?
• Services: How many trainings or mentorship activities will be developed, and at what
cost per event?
• Contracts: If the company plans to provide loans to SMEs to support development
and/or as advances on contracts, determine the source of funding, loan structure, and
interest rate schedule.
• Communication: Determine the additional costs associated with targeted
communications designed to connect with the community and women-owned
businesses. It might be possible to share costs with other departments, such
as community engagement, or with external partners, like the local chamber of
commerce. Be sure to identify the potential savings that might come from this cost-
sharing approach.
TOOL 2.7
Support Development of Local Women-Owned Businesses
» GOAL: Cultivate women-owned businesses so they can support supply chain needs
» TARGET UNITS: Procurement, Community Engagement
If you are operating in communities where few women-owned businesses have sufficient
skill and capacity to support supply chain needs, you might want to provide support
so that they ultimately can become a part of the corporate supply chain. Sharing the
workload so the effort becomes a joint procurement/community engagement activity can
yield broader dividends, including expanding the local procurement base, increasing local
economic development, and building positive community relationships.
This tool provides guidance on how to develop women-owned businesses, following a

process that includes:
• Assessing and identifying constraints to women’s entrepreneurship
• Identifying existing potential partners such as business incubators and local financial
institutions
• Creating activities to build the capacity of local women-owned businesses in a
collaboration between procurement and community engagement teams
• Monitoring impact on local procurement, local economic development, and women’s
economic empowerment
Detail on each is provided below.
Needs Assessment
To effectively address barriers and support the development of women-owned
businesses, companies need to understand what is getting in the way. An assessment of
barriers and opportunities for women’s entrepreneurship in a given community will help.
Common Constraints for Women-Owned Businesses

Women face a range of constraints to entrepreneurship, including:
• Barriers to accessing finance: Female entrepreneurs often have a harder time
accessing financing than men do. Women can face greater challenges getting loans:
interest rates may be set higher or loan values may be smaller, especially as women
are more likely to use informal funding sources, such as family or church. Although
microfinance institutions have proven a popular source of credit for women, these
institutions also impose limitations on the size of the organization applying for the
TOOL 2.7
BOX 2F | Winning Women: EY’s Multi-Regional Program to Help Female
Entrepreneurs Scale
The EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program targets “the missing middle”—
female founders who have built profitable small companies but have not yet found
the essential tools needed to scale sustainably. Through offering participants expert
business advice, national exposure, coaching on soft skills like building confidence and
vision, networking, and community building with peers, EY’s program has assisted
over 500 participants in 48 countries worldwide with impressive results. On average,
program participants experienced an increase of 35% in compound annual growth
and a 166% increase in headcount at their companies since becoming members of
Winning Women. More than three quarters (77%) of female entrepreneurs said that
the program helped them to find advisors and role models.
Source: EY “Entrepreneurial Winning Women Program”
loan, creating a challenge for women who want to expand their businesses to meet
corporate contracting requirements.
• Limited control of finances: In some countries, women face legal and cultural
restrictions on controlling their own finances. They might not be permitted to have
their own bank accounts. They might not have any decision-making authority over how
to spend or invest family finances. For aspiring female entrepreneurs, this could create
serious challenges to starting a business. If women need to rely on a male relative to
access to their accounts, their savings could be at risk.
• Legal constraints on other aspects of entrepreneurship: Beyond limited access and
control over finances, women may face other obstacles, such as limited ability to own
property or to list property in their name. They could be prevented from having their own
passports or other forms of identification, which can be critical to starting a business.
• Cultural norms limiting women’s time, mobility, and independence: Family and
cultural obligations can get in the way of running a business. Other challenges include
restrictions on speaking or meeting with strangers, limited mobility, and primary childcare
responsibilities— all of which make it more difficult to pursue an entrepreneurial dream.
• Lack of key skills: In many communities, women may have less exposure to business
education, including financial and management training.
• Lower risk tolerance: Studies indicate that women may approach risk and investment
differently than men, with lower risk tolerance.
• Limited infrastructure: Better roads and transportation infrastructure can facilitate
TOOL 2.7
women’s access to finance and markets, with a strong positive impact on women’s
economic engagement and entrepreneurship.
Identification of Potential Partners

Partners that collaborate to support the development, financing, and sustainability of
local women-owned businesses can catalyze a greater impact beyond your company’s
efforts. Partnerships to explore include:
• Existing business development resources: Such as business incubators, local
entrepreneurship competitions or resources, and the local chamber of commerce
• Financial institutions: Commercial and microfinance banks, grant-making
organizations, or non-governmental organizations and non-profits aimed at promoting
financial literacy and inclusion
• Mentorship organizations: To support or facilitate mentorship for local women
entrepreneurs
• Business development incubators or capacity building/training centers
BOX 2G | Boyner Group Strengthens its Supplier Base Through

Capacity Building
The Boyner Group is Turkey’s largest publicly traded non-electronics retailer.
Female-owned suppliers make up 17 percent of its vendor base—double the Turkish
average. Still, the company has recognized that women-owned businesses face
unique obstacles in becoming suppliers to major buyers.
Working in partnership with IFC, the company designed a 12-week program to
build the capacity of women-led small companies that have the potential to
become part of a corporate supply chain. The “Good for Business” program trains
female entrepreneurs and connects them with mentors, financial institutions, and
brands that could help advance their businesses.
In addition to building skills and providing mentoring and financial support for
these small businesses, the program yielded dividends for the Boyner Group as well,
in the form of a stronger and more diversified supplier base.
Source: Boyner Group and IFC, “Case Study: Boyner Group’s Supply Chain Strengthens Women in Business.”
Partnerships with the types of organizations listed above can be implemented with a
TOOL 2.7
view to building the capacity of businesses that may be able to directly contribute to your
supply chain or as part of a community engagement and resilience plan, which may also
support businesses that are part of the broader economic landscape. For both, business
development curriculum should include modules on business skills, registration and
licensing, financing, business, and financial management.
In addition to building skills, training programs should include ongoing support during
the first few years after business startup given that a disproportionate number of new
businesses fail32.
Evidence has shown that such training partnerships can yield results. For example, a
South African business development center associated with Rio Tinto’s Richard’s Bay
Minerals project has helped develop over 60 local businesses. The center has created
linkages with banks and partnered with Monash University on a program to certify local
entrepreneurs in business management. Most of the program participants have been
women and young people.
Customized Support Programs

To build the capacity of women-owned businesses and support increased engagement
with these businesses, activities should be customized to address specific local
circumstances and community-specific constraints:
• Support innovation to develop ideas rooted in local context and ideas: Launch
local innovation challenges for women-owned businesses and provide support (for
instance, through a local training center) for scaling and growth. The Good for Business
program, developed by the Boyner Group in partnership with IFC (see Box 2G) helps
develop women entrepreneurs while diversifying and strengthening the company’s
own supply chain.
• Review internal procurement policies: Ensure that they are supportive of smaller,
women-owned businesses. Look at the ways in which contracts are bundled. Also take
a look at supplier financing terms to make sure that the current approaches are not
creating unfair disadvantages for smaller businesses.
• Finance businesses: Collaborate with local finance institutions to promote and
incentivize women’s access to finance. Efforts could include:
• Training local financial institutions on the benefits of women’s financial engagement.
In many communities, cultural norms may mean that the financial institutions
32 Data from the U.S. Government suggests that 20% of new businesses fail within one year, 45% within three years, and 65%
within 10 years.
themselves are biased against women-owned businesses. Working with banks to
TOOL 2.7
address these biases as part of a comprehensive program to support increased
access to finance for women-owned companies can be an important first step.33
• Supporting efforts by local financial institutions to educate female entrepreneurs
on the fundamentals of banking and credit, including how to secure credit and grow
their businesses.
• Collaborating with local financial institutions to provide low-interest loans for
women (could be tied to participation in various training or incubation activities),
and to facilitate loan collateralization for women-owned businesses.
• Set up mentorships: Connect successful women-owned businesses with female-owned
startups and company executives with local female entrepreneurs.
• Consider complementary approaches to increase sustainability: Evidence indicates
that isolated approaches—such as offering financing without business management
training—are less likely to result in long-term business sustainability.34
Monitoring Progress
In tracking and evaluating various business development activities, consider
effectiveness in building a more gender-diverse local procurement base. Tracking also
should measure broader contributions to local economic development and women’s
economic empowerment.
33 IFC and GPFI, Strengthening Access to Finance for Women-Owned SMEs in Developing Countries, 6.
34 Urban Institute, “Six Lessons on What Works in Supporting Women-Owned Businesses,” Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2016.
TOOL 2.8
Guidance Note on Women-Owned Businesses and Public
Procurement in Cities
» GOAL: Provide guidance for cities on how to gender diversify public procurement and
support the growth and thriving of local women-owned businesses in the municipality
» TARGET UNITS: City leadership, city procurement departments
Public procurement accounts for around one-fifth of global gross domestic product, and
yet women-owned businesses secure only around 1% of these contracts by value35. In
emerging markets, public procurement represents an even higher share of GDP (at around
30%). Public procurement is therefore a powerful tool that governments and municipal
authorities possess to accelerate gender-inclusive economic growth and reduce gender
gaps in the labor market, while also realizing the benefits of gender-diverse suppliers that
are enumerated elsewhere in this tool suite.
World Bank research indicates that women-owned businesses are most predominant in
the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, accounting for around 40 percent of the
market. Targeting support to this sector is therefore already a helpful proxy for increasing
support to women-owned businesses. Given the importance of small businesses in
job creation, cities adopting this approach can effectively leverage their procurement
processes to bolster local economic growth, increase employment, and ultimately
generate more tax revenues. Ensuring the inclusion of women is central to realizing the
economic gains from diversification of city procurement systems. It is important to note
that cities may be prohibited by local ordinances or national legal frameworks from
introducing preferential access policies for women or minority-owned businesses. In
other jurisdictions, such as South Africa for example, the opposite may be true—legal
measures may compel city governments to introduce positive discrimination to redress
the economic disadvantages suffered by historically marginalized groups. However even
without preferential access policies, cities still have several measures at their disposal to
improve diversification in public procurement.
Approaches for Cities to Consider
1. Creating a baseline of data

To design appropriate interventions and set realistic targets for improvement, cities must
start with an assessment of their current procurement performance. TOOL 2.2 provides
35 World Bank Group, Benchmarking Public Procurement 2016: Assessing Public Procurement Systems in 77 Economies, 2016.
a comprehensive self-assessment tool that municipal corporations can adapt to gather
TOOL 2.8
data. From this tool, key questions for cities to consider include:
• Where do businesses register themselves as potential suppliers for city contracts?
Does this happen online, or in person at an office, or via a third-party organization?
How accessible is the process for micro, small and medium enterprises?
• Does your city require/enable businesses to identify as women-owned, and if so, what
are the criteria used? Does the city differentiate between women-owned businesses,
and those that employ majority women?
• Are there incentives or benefits in place for women-owned businesses (i.e., is there
preferential contracting for women-owned businesses)?
• What are the main barriers faced by women-owned businesses in the municipal area?
Which organizations are helping to meet these needs, and where do gaps remain?
• Where are city contracts advertised? Are all contracts and awards publicly accessible
online?
• What number and percentage of suppliers registered on city databases are women-
owned?
• What is the current absolute dollar value and percentage of city contracting annually
going to male-owned versus female-owned businesses?
2. Tackling asymmetries of information

One of the main reasons for the low proportion of women-owned businesses in public
procurement spend is asymmetries of information—lack of knowledge of contracting
opportunities and how to apply for them. Active outreach efforts are required by cities to
seek out and help register more women-owned businesses to their municipal database,
ideally working with trusted local partners such as trade associations or NGOs which
already have connections to female entrepreneurs. In some cities, including the U.S.
city of Charlotte for example, municipal authorities have invested in training city staff
to be more active in seeking out local SMEs and helping them to register on the public
procurement database36. Barriers to entry for firms wishing to register as vendors to bid
on city contracts should be as low as possible, so that micro enterprises are also able to
participate in relevant tenders.
3. Including gender criteria and/or certification for women-owned businesses

Gathering gender workforce data from businesses bidding for public contracts can be a
useful way for cities to understand the impact of procurement on indirect employment
36 Elizabeth Reynoso and Kristen Scheyder, “Five Cities that are Buying into Equity,” Living Cities, 2017.
and to flag to suppliers that gender inclusion is a municipal priority—incentivizing
TOOL 2.8
suppliers to recruit more women without explicitly making gender performance a criteria
of bid evaluation. In Chile, for example, the public entity leading gender action planning
on procurement, ChileCompra, launched the Sello Empresa Mujer (Women Supplier
Certification) scheme in 2015 to help procuring entities identify women-led enterprises,
as well as those with a more than 50 percent female workforce. The certification can
be requested as an evaluation criterion to be included in tender documents or to
demonstrate social impact in direct contracting bids below US$700. In combination with
other measures such as training, formation of women’s associations, and regulatory
reforms, Chile’s program has achieved impressive results. The share of women
participating in the public procurement system reached 36.5 percent in 2016, a figure that
corresponds to more than 21,345 women quoting on tenders, offering contract terms, or
receiving purchase orders. In comparison, women-owned businesses in the United States
secure fewer than 5% of federal contracts37.
4. Training, mentoring, and networking

To actively support women suppliers and build a pipeline of more successful women-
owned businesses, cities can implement additional programs. Training covering topics
such as leadership, financial management, confidence building, and marketing can
offer direct skills to participating entrepreneurs while also providing the benefit of a
certification from a city-endorsed training scheme. Furthermore, entrepreneurs can
network—face to face or online—with other participating small businesses, leading to
potential partnerships, peer support, and other useful collaboration to promote the role
of women in public procurement. Cities may also consider a mentorship program; this
was another successful component of the approach taken in Chile, where participating
suppliers received customized assistance to help increase their business opportunities
with the state. The program followed a ‘group mentorship’ methodology, supported by
an expert in entrepreneurship coaching. Its goal was to develop and boost personal and
interpersonal skills in a way that would have a positive impact on participants’ business
with the state38. Meanwhile in the U.S. city of Houston, the Department of Public Works
and Engineering is has introduced a mentor-protégé program that enlists successful city
engineering contractors to build relationships with subcontracting firms. The goal is to
move firms owned by women and entrepreneurs of color from subcontracting to prime
contracting. Mentor firms help protégés acquire new skills, learn new business practices,
and strengthen project bids39.
37 Chatham House, Gender-Smart Procurement Policies for Driving Change, 2017.

38 Ibid.
39 Living Cities, “Four Innovative Procurement Tactics Cities are Using to Increase Equity,” 2017.
5. Presenting case studies of success to encourage greater female participation
TOOL 2.8
In order to showcase the experience of female entrepreneurs to buyers and the public,
cities can design information campaigns to share the successful stories of female
suppliers. In so doing, cities not only encourage more women entrepreneurs to bid for
public contracts, but also have an opportunity to more widely advertise the range of
programs and initiatives they have put in place to level the playing field.
TOOL 2.9
Sample Needs Assessment Questionnaire to Develop a Coaching
Program for Women-Owned Businesses
» GOAL: Offer a template needs assessment questionnaire for companies seeking to
develop a coaching program for female entrepreneurs who are current and potential
future suppliers
» TARGET UNITS: Procurement, Community Engagement
The World Bank’s latest multi-country research into the challenges faced by women-
owned businesses suggests that the lower profits women entrepreneurs earn are due to
three factors: lack of capital, choice of sectors, and business practices. This tool is focused
on responding to the third factor—business practices. Interventions proven to help
women-owned businesses in this area include skills training that focuses less on technical
business training alone, and more on combining commercial know-how with encouraging
women to develop proactive behaviors like building confidence, perseverance, and
initiative. Such approaches have been found to increase profitability of women-owned
businesses by up to 40 percent40. Group coaching is an alternative but complementary
approach to training which tends to be focused on the acquisition of a specific skillset. Its
methodology specifically focuses on empowering participants to find the path towards
building soft skills and community self-reliance that works best for them, according to
their strengths and priorities. This tool lays out a needs assessment to gather data from
female entrepreneurs, which can then be used by a professional to design a coaching
program. It is recommended that companies intending to support business owners
in this way engage the services of a qualified coach or coaching firm to design and
implement the program, either online or face to face.
Sample Needs Assessment Questionnaire for a Coaching Program
Name of business:
Name and title of respondent:
Sector of business activity:
Number of employees:
Year of business creation:
40 World Bank Group, “Profiting from Parity: Unlocking the Potential of Women’s Business in Africa,” 2019.
TOOL 2.9
1. I want to clarify my overall vision and plan for the
future, including setting goals. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
2. I have a clear idea of my greatest personal strengths. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
3. I want to develop a plan for my own personal growth

and development. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
4. I can name the three things that are most important to

me in life. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
5. I am living my life in alignment with those priorities. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
6. On a scale of 1–10, how happy are you with your life

right now? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
7. On a scale of 1–10, how motivated are you in your

work/personal life? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
8. On a scale of 1–10, how stressed do you feel right now? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
9. I want to design a better approach to doing the things I

need to do. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
10. I want to find ways to improve my confidence. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
11. I’m getting feedback that I need to change a behavior. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
12. I want to improve my leadership presence. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
13. I would like to get more comfortable with having

difficult conversations. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
14. I want to build better relationships. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
15. I’m struggling to balance personal life with work. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
16. I have a clear idea of what success means to me. a. Yes b. No c. Not sure
17. How will you know when you are receiving value from the coaching process?
MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: TOOL 2.10

The only way to know for sure that you have made headway on supply chain gender
diversity goals is to track progress. Globally, there is a push for companies across the
range of sectors to disclose more information about their engagement with women-
owned companies as part of a broader drive to encourage more reporting on non-financial
aspects of company operations. Box 2H highlights one such initiative for U.S. companies.
BOX 2H | Major U.S. Multinationals Commit to Tracking Supply Chain Diversity

In March 2017, nine American corporations formed a coalition committed to tracking
and reporting their sourcing from women-owned businesses. Companies in the
coalition include Walmart, Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company,
ExxonMobil, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Mondelēz International, PepsiCo and
Procter & Gamble.
According to Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, “Our customers care where products
are sourced, and we believe supporting women-owned businesses helps us put
innovative products on our shelves while helping these businesses thrive and grow.”
Pamela Prince-Eason, president and CEO of the Women’s Business Enterprise
National Council (WBENC), echoed McMillon’s statement: “By participating in this
initiative, these companies will help fuel innovation and growth for women-owned
businesses across the U.S. With women-owned businesses currently supporting the
creation or maintenance of 23 million American jobs, investing in their growth means
investing in more opportunities for the workforce overall.”
Source: Walmart, “Top WBENC Consumer Companies Join Together for the First Time in Collective Initiative to Source
from Women-Owned Businesses.”
TOOL 2.10
Indicators to Monitor Progress on Supply Chain Gender
Diversity Goals
» GOAL: Track and support progress on building a more gender-diverse supply chain
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement, Human Resources, Procurement
Here are some key indicators for monitoring and evaluating progress on increasing
engagement with women-owned businesses in your supply chain.
Performance Metrics
Measure performance as a result of supplier diversification, based on:
• Percentage of spend with women-owned business suppliers
• Percentage of all suppliers who qualify as women-owned businesses
• Percentage of suppliers meeting or exceeding expectations
• Change in procurement spend compared with pre-supplier diversification initiatives
• Change in average contract size
• Average contract size for women-owned businesses
Impact on Suppliers
Measure progress for participants in supplier diversification programs based on:
• Number of participating women-owned businesses that report changes or
improvements in business processes as a result of the program, such as new
management practices, better working conditions, improved products, increased
distribution channels, new markets
• Number/percent of women-owned supplier participants who indicated that they were
satisfied or very satisfied with the program
• Number of women-owned businesses trained
• Change in the number of women employed by SMEs/suppliers
• Change in the number of workers employed by women-owned suppliers/vendors/
contractors

Identifying and Sourcing from Women-Owned Businesses
• SheTrades, an initiative of the International Trade Center, shetrades.com.
• UN Women, The Power of Procurement: How to Source from Women-Owned Businesses,
New York: UN Women, 2017.
Improving Supplier Diversity

• Connaughton, Patrick and Gibbons, Laura, “Beyond Compliance: Top Supplier Diversity
Programs Aim to Broaden Value Proposition,” Atlanta: The Hackett Group, 2016.
• EY, “Scaling Up: Why Women-Owned Businesses Can Recharge the Global Economy,”
EYGM, 2009.
• Goldman Sachs, Global Markets Institute, “Giving credit where it is due: How closing
the credit gap for women-owned SMEs can drive global growth,” Goldman Sachs, 2014.
• IFC, “Case Study: Boyner Group’s Supply Chain Strengthens Women in Business,”
• IFC, Entrepreneurship and Gender, April 13, 2017.
• IFC, Guide to Getting Started in Local Procurement. Washington, DC: IFC, 2011.
• IFC, SheWorks: Putting Gender Smart Commitments into Practice. Washington, DC: IFC, 2016.
• IFC, Women-Owned SMEs: A Business Opportunity for in Financial Institutions. Washington,
DC: IFC, 2014.
• International Trade Center (ITC), “Unlocking Markets for Women to Trade,” (2016) and
“Empowering Women through Public Procurement,” (2014).
• London, Ted; Scott, Linda; and Fay, Colm, “Incorporating Small Producers into Formal
Retail Supply Chains: Sourcing Readiness Checklist,” Ann Arbor: William Davidson
Institute & Oxford University Consulting, 2016.
• Pluess, Jessica David, “Women’s Empowerment in Global Value Chains: A Framework
for Business Action to Advance Women’s Health, Rights, and Wellbeing,” Business for
Social Responsibility (BSR), 2016.
• Urban Institute, “Six lessons on what works in supporting women-owned businesses,”
Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2016.
• Vazquez, Elizabeth and Frankel, Barbara, “The Business Case for Global Supplier
Diversity and Inclusion: The Critical Contributions of Women and Other Underutilized
Suppliers to Corporate Value Chains,” Washington, DC: WEConnect, 2017.
• World Bank Group, “Women in the Supply Chain,” Washington, DC: World Bank, 2015.
Local Procurement Reporting
RESOURCES
• Geipel, Jeff and Lempa, Kristian, “Mining Local Procurement Reporting Mechanism,”
Mining Shared Value and GIZ, 2017.
Supplier Diversity Code of Conduct

• Royal Bank of Scotland, Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Code of Conduct: Adopting the Code.
• WEConnect International and Royal Bank of Scotland, Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Code
of Conduct.
• WEConnect International, Global Supplier Diversity & Inclusion: Reaching the Gold
Standard, Washington, DC: WEConnect International, 2015.
Bibliography
• Niels Bosma et al, “Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report 2007” Babson College,
2007.
• Boyner Group and IFC, “Case Study: Boyner Group’s Supply Chain Strengthens Women
in Business,” Washington, DC: IFC, 2016.
• Connaughton and Gibbons, “Beyond Compliance: Top Supplier Diversity Programs Aim
to Broaden Value Proposition,” Atlanta: The Hackett Group, 2016.
• Deloitte and BIAC, Putting All Our Ideas to Work: Women and Entrepreneurship, Paris:
BIAC, 2015.
• ExxonMobil. “Women’s Economic Opportunity: An Award-Winning Mobile Service for
Women Entrepreneurs.” 2018.
• EY, “Scaling Up: Why Women-Owned Businesses Can Recharge the Global Economy,”
New York: EY, 2009.
• IFC, “Banking on Women: Changing the Face of the Global Economy.”
• IFC, Entrepreneurship and Gender.
• IFC, “Guidance Note 2: Labor and Working Conditions,” Washington, DC: IFC, 2012.
• IFC, “Guide to Getting Started in Local Procurement,” Washington, DC: IFC, 2011.
• IFC, “Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability,” Washington,
DC: IFC, 2012.
• IFC, “Putting Gender Smart Commitments into Practice: SheWorks One Year Progress
Report,” Washington, DC: IFC, 2015.
• IFC, “Women Entrepreneurs are Essential for Private Sector Development in Emerging
Markets,” Washington, DC: IFC, 2015.
• IFC, “Women-Owned SMEs: A Business Opportunity for Financial Institutions,”
RESOURCES
• IFC and GPFI, Strengthening Access to Finance for Women-Owned SMEs in Developing
Countries, Washington, DC: IFC, 2011.
• Niethammer, Carmen, “Women, Entrepreneurship, and the Opportunity to Promote
Development and Business,” Washington, DC: Brookings, 2013.
• Pauktuutit Inuit Women in Business Network, “Opportunities in Mining Procurement.”
• Rio Tinto. “Strong Links in the Chain.”
• Royal Bank of Scotland, Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Code of Conduct: Adopting the Code,
Edinburgh: RBS.
• UN Women, Corporate Guide to Gender Responsive Procurement, New York: UN
Women, 2017.
• UN Women, The Power of Procurement: How to Source from Women-Owned Businesses,
New York: UN Women, 2017, 29.
• Urban Institute, “Six Lessons on What Works in Supporting Women-Owned
Businesses,” Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2016.
• VanderBrug, Jackie. “The Global Rise of Female Entrepreneurs,” Harvard Business Review,
September 4, 2013.
• Valikai, Kara, “Why Bringing Women Owned Business into the Supply Chain Makes
Business Sense,” Devex, 2013.
• Walmart, “Top WBENC Consumer Companies Join Together for the First Time in
Collective Initiative to Source from Women-Owned Businesses,” March 29, 2017.
• WEConnect International, “Global Supplier Diversity & Inclusion: Reaching the Gold
Standard,” Washington, DC: WEConnect, 2015.
• WEConnect International and Royal Bank of Scotland, Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Code
of Conduct, Edinburgh: RBS.
• World Bank, “The Global Findex Database 2014,” Washington, DC: World Bank, 2015.
• World Bank, “Women, Business and the Law: Getting to Equal,” Washington, DC: World
Bank, 2015.
TOOL SUITE 3 | WOMEN AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
OVERVIEW: Women and Community Engagement in

Infrastructure Operations
Because infrastructure operations can cause major changes—both positive and
negative—to surrounding communities, both company and community are best served
by a constructive working relationship. This social license to operate—“a community’s
perceptions of the acceptability of a company
and its local operations”3—is essential to smooth Having the
operations.4 Additionally, the community near an community’s trust as
operation—depending on the type of infrastructure
well as understanding
project—is made up of potential users or consumers
of the service offered. Having the community’s trust its needs will ensure the
as well as understanding its needs will ensure the highest chances of
highest chances of gaining not just the community’s
acceptance of the project, but also its business.
gaining its business.
When a company fails to obtain social license, community opposition can ensue. This
could lead to protests and other interruptions that may increase project timelines and
costs and affect company reputation and stock price. Conversely, the consultation and
collaboration required to obtain and maintain social license can create opportunities for
companies and communities to work together, which can boost the potential for positive
benefits for both groups and increase community usage of the infrastructure (such as
transport systems or water and energy infrastructure). Effective community engagement
and development programs are key. Increasingly, companies are investing considerable
resources into in-depth community assessments as well as community development
strategies and activities.
Social license implies the acceptance of the community as a whole. However, men and
women often have different experiences with and perceptions of infrastructure projects,
informed by their different daily lives, needs, and risks. Often, the benefits and risks
from these projects are unequally distributed between men and women. Women, due to
their often higher social and economic vulnerability, frequently suffer greater negative
environmental, economic, and social impacts from infrastructure development than men,
with reduced access to benefits, consultations, and compensation.
3 Thomas Boutilier and Ian Thomson, “Modelling and Measuring the Social License to Operate: Fruits of a Dialogue between
Theory and Practice,” Social License, 2011. 2.
4 Rory Pike, Social License to Operate: The Relevance of Social License to Operate for Mining Companies, New York: Schroders,
2012.
Women play important roles in every
OVERVIEW
community. Their buy-in and support Working constructively
is critical to sustained social license to with women throughout
operate. Working constructively with
women throughout the community
the community engagement
engagement process is important to process is important to ensure
ensure that community benefits are that community benefits are
equitably distributed, and that the
infrastructure’s design and operation equitably distributed, and that the
is informed by a diverse group of infrastructure’s design and operation
community members to facilitate
is informed by a diverse group of
its usability and accessibility. It also
helps catalyze broader community community members to facilitate
benefits and ultimately yields positive its usability and accessibility.
impacts on company bottom lines.
Social license can be fleeting. Risks, perceptions, and trust must be managed and
maintained over time. Continued communication and engagement with women and men
in surrounding communities is key, and companies should pay attention to potential
changes in attitudes and perceptions toward a project over time.
This Tool Suite identifies the ways in which men and women can be impacted differently
by infrastructure projects. It shows how efforts to understand and address the needs and
interests of both men and women can help stretch community investment dollars further
for greater impact while enabling longer lasting and more robust social license, as well as
helping companies better understand how to adequately meet the needs of community
members as users.
Ensuring that both men and women are equitably involved in community consultations,
negotiations, and benefit sharing is of such critical importance that it is a key tenet of IFC’s
Environmental and Social Performance Standards. These standards define IFC clients’
responsibilities for managing environmental and social risks and help ensure that all
IFC-supported projects assess and minimize risk to communities and develop effective
social license. The Equator Principles, designed around the IFC Performance Standards
and used by many global financial institutions, apply these principles to project finance.
The importance of gender-equitable community engagement strategies and grievance
mechanisms is highlighted specifically in Performance Standard 1, as well as throughout
all of IFC’s Performance Standards and the Equator Principles.
Gender Dimensions of Infrastructure Project Impacts
OVERVIEW
In many communities, men and women have distinct roles and responsibilities, which
can mean that men and women may be affected differently by infrastructure projects.
Potential impacts can differ by sector, as well as by regional, country, and local dynamics.
Additionally, different phases of a project can come with their own risks and impacts. For
example, construction, operation, and closure have their own unique risks, while in energy
projects generation, transmission, and distribution can have different impacts. Below are
examples of local impacts that can be generated by infrastructure projects:
• Changes in the local economy: Infrastructure projects can lead to the creation of new
formal and informal jobs in a community, which may mean an economic shift from a
subsistence to cash-based economy (especially in rural areas) and/or an influx of job
seekers, who, due to the nature of the work, may be primarily male. Along with the
potential land use changes brought about by an infrastructure project, this economic
shift can reduce the prevalence and importance of subsistence roles and increase the
importance of cash incomes. In communities in which women perform the majority of
subsistence labor and men may be more likely to be hired for cash-generating work, this
can prolong women’s economic dependence on men. This change to a cash economy
has been known to change spending patterns among male earners; for example, by
increasing the portion of household income spent on alcohol and sex workers.
• Changes in the economy of the “sending communities” (external or distant
communities that are the source of male workers on the project): Especially in
rural areas, when men leave to pursue employment elsewhere, women may suffer
economic hardship because of issues such as legal barriers to land ownership.
• Unequal employment opportunities: Due to discrimination, systemic lack of access to
education and training, or cultural barriers that inhibit their engagement, women often
do not have the same required training and employment opportunities in infrastructure
projects that men find. In addition, workplaces may not accommodate the needs of
women, who often bear the primary responsibility for raising children. For example, the
company might not offer flexible schedules, family leave policies, or childcare support.
• Social and health problems, including domestic and gender-based violence:
The influx of a predominantly male workforce and increased access to cash income
in project-affected communities can lead to higher rates of alcohol abuse, gender-
based violence, prostitution, teen pregnancy (and the drop out of girls from school),
and sexually transmitted infections. In cases where women are able to obtain cash
employment from infrastructure projects, they may be subject to increased gender-
based violence at home because of shifts in gender roles and domestic power
structures, or in the workplace if male employees are not sensitized to working with
female colleagues.5
• Environmental degradation: In many rural communities, women often have
OVERVIEW
the primary responsibility for collecting water and food for the family. Negative
environmental impacts from infrastructure projects could decrease the availability of
clean water, wood, fuel, forest products, and agricultural land, which means women
must walk longer distances to access these resources, deepening their time poverty6
and increasing the risk of gender-based violence.
The list above outlines potential risks and vulnerabilities from infrastructure operations
faced by women. In addition, women are often left out of key mechanisms for mitigating
risks and creating benefits. This exclusion can occur in several ways:
• Omission or limited access to consultation processes: Women are often left
out of formal community consultations, which can diminish their ability to actively
participate in discussion and debate. This can be due to cultural factors (such as men
assuming leadership roles or women not being comfortable or permitted to speak
up in front of men), scheduling constraints (community meetings and consultations
occurring when women are occupied with domestic responsibilities), or other factors.
In addition, consultations are often held with heads of households or property owners,
and women tend to be underrepresented in these groups. Women may lack access to
information shared in such consultations, so they may not have opportunities to voice
their opinions and concerns.
• Unfair distribution of royalties and Since women often are not
livelihood restoration opportunities:
Men or male heads of households
the legal owners of land or
might receive compensation on behalf property they occupy or use and
of their families, but these funds might typically have different economic
not reach the women family members,
potentially perpetuating their economic roles than men, livelihood
dependence on men. Since women restoration and resettlement
often are not the legal owners of land or
programs risk overlooking
property they occupy or use and typically
have different economic roles than men, women’s roles and needs, and
livelihood restoration and resettlement therefore, often those of children.
programs risk overlooking women’s
roles and needs, and therefore, often those of children. The result is that women and
children could end up more vulnerable than they were before the project.
5 For more details on how to identify and mitigate this risk, see IFC’s handbook on managing influx: Projects and People: A
Handbook for Addressing Project-Induced In-Migration, Washington, DC: IFC, September 2009, and the World Bank’s “Uganda -
Transport Sector Development Project: additional financing - lessons learned and agenda for action,” November 11, 2016.
6 Defined as working long hours with no other options while remaining cash poor. For more, see the glossary of terms.
When women are left out of a company’s community engagement activities, and their
OVERVIEW
interests, needs, and risks are not taken into account during project planning and
development, the project risks perpetuating or even increasing negative health and
safety risks such as:
• Time poverty, work, and education: Where women have to delay water collection or
use of sanitation facilities or cannot use transport systems because of safety or other
concerns, this can impede their daily activities, such as household duties or school
attendance, and can be physically and psychologically damaging.
• Waterborne diseases and gender-based violence: Inadequate water and sanitation
can lead to waterborne diseases that affect health and productivity, limiting
women’s availability to take part in productive and/or income-generating activities.
Needing to go outside to collect water or use sanitation facilities also leaves women
disproportionately at risk of violence.
• Safety and gender-based violence: Urban centers can be hubs of opportunity but
can also pose significant risk of violence to women as municipal service users. Rapid
urbanization has been linked to increased violence against women service users in
transport, public markets, parks, and bathrooms.
The Business Case for Gender-Equitable Community Consultations

Including women in community assessments, consultations, benefit sharing, and activities
can help build social license, increase usage of infrastructure, and ensure that community
investments are constructive and sustainable. Moreover, engaging with women and
vulnerable groups as part of community consultations is a requirement of obtaining
financing from various investors, including IFC.7
Strengthening Community Support for Operations

As noted above, the experiences of men and women as they relate to infrastructure
projects are often not the same. As a result, male and female community members may
not offer the same level of support for or opposition to a project.
Women who are satisfied with a company’s development impact have been known to
play a constructive role in reducing conflicts. Conversely, women who are dissatisfied
with the consultation process or proposed development impact of infrastructure projects
have been known to oppose project development and lead resistance movements. Local
women’s NGOs in recent years have forged regional and international alliances to resist
infrastructure and natural resources projects and are becoming a more confident and
organized voice that should not be disregarded.
7 For more, see IFC Performance Standard 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts.
It is also important to note that some communities are home to matriarchal or
OVERVIEW
matrilineal societies, meaning that companies with projects in such locations must pay
special attention to the unique roles of women. In local communities, women often
have a powerful voice in decision making. Failure to acknowledge this voice or to include
women in formal settings can prove costly for companies.
Women’s Participation in Consultations Enhances Efficiency

Ensuring women’s full participation can make the consultation process more efficient.
A gender impact assessment conducted for a road project in Peru found that women’s
participation in consultations increased project efficiency, transparency, and quality.8
The company gave women the opportunity to express their transport needs in
participatory workshops. Largely due to these consultations with women, 3,465
kilometers of non-motorized tracks were refurbished, connecting previously isolated
communities to markets and services and increasing the economic rate of return of the
project. The gender impact assessment also found that 77% of women traveled more
frequently and 65% felt they traveled more safely.
A gender impact assessment The gender impact assessment also found that
conducted for a road project
in Peru found that women’s 77% of women 65% of women
participation in consultations TRAVELED FELT THEY
increased project efficiency, MORE TRAVELED
transparency, and quality. FREQUENTLY MORE SAFELY
Even in communities where men have more visible decision-making power or

infrastructure jobs and may be more visibly engaged with the operators, women often
play an important behind-the-scenes role in making or moderating community decisions
about project approval, strikes, or other collective action. In some communities, men may
be the “face” of the negotiations with a company but may consult with their wives before
coming to a decision—or they may consult with their wives afterwards and end up having
to come back to the company with new feedback, causing delays that could have been
prevented if women had been included in consultations from the beginning.
8 World Bank, The Challenges of Enhancing Women’s Mobility: Examples from Road Rehabilitation Projects in Timor Leste and
Kiribati, 2015
Women’s Participation in Consultations Increases User Engagement and
OVERVIEW
Consumer Demand
As mentioned above, women and men have different day-to-day experiences and needs,
and this has an impact on the way they can engage with and use infrastructure and
services. Ensuring that women attend and participate in consultations and studies that
inform the design of the infrastructure
itself, and not just community programs
Ensuring that an infrastructure
and community engagement, will allow the
company to develop a product or service project best meets the needs
that has the highest potential user uptake. of its wide variety of potential
In fact, ensuring that an infrastructure
project best meets the needs of its wide
users is nothing new—it is really
variety of potential users is nothing new— just human-centered design.
it is really just human-centered design.
Additionally, women and men often have different preferences or obstacles with regards
to paying for products or services. Taking into account the financial capacity and needs
of women can help companies create affordable and practical tariff structures for users
(such as allowing users to make smaller and more frequent payments in locations closer
to home, and/or use payment methods such as mobile money or smartphone apps).
Infrastructure operations may have varying levels of usage from community members
immediately surrounding the project. While the project’s impact may extend far beyond
the immediate area, not making a point to understand and target the most local of
potential users leaves potential profit untapped and key relationships undeveloped.
Improving Sustainability through Inclusive Community Engagement

Research shows that consulting with women and men about community needs and
investment priorities can lead to better outcomes. For instance, a study by Elizabeth
King and Andrew Mason found that men and women often have different priorities for
community investment: when women are consulted about their community’s needs, they
most often request vital programs or infrastructure related to health, education, and
safety, whereas men are more inclined to ask for large infrastructure projects that may
not meet the immediate and basic needs of the population.
Including both perspectives can help ensure both upfront community satisfaction and
investments that support longer-term development as well as attract both male and
female customers and users. Where communities are invested in helping companies meet
sustainable development objectives, gender-equitable consultations can help ensure that
community investment budgets support these goals.
The global evidence also shows that investing in women contributes to better family and
OVERVIEW
community outcomes, in addition to the fact that the inclusion of diverse perspectives
expands the range of viable options for community development and user engagement.
“Societies with large, persistent gender inequalities pay the price of more poverty, more
malnutrition, more illness, and more deprivations of other kinds,” King and Mason note.9
By contrast, studies also show that in

developing countries, women invest a
Companies that want to do
significantly higher percentage of their income measurable good in affected
into their families relative to men. When communities need to ensure
societies have more gender equality, poverty
is reduced and economies grow.10 Companies that both men and women
that want to do measurable good in affected benefit from community
communities—which can itself help foster
initiatives. Working with
social license—need to ensure that both
men and women benefit from community both men and women can
initiatives. Working with both men and women help support this goal.
can help support this goal. For companies
interested in contributing to sustainable and inclusive development in addition to building
social license, an inclusive community engagement strategy is key.
Responding to Investor Concerns

Shareholders and investors are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of a
positive relationship between infrastructure companies and affected communities,
including the significance of community women as key actors. Given the range of issues
that some companies have faced involving women’s rights—including serious cases of
widespread violence against women—shareholders are beginning to pay more attention
to the extent of companies’ gender-related due diligence.
Companies that can demonstrate a constructive and collaborative relationship with men
and women in affected communities can help mitigate risks of operational shutdowns
linked to community relations and strengthen overall investor confidence.
Increasingly, minimizing gender impacts and improving gender equality are considered
smart business. More and more investors and financial institutions, including IFC, have
incorporated gender considerations in their decisions about projects that they finance.
Along with the growing recognition of the importance of gender in combatting poverty and
achieving sustainable development, gender equality requirements have gained momentum,
9 Elizabeth M. King and Andrew D. Mason, Engendering Development Through Gender Equality in Rights, Resources, and
Voice, Washington and New York: World Bank and Oxford University Press, 2001, 73.
10 World Bank, “Good Practice Note: Integrating Gender into Country Assistance Strategies,” June 2012.
and even more investors will likely implement new gender requirements or strengthen
OVERVIEW
existing gender requirements as conditions for future project finance.
Compliance with International Human Rights Frameworks as Best Practice

Human rights abuses related to infrastructure company operations or resistance to
project development not only eat away at company-community trust and social license,
but also can quickly tarnish a company’s reputation. Some highly publicized cases in
recent years have been related directly to the interactions between the company or
its contractors and women from affected communities, while others have included
the increasing numbers of murders of human rights defenders leading opposition
to infrastructure projects,11 such as the tragic killing of Berta Cáceres, an indigenous
Honduran activist who successfully led to the halting of the Agua Zarca Dam project that
had failed to consult the local indigenous Lenca people.12 Growing recognition of the
private sector’s responsibility to uphold the human rights of host communities has led
many companies to demonstrate their commitment by signing on to international human
rights frameworks, creating a growing expectation that companies will also carry out
related processes such as human rights impact assessments and grievance mechanisms.
Conclusion
The evidence is clear that given women’s and men’s different societal roles and daily
lives, the economic, environmental, and social changes that accompany infrastructure
projects can impact men and women differently. Infrastructure projects have the potential
to exacerbate gender inequalities and negatively impact women. They also can enable
equitable opportunities for men and women to plan, participate in, and benefit from
potential growth opportunities. To pursue gender equality is not to favor women; rather,
it is an attempt to achieve equity and equal opportunity for all members of a community.
Ignoring differences in gender roles—and therefore the ways in which men and women
are impacted by and participate in infrastructure operations and decision-making—might
actually worsen gender inequalities and development challenges within a community.
It also represents a missed opportunity, preventing companies from engaging and
attracting as many customers as possible.
Community engagement programs that acknowledge and incorporate the critical role
played by women have increased potential to strengthen community development and
enhance social license, bottom line, and investment attraction. Integrating gender into a
company’s community engagement policies and strategies is an important component to
a gender-sensitive project—and is also good business.
11 Global Witness, “Defending Tomorrow: The climate crisis and threats against land and environmental defenders,” July 2020.
12 Read more about Cáceres at the Goldman Prize website.
TOOL SUITE 3: Tools to Address Gender Equality in

Community Engagement
What steps can your company take to ensure that you engage women and men in all
aspects of the project cycle and community development initiatives, as well as ensure
you are developing your project in a way that attracts the largest number of users?
Tool Suite 3 offers support as you consider the differing needs of community men and
women as they relate to infrastructure project development, and as you seek to create
equitable opportunities to access resources and opportunities related to projects and
services. Many infrastructure companies likely already have access to guidance on overall
community consultation and community development. As a result, this tool suite provides
practical suggestions and examples of strategies to specifically address gender equality
in community and user engagement. It also offers guidance on mechanisms to ensure
accountability. This toolkit is meant to provide a comprehensive guide of options—companies
should pick and choose tools, or portions of tools, to use depending on their current needs
and capabilities. The tools can be used as rough guides, or can be followed verbatim, but
should always be tailored to the specific context of the project and stage of operation.

↓ TOOL 3.1: Road Map for All Readers Introduces how all the tools in
Using Tools in Tool Suite 3 this Tool Suite work together
↓ ASSESS AND PREPARE: Tools 3.2–3.6 offer guidance on conducting initial company self-
assessments, integrating gender concerns into baseline and social impact assessments,
and hiring an independent gender expert. These actions will help you determine the
extent of your engagement with women and the impacts of projects on women. The
tools also provide guidance on gathering the gender-disaggregated socioeconomic data
that will serve as critical inputs to the other community engagement tools featured in
this tool suite, as well as approaches to ensure that social impact assessments measure
the disproportionate impacts the project may have on women.
↓ TOOL 3.2: Rapid Community Engagement Understand the extent

Gender and Community to which the company-
Engagement Company community engagement
Self-Assessment activities currently assess and
address gender dynamics
↓ TOOL 3.3: Rapid Gender Community Engagement, Understand the extent to

and User Engagement Consumer/User which the company user
Company Self- Engagement engagement activities
Assessment currently assess and address
gender dynamics
TOOL SUITE 3
↓ TOOL 3.4: Terms Community Engagement, Ensure that community
of Reference for Human Resources engagement teams have
Independent required gender expertise
Gender Expert
↓ TOOL 3.5: Integrate Community Engagement Develop a gender-sensitive

Gender Concerns into and/or Independent understanding of community
Baseline Community Gender Expert dynamics
Assessments
↓ TOOL 3.6: Integrate Community Engagement Understand the gender

Gender Concerns and/or Independent dimensions of project impacts
into Social Impact Gender Expert on impacted communities
Assessments
↓ ADDRESS: Tools 3.7–3.14 are designed to help increase gender equality and women’s
engagement in consultations, decision-making, community and user engagement, and
emergency planning and response. They also provide direction on ways to minimize
negative impacts by integrating a gender dimension into company-community
engagement activities and guidance on activities that will empower and benefit
women and bring the potential for strong returns on investment.
↓ TOOL 3.7: Facilitate Community Engagement Ensure women’s equal

Gender-Equitable participation in consultations
Participation in for design of infrastructure
Consultations on projects and community
Infrastructure Operations initiatives
↓ TOOL 3.8: Guide for Community Engagement Ensure the integration

Integrating Women into and/or Independent of women into COVID-19
COVID-19 Interventions Gender Expert interventions to ensure that
and Other Emergency planning and response are
Planning and Response adapted to their specific needs
and that their contributions
are valued and taken into
account. Can also be applied
to other emergency situations.
↓ TOOL 3.9: Guidance Note Community Engagement Ensure women benefit

on Gender-Responsive from livelihoods restoration
Livelihoods Restoration programs
↓ TOOL 3.10: Ensure Community Engagement Ensure women’s participation

Gender Sensitivity in and/or Independent in participatory monitoring
Participatory Monitoring Gender Expert and evaluation and in
and Evaluation and grievance mechanisms for
Grievance Mechanisms project-affected communities
TOOL SUITE 3
↓ TOOL 3.11: Design Community Engagement, Ensure the resettlement
a Gender-Sensitive Resettlement Specialist, process facilitates equal
Resettlement Process and/or Independent opportunities and minimizes
Gender Expert disproportionate harm to
women
↓ TOOL 3.12: Create Community Engagement Ensure community initiatives

Community Development in partnership with are designed to reflect
Initiatives that Benefit Independent priorities of men and women
Both Men and Women Gender Expert in the community
↓ TOOL 3.13: Create Local Community Engagement Develop activities that

Economic Development in partnership with promote women’s economic
and Empowerment Independent empowerment
Opportunities for Women Gender Expert
↓ TOOL 3.14: Community Engagement, Support companies in

Guidance Note for Procurement creating a vibrant women’s
Building a Women’s entrepreneur ecosystem
Entrepreneurship
Community
↓ MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: Tools 3.15–3.16 offer guidance on setting benchmarks,

measuring impact, and improving practice. This includes ways to ensure that women
participate in transparency and accountability mechanisms, which can address
potential concerns and help avoid problems altogether.
↓ TOOL 3.15: Sample Community Engagement Develop indicators to

Indicators for Monitoring in partnership with adequately measure and
and Evaluating the Independent evaluate gender aspects of
Gender Mainstreaming of Gender Expert infrastructure projects and
Infrastructure Companies’ community initiatives
Community Engagement
and Community Initiatives
↓ TOOL 3.16: Community Community Engagement To gather community

Scorecard Tool perspectives on, and empower
community members to make
changes to, gender issues.
(Can be used to evaluate other
issues, for employees, or to
evaluate services, for instance,
in the community.)
TOOL 3.1
The tools in Tool Suite 3 all support companies’ efforts to increase the participation of
women in their engagement with communities, as well as to ensure women’s needs and
interests are taken into account as users of company services. This roadmap provides
an overview of the tools, as well as suggestions on how to combine them into effective
approaches. While this Tool Suite contains a large number of tools, choosing just a few to
begin with can provide a company with valuable insight into communities and users as
well as opportunities for improved and inclusive engagement. In most cases, companies
should begin with the tools that make the most sense from a time and money perspective,
taking into account which are most relevant to the current stage of operations.
1. ASSESS AND PREPARE: The first stage of the gender journey in community engagement
is to understand to what extent gender equality and women’s participation are affected
by—and taken into account by—current activities.
• Assess the Situation: To achieve a baseline understanding of the extent to which
company-community engagement activities currently assess and address gender
dynamics and gender-differentiated needs, perform a Rapid Gender and Community
Engagement Company Self-Assessment (TOOL 3.2). For user engagement, conduct a
Rapid Gender and User Engagement Company Self-Assessment (TOOL 3.3).
• Hire an Independent Specialist (when necessary): If you want to incorporate
gender into community engagement activities but lack specific gender expertise,
consider recruiting an independent gender expert. TOOL 3.4 outlines sample terms
of reference, including key tasks and required competencies, for such an expert.
• Integrate Gender into Company Assessments: TOOL 3.5 serves as a step-by-
step guide to either integrate gender concerns into an existing baseline community
assessment or to conduct a supplementary assessment to gather baseline data
on women. TOOL 3.6 outlines how to integrate gender concerns into social impact
assessments in order to understand the gender dimensions of project impacts on
impacted communities.
2. ADDRESS: Once you have collected some baseline data to better understand the
TOOL 3.1
gender dimensions of your engagement and project activities, the next set of tools can
be applied to inform the design, development, and refining of activities.
• Facilitate Women’s Participation in Consultations: A principal element of
company-community interaction is consultations; however, women’s voices are
often not adequately represented. TOOL 3.7 outlines proactive measures to ensure
women’s involvement and participation in consultations.
• Integrate a Gender Lens into Critical Community Engagement Processes:
Tools in this section focus on strategies to integrate women’s needs and concerns
into existing community programs and processes. TOOL 3.8 provides guidance to
ensure that COVID-19 interventions and other emergency planning and response
activities are adapted to the specific needs of men and women. TOOL 3.9 outlines
steps to develop gender-sensitize livelihoods restoration programs. TOOL 3.10
walks you through ways to guarantee women’s involvement in both participatory
monitoring and evaluation processes, as well as grievance mechanisms. As
resettlement processes can leave the most vulnerable members of a community
at risk of further marginalization, TOOL 3.11 serves as a step-by-step guide to
gender-sensitive resettlement.
• Create Initiatives that Promote Development of Women in the Community:
The next set of tools outlines how to proactively design community initiatives that
benefit both men and women (TOOL 3.12), create local economic development
and empowerment opportunities for women (TOOL 3.13), and build a women’s
entrepreneurship community (TOOL 3.14).
3. MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: Finally, the last set of tools in this Tool Suite focuses on
monitoring, evaluating, and sustaining the gender mainstreaming of a company’s
community engagement and community initiatives (TOOLS 3.15 and 3.16).
TOOL 3.1
3.2 Rapid Gender and Community
Engagement Company Self-Assessment
Assess Situation
3.3 Rapid Gender and User Engagement
Company Self-Assessment
ASSESS & Hire Independent Specialist 3.4 Terms of Reference for Independent
PREPARE (when necessary) Gender Expert
3.5 Integrate Gender Concerns into Baseline

Integrate Gender into Community Assessments
Company Assessments 3.6 Integrate Gender Concerns into Social
Impact Assessments
Facilitate Women’s 3.7 Facilitate Gender-Equitable Participation

Participation in in Consultations on Infrastructure
Consultations Operations
3.8 Guide for Integrating Women into

COVID-19 Interventions and Other
Emergency Planning and Response
3.9 Guidance Note on Gender-Responsive
Integrate a Gender Lens Livelihoods Restoration
ADDRESS into Critical Community
Engagement Processes 3.10 Ensure Gender Sensitivity in
Participatory Monitoring and
Evaluation and Grievance Mechanisms
3.11 Design a Gender-Sensitive
Resettlement Process
3.12 Create Community Development

Initiatives that Benefit Both Men
and Women
Create Initiatives that
3.13 Create Local Economic Development
Promote Development of
and Empowerment Opportunities for
Women in the Community Women
3.14 Guidance Note for Building a Women’s
Entrepreneurship Community
3.15 Monitoring and Evaluating the Gender

MONITOR Mainstreaming of Infrastructure Companies’
& SUSTAIN Community Engagement and Community Initiatives
3.16 Community Scorecard Tool

Developing an understanding of how certain key issues impact affected communities is
the first step in implementing effective and appropriate gender-sensitive community and
user engagement strategies. This includes gaining insights into:
• Gender dynamics: How do the differences in men’s and women’s roles within the
community impact their ability to engage in or benefit from infrastructure project
design, services, and community development initiatives?
• The company’s influence on community gender dynamics: In what ways might
the potential or presence of the infrastructure project change gender roles and
relationships in the community? In what ways might the company work to strengthen
the role of women? In addition, what are the potential negative impacts on gender
relations caused by interventions, for example on women’s economic or social status?
Among the negative consequences could be issues such as increased incidence of
gender-based violence. How can such impacts be avoided?
While infrastructure projects offer opportunities to strengthen the role of women in

a community, the project (or potential project) also could have a negative impact on
gender relationships or norms. Gaining this understanding early and continuing to
monitor gender impacts will help you design and implement activities to promote an
enduring social license, yielding positive impacts for women, men, and the community as
a whole. Given the dynamic nature of communities and community relations, continuous
assessment, monitoring, and evaluation of company progress on gender and the project’s
impacts on gender norms in the community is absolutely essential. This applies to new
projects and projects already underway.
It is important to note that men and women are not homogenous groups. When collecting
data and/or performing consultations, be sure to include women and men from varying
socioeconomic levels, castes, religions, ethnic groups, ages, literacy statuses, marital
statuses (single, married, widowed, divorced), and disabilities. Among married women,
also be sure to note whether a marriage is polygamous. Lack of awareness of varying
types of marriage structures13 may inadvertently result in the marginalization of some
wives over others, such as, for example, if one wife is included in consultations or benefit
sharing but additional wives in the marriage are not accounted for.
13 Projects, especially those in rural and remote areas, may be hosted by communities with strong existing traditions that
present challenges to gender equality; for example, the marriage of girls at a young age or polygamy. While cultural change
is a long-term process beyond the scope of an infrastructure project, awareness of these contextual issues is important for
infrastructure companies to avoid inadvertently making the situation worse.
ASSESS AND PREPARE

To ensure the most accurate and up-to-date picture of the community situation, attending
to such distinctions—and disaggregating the data based on them—throughout the
assessment phase will be critical.
This section offers tools to help community engagement teams and/or independent
gender experts affiliated with infrastructure projects:
• Review the company’s community and user engagement activities to assess the extent
to which gender is an explicit theme and data is gender-disaggregated in assessments
and projects.
• Evaluate women’s participation in and benefit from the company’s consultations and
community and user engagement activities by reviewing:
• To what extent women actively participate in negotiations related to project design,
use of local labor force, and community involvement in monitoring and evaluation of
the project’s impacts.
• The number of women who receive benefits from community development initiatives
compared to men, and the extent to which these initiatives are designed to meet the
needs of both women and men.
• Any gender differences in terms of negative project impacts.
The tools provided here can supplement the community assessment tools typically used
by companies, with additional steps that can help integrate gender into assessment
strategies. If project assessments have already been completed, the community
engagement team must determine whether the assessments have adequately addressed
gender, or if they need to undertake separate gender assessments.
The Role of Assessments

Integrating gender into
Integrating gender into baseline
community and social impact baseline community and
assessments is essential to offer social impact assessments
insight into gender roles, relations,
is essential to offer insight into
and influencing institutions within the
community and the potential project gender roles, relations, and
impacts on those roles, relationships, and influencing institutions within
institutions. It ensures a more thorough
understanding of the community that will
the community and the potential
be your neighbor, partner, and perhaps project impacts on those roles,
customer for potentially decades to come relationships, and institutions.
over the life of a project.
ASSESS AND PREPARE

The assessments form the foundation for the design of community engagement
activities. They ensure that the benefits from community activities are shared equally
throughout the community and that they support economic and social development—
both as a direct result of the project and indirectly, independent of operations. Carefully
constructed assessments can uncover key insights about community priorities and
vulnerabilities, directing community engagement activities to the most important
issues. In turn, this will help community engagement teams execute activities that are
embedded in the project cycle, beginning with planning, through implementation, and
into the closure stages of the project.
In short, the assessments create tremendous value for community and user engagement
teams and the company itself. The information gathered—and the relationships formed
during the assessment process—can open the door to wider engagement in processes
such as:
• Project design, payment and tariff structures, and strategic planning
• Allocation of royalties, community development funds, and other opportunities for
benefit sharing
• Design of community development initiatives such as education opportunities and
health facilities
TOOL 3.2
Rapid Gender and Community Engagement Company
Self-Assessment
» GOAL: Understand the extent to which company-community engagement activities
currently assess and address gender dynamics
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement
Before making use of the formal assessment tools that follow later in the tool suite,
consider using this questionnaire to take stock of the current situation. It can give you a
quick understanding of your company’s current state when it comes to integrating gender
dynamics and women’s and men’s needs and concerns into your engagement projects.14
The number of “Yes” answers, relative to “No,” will give you an initial overview for the
extent to which your community engagement activities are gender-sensitized.
Analyzing your answers to the questions will help identify gaps in gender-sensitizing
your project and community programs. It also will help determine which of the tools and
actions that follow will be most useful for your company as you work to fully integrating
gender into community engagement strategies.
Keep in mind that there may be distinct cultural or demographic characteristics that come
with their own challenges and risks. It is important to not make assumptions about a
culture or community and to ask questions to better understand it. Even if your company
(or its partners or subcontractors) have experience in the country, different regions and
communities often have their own subcultures, religions, histories, languages, and unique
vulnerabilities and opportunities.
Just as engaging women is an important Youth are another

component of ensuring all voices in a community
are heard, youth are another demographic demographic group that
group that are often left out the decision-making are often left out the
process, despite having distinct needs and
decision-making process,
interests. This can not only lead to a weaker
social license, but can also cause a company despite having distinct
to miss the opportunity to ensure community needs and interests.
engagement and community programming is as
effective and sustainable as possible. Especially in countries with young populations, it is
simply smart business to engage youth effectively.
14 This list was adapted in part from Deanna Kemp and Julia Keenan, Why Gender Matters: A Resource Guide for Integrating
Gender Considerations into Communities Work at Rio Tinto, Melbourne: Rio Tinto, 2010, 32.
TOOL 3.2
TABLE 3A | Rapid Gender and Community Engagement Company Self-Assessment
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Do baseline community assessments:
CHECK
IF YES
Use gender-disaggregated data?

Extensively consult with women and men in the community to conduct the assessments?
(See TOOL 3.7 for guidance on how to effectively engage both women and men)
Assess differences in women’s/men’s and boys’/girls’ roles and responsibilities in
aspects of daily life at home, in school, and in the workforce?
Assess gender differences in land and property ownership, and access to and control
of resources, including access to finance and bank accounts?
Assess ways in which the project will impact women and men differently at all stages
of the project, including construction and closure?
Assess ways in which the project impacts women’s health, safety, and security?
Assess ways in which men’s and women’s roles and responsibilities affect their access
to employment or other project benefits?
Assess ways in which men’s and women’s roles and responsibilities affect their ability
to participate in community consultations?
Take into account youth’s unique needs, interests, and vulnerabilities?
Represent a cross-section of women from different socioeconomic levels, castes,
religions, ethnic groups, ages, literacy statuses, marital statuses (single, widowed,
divorced, or secondary or tertiary wives in a polygamous community), and disabilities?
Intend to understand marriage structures in the community, such as if polygamy
is common? If so, are all spouses (not just the primary spouse) included in
consultations, compensation, and benefit sharing?
Intend to understand lineage structures of the community, such as if the community
is matrilineal?
Verify the demographic makeup of the community and the workforce to check for
nontraditional trends? (e.g., in post-conflict societies, there may be more women
than men who work, or more women than men in general, if a large population of
men had been killed in conflict.)
Take into account nontraditional community entities, clubs, or social organizations?
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
TOOL 3.2
Do community programs:
CHECK
IF YES
Employ a participatory process that engages both men and women in their design?
Include a participatory monitoring mechanism that incorporates both men and women?
Include assessment of whether activities will impact men and women differently?
Include measures to ensure that women and men benefit equally from activities
and/or include specific activities to benefit women?
Ensure easy access to and participation of the most vulnerable groups/individuals?
Community consultations:
CHECK
IF YES
Are all social and ethnic groups from all project-affected communities
represented in community consultations? Does this include women from different
socioeconomic levels, castes, religions, ethnic groups, ages, literacy statuses,
marital statuses (single, widowed, divorced, or secondary or tertiary wives in a
polygamous community), and disabilities?
Are men and women equally represented in community consultations?
If women are not equally represented in community consultations, does the
company make accommodations to facilitate their attendance (such as changing
the time or location of consultations according to women’s needs, or providing
transportation or childcare)?
Do women participate equitably (i.e., not merely being present, but able to speak,
ask questions, and fully participate)?
If women do not fully participate in mixed-gender community consultations, do you
hold separate consultations with women?
Does the company take into account women’s needs, concerns, and preferences in the
planning and operations of the project and of community development initiatives?
Do women themselves participate in the design and selection processes?
Does the company have a clear understanding of the challenges facing women in
affected communities?
TOOL 3.2
Do community consultations ensure youth attendance and participation, including
by holding separate youth consultations (or separate male and female youth
consultations) if necessary?
Note: In some cases, it may be necessary to explicitly define an age limit for these consultations,
as perceptions of what “youth” means can vary. Keep in mind that community leaders or other
non-youth may still attend these consultations, and it is up to the facilitator to decide whether this
will inhibit candid discussion and whether enforcing the age limit is feasible or appropriate.
Compensation and benefit sharing:

CHECK
IF YES
Are compensation and benefits shared with heads of household/property owners,

or are mechanisms in place to ensure men and women have equitable access
to financial resources (for instance, giving resources to both or establishing joint
signatories on accounts)?
Are consultation mechanisms in place to ensure that financial benefits reach the
whole family, and/or to determine the most equitable means of allocating benefits?
Grievance mechanisms and gender-based violence:

(See TOOL 3.10 for detailed guidance on designing gender-sensitive grievance mechanisms.)
CHECK
IF YES
Are any provisions for gender-inclusive company policies and practices extended to
subcontractors?
Were women consulted in the development of grievance mechanisms to ensure access?
Are grievance mechanisms available in safe and private ways to ensure safe,
anonymous, and secure access and encourage use of the mechanisms by anyone
with a grievance?
Do women make use grievance mechanisms that are already in place?
If they do make use of the mechanisms, how satisfied are women with the outcome
of grievance submissions?
SECTOR-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
TOOL 3.2
Water:
CHECK
IF YES
Are questions related to gender included in all user surveys and baseline
assessments, including questions to collect gender-disaggregated data about usage,
access, pricing, and payment and tariff structures?
Are women trained as local repair technicians?
Does the company work with communities to increase participation of women on
local water-management committees and structures?
Power:
CHECK
IF YES
Are questions related to gender included in all user surveys and baseline
assessments, including questions to collect gender-disaggregated data about usage,
access, pricing, and payment and tariff structures?
Transport:
CHECK
IF YES
Are questions related to gender included in all transport user surveys and baseline
assessments, including questions to collect gender-disaggregated data about trips,
frequency, and modes of transport?
Does the company use a gender lens for reviewing transport infrastructure
(accessibility of buses, trams; security; stop lighting; location of elevators; etc.), as
well as pricing models?
Do transport companies have a GBVH/sexual harassment code of conduct and
require trainings for drivers and fare collectors on identifying and addressing GBVH?
Are there policy solutions such as allowing multiple rides on a ticket, allowing buses
to stop between designated stops, or even women-only rail cars in areas with high
rates of harassment or GBVH on public transit?
Cities:
TOOL 3.2
CHECK
IF YES
When designing public spaces and services, are access and visibility of public spaces
in order to improve overall public safety considered, and particularly how women are
impacted?
Is a GBVH assessment integrated into all proposed urban development activities?
Are both women and men consulted on all emergency preparedness planning and
infrastructure, as well as included on all local emergency preparedness committees
and structures?
Are both boys and girls are educated about disaster risk prevention and response,
and instructed in essential skills like swimming?
TOOL 3.3
Rapid Gender and User Engagement Company Self-Assessment
» GOAL: Understand the extent to which the company user engagement activities
currently assess and address gender dynamics
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement and Consumer/User Engagement
Infrastructure companies know that

meeting the needs and interests of Because women and men
users is key to a successful operation. have different experiences,
It increases demand and usage of
household roles, customs and
the service or product, and therefore
profit. However, like in other sectors, social expectations, and daily
traditional studies, outreach, and tasks, their needs, usage of the
planning methods may not tell a
company everything it needs to know
service, and ability and methods of
about its users. Because women payment can differ. Ensuring your
and men have different experiences, company understands these
household roles, customs and social
expectations, and daily tasks, their differences is the first step to
needs, usage of the service, and ability meeting its users’ diverse needs.
and methods of payment can differ.
For example, individuals who are primarily responsible for domestic or caregiving duties—
women, in many contexts—use transport differently than those who commute daily to
work. And people without transportation or a bank account may have difficulty making
service payments for water or power if they are required to travel far from home to do
so. In many places, women are less likely to own a bank account; however, women are
sometimes those tasked with paying particular household bills. Ensuring your company
understands these differences is the first step to meeting its users’ diverse needs. By
meeting these needs, companies can increase their user base, collection of fees, and
relationships with users and the surrounding community.
As with TOOL 3.2, this tool is a questionnaire designed to give your company a quick
understanding of whether it is considering and integrating gender differences in the
design of services and payment structures. The number of “Yes” answers (relative to “No”
answers) will give you an initial overview of the extent to which your user engagement
activities are gender-sensitized.
TOOL 3.3
TABLE 3B | Rapid Gender and User Engagement Company Self-Assessment
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Do user engagement strategies:
CHECK
IF YES
Collect data on the sex of users?

Do any data analysis on usage patterns by sex?
Ensure that consultations (e.g., focus groups) and support services (e.g., customer
support helplines) for consumers are directed to, tailored for, and target all users,
including women, youth, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and individuals
who are illiterate?
Segregate meetings by gender when women are likely not to attend or speak freely in
front of men?
Have a dedicated gender and inclusion officer or team on staff?
When reviewing pricing, services, and infrastructure development, consider (through
consultations and other methods) the differentiated needs and usage patterns of
women and men?
Include female beneficiaries and users in the design of services and tariff structures?
Support municipal programs to involve women in civic engagement—such as in voter
registration and turnout—and involvement in consultation and feedback mechanisms?
Incorporate questions about gender in all user surveys and baseline assessments,
such as to assess differences in usage patterns, mobility patterns, payment needs, and
accessibility? (More specific questions can be found below in sector-specific question lists.)
Consider conducting the following studies when appropriate?
• Study alternative/non-traditional payment platforms and tariff structures tailored
to serve the needs of low-income users/households.
• Qualitative/quantitative research to understand the risks facing vulnerable/
low-income groups, including female-headed households (FHH), with regard to
tariff, payment, and mobility issues.
• Mapping users from FHHs in the target service area to integrate this data into a
service user database.
Ensure that communications directed at users are designed for both a female and
male audience, so that both men and women are aware of services, changes, and
other information the company wants to communicate?
TOOL 3.3
Understand and map out distinct needs and preferences of products/services by
men and women to see if there is an unmet demand?
Include women users in the design of services and tariff structures? (For example,
surveying women about how the service can better meet their daily needs and meet
unmet demand, as well as what tariff structures would increase their ability to make
regular on-time payments.)
Evaluate the potential adoption of mobile payment methods such as mobile money or
smartphone apps? (These payment methods can help address some obstacles to bill
payment that may disproportionately face women, such as reduced availability of time,
transportation, or bank account access that may be required in order to pay bills.)
Consider redesigning or creating new products, services, and platforms to retain and/
or increase women customers (including, for example, marketing)?
SAFETY AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Do the company and/or subcontractors:
CHECK
IF YES
Require employees and contractors to participate in training about GBVH and sexual
harassment?
Require employees, contractors, and service providers to assess, report, address,
and monitor any incidents of GBVH within the workforce, community, and toward
users of their services?
Work with service providers to develop sexual harassment policies and GBVH codes
of conduct for all employees?
Require adherence by contractors and subcontractors to the GBVH codes of conduct?
Consider creating or implementing awareness campaigns about GBVH-related risks
associated with the particular sector or service?
Perform a safety audit to determine ways to improve safety for men, women, and
children, such as by ensuring areas are well lit?
Conduct a GBVH risk assessment and define a mitigation strategy?
Support reporting, referral, and support mechanisms in the community, and ensure
that companies are connected to local authorities to monitor and respond to any
changes in violence associated with mining operations?
SECTOR-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
TOOL 3.3
Does the company:
Power:
CHECK
IF YES
Have any financing models or partnerships that are designed to facilitate diversity of
users? (This can include partnering with women’s savings groups and cooperatives
which can serve as an outlet for awareness raising and a source of consumer
financing to help women cover the cost of down-payments for solar lighting and
other household solar investments.)
Identify distinct needs and preferences for energy products/services by men and
women, including gender-specific barriers or constraints to increasing energy demand?
Transport:
CHECK
IF YES
Collect and analyze sex-disaggregated data on users, including usage patterns at

different times of day and on different routes? Perform outreach to understand what
impacts different usage patterns by men and women?
Consider women’s travel patterns while designing bus and train routes and schedules?
(Some measures that might help include paying attention to off-peak transport,
identifying location of bus stops to meet women’s safety and convenience standards,
flexible drop-off and bus design features such as lower steps, wider doors, and space
for strollers that cater to the needs of the elderly, women, and mothers with children.)
Institute policies and practices that reduce women’s sense of exposure to risk, such
as flexibility of disembarking closer to their destination in the evenings, increasing
the number of stops, ensuring waiting areas are well-lit and have security cameras,
and better dialogue and collaboration with female police?
Have a system for passengers to easily and anonymously submit complaints/grievances?
Conduct capacity building through trainings to improve GBVH responsiveness among
bus operators and drivers?
Designing fare schemes that reduce multimodal travel costs by reducing transfer
costs, introducing cheaper daily or weekly tickets, or designing differential fare
structures that vary based on time of day or routing?
With ride sharing, install a panic button to increase driver and passenger safety?
TOOL 3.3
Conduct safety audits? (Safety audits generally consist of exploratory walks by groups of
three to six people from local communities and often involve city planners and counselors
for awareness and sensitization. Participants identify sites where potential for crime
is high or where women may feel unsafe to create awareness about safety risks and
opportunities to improve the physical environment and make it safer for all passengers.
Consider whether offering separate train coaches and/or reserved seats for women
in public transit would be beneficial?
Water:
CHECK
IF YES
Consider monitoring the project throughout implementation by collecting sex-

disaggregated data on public health and time indicators, and their impacts?
Propose training/engaging women as community health educators where appropriate,
due to their unique roles and knowledge as water managers and caregivers in the home?
Consider partnering with financial institutions to promote access to financing or
funding, such as in the form of sanitation loans, to give borrowers the initial capital
they need to pay for water and sanitation products and services?
Work with communities to increase participation of women on local water management
committees and structures?
Include women in user outreach teams and service/meter reading staff?
Cities:
CHECK
IF YES
Conduct sex-specific consultations, sex-disaggregated user and grievance analysis,

and/or consultative forums with diverse municipal service users to understand any
sex-specific issues, requests, or opportunities?
Ensure cities have grievance and support mechanisms as well as partnerships with
competent organizations to prevent and respond to incidents of GBVH?
Pilot measures like increasing presence of cameras, improved lighting, complaints/
grievance mechanisms, and citizen/user awareness campaigns?
Conduct safety audits? (Safety audits generally consist of exploratory walks by groups of
three to six people from local communities and often involve city planners and counselors
for awareness and sensitization. Participants identify sites where potential for crime
is high or where women may feel unsafe to create awareness about safety risks and
opportunities to improve the physical environment and make it safer for all residents.)
TOOL 3.4
Terms of Reference for Independent Gender Expert
» GOAL: Ensure that community engagement teams have required gender expertise
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement, Human Resources
If you want to incorporate gender into community engagement activities, but lack specific
gender expertise, consider recruiting an independent gender expert. This tool outlines
sample terms of reference (ToR), including key tasks and required competencies, for such
an expert. These specifics can be customized depending on the skills already available and
the needs of the company, community, project, and project development staff.
This framework ToR assumes that the expert will be needed for a full range of
activities—including integrating gender into the community baseline assessment, impact
assessment, and related activities—but it can be modified as needed.
Note that TOOL SUITE 1 provides details on hiring a companywide gender champion. In
addition to this role, it is advisable to engage a separate gender expert for the community
engagement team. The reason for this is that integrating gender into community
engagement activities is a substantially different task from ensuring equitable hiring and
promotion of women in the company’s workforce, as covered in TOOL SUITE 1. It also
requires a separate effort from ensuring that women-owned businesses have opportunities
within the company supply chain, as outlined in TOOL SUITE 2.
Depending on the size of the project, the role of gender expert within the community
affairs/engagement team could be a standalone position. Or one or more of the company’s
community engagement experts might have specific gender expertise. For larger projects,
companies might want to include both regional and national-level gender expertise.
Key Components of a Gender Expert TOR
Introduction
[Describe project, including the current status of the project, and extent of community
engagement activities that have been undertaken or are currently being planned.
Discuss the project’s relationship with the community, including the extent to which women have
been consulted, role of women in the community as currently understood, and extent to which
women have/are able to be engaged in project consultation, planning, and activities.
Discuss extent to which activities thus far have included women, and any insights or conclusions
about the need for a dedicated gender specialist—for example, what brought the realization
that the company needs a gender specialist or gender-focused activities at this point?]
Scope of Work
TOOL 3.4
Outline specific activities the expert will be expected to undertake. Depending on the
structure of the team and the specific activities, the expert might lead these activities or
support a larger team. Activities include:
• Community baseline and social impact assessments: For example, ensuring that data
collection is gender-disaggregated, gender-specific data sources are included (such as
women’s groups and gender-based violence service providers), participatory research
methodologies are reviewed and modified to include women’s perspectives, and data
is analyzed through a gender lens.
• Design and training on participatory monitoring and grievance redress mechanisms:
Review proposed methodologies to ensure that consideration has been given to
promoting women’s participation.
• Design and training on gender-based violence, if needed.
• Design and implementation of gender-sensitive resettlement program, if needed.
• Design and implementation of community engagement activities: Ensure that women
can access community-wide activities and/or that specific activities are developed to
promote women’s economic and social empowerment.
Outline key skills and experience

• Key skills: This might include the ability to critically analyze community and
interpersonal gender dynamics, balances of power, and variances in individual and
group access in and around the project-affected communities. Knowledge of local
language is an asset.
• Experience: This might include experience working within the affected community,
in other communities on gender and infrastructure development, and/or addressing
gender-based violence in infrastructure projects with companies and affected host
communities.
Outline reporting and team structure

Clarify for potential candidates whether the expert will be leading the activities detailed
above or whether they will be providing gender guidance to a wider team.
TOOL 3.5
Integrate Gender Concerns into Baseline Community Assessments
» GOAL: Develop a gender-sensitive understanding of community dynamics
» TARGET UNIT: Community Engagement and/or Independent Gender Expert
Most infrastructure projects will include early-stage social and environmental baseline
assessments to help the company understand the project-affected community. While
guidance for best practices in baseline community assessments and community mapping
is well documented in many industries, this tool will help ensure that these processes
are gender sensitive. Including an investigation into the differing experiences of men and
women in the community in these assessments is critical. It requires the collection of
gender-disaggregated data about the varying roles, responsibilities, and resource access
in the community, as outlined here.
If assessments have already been performed and/or if a project is already in operation,

review previous baseline assessments to determine whether they included a gender
dimension. If they do not, consider conducting a supplementary assessment to
gather baseline data on women. This, thorough data collection and analysis, will allow
community teams to understand the social and gender dynamics within a community,
the potential risks and opportunities the project will introduce, and possible challenges
to the acquisition of social license and pursuit of shared benefits. The findings from
this assessment can help adjust community assessment and engagement programs to
ensure that they are contributing to effective development programs and strong social
license to operate. The results of these assessments also can serve as a benchmark for
environmental, social, or human rights impact assessments.
Pre-Assessment Preparation
Before starting an assessment, use the guidelines detailed in Table 3C to ensure that your
approach will lead to the design of a gender-sensitive baseline community assessment.
TABLE 3C | Preparing for Community Assessments: A Checklist
DETAIL ASSESSMENT GOALS TO IDENTIFY

CHECK
IF YES
Gender roles and responsibilities in the community
TOOL 3.5
Access to and control of resources based on gender
Practical gender needs: What women and men need to help them with their
livelihoods and respective daily activities, based on their roles and responsibilities
Strategic gender needs: What women need to improve their quality of life as well as
their societal status and equality in relation to that of men
Potential positive or negative project impacts on any of the above factors
DESIGNATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDUCTING THE ASSESSMENT

(See TOOL 3.4: Terms of Reference for Independent Gender Expert.)
CHECK
IF YES
Hire an independent gender expert or experts to conduct data collection and analysis
If a team is hired, make sure it is appropriately gender balanced
Hire the expert(s) early in the assessment process, to enable thorough understanding
of the local context, culture, and customs and to enhance their ability to provide
knowledgeable advice and guidance
The expert(s) should be familiar with survey, interview, and research techniques for
communities, and between and within social groups
FOCUS ON DETAILS IN ASSESSMENT DESIGN

(See Tables 3E and 3F for more on compiling, comparing, and assessing data on activities, access,
and control.)
CHECK
IF YES
When gathering data, examine the different roles men and women play within the
community in terms of the activities that they perform as well as men’s and women’s
differing access to and control of key resources. For example, women may take on
significant responsibility for managing the household or for farming land, but they
may not be the legal or formal owners of the property or land that they live on or
use. Women also statistically have less formal access to bank accounts.
Consider the ways in which the project might impact men’s and women’s routines
and daily lives. For instance, environmental pollution may require women to spend
more hours of the day collecting fresh water.
TOOL 3.5
Explore access and control issues:
• Possible security concerns in collecting water
• An increased time burden because of distance to water or access to services such
as transport, energy, or water could make it more difficult for women to meet other
responsibilities
• Women may not have control over transport to the water
UPDATE THE PROCESS FOR A GENDER-INFORMED BASELINE ASSESSMENT

CHECK
IF YES
Ensure the data is gender-disaggregated

Ensure the process is transparent
Ensure women’s participation and consultation
MAXIMIZE USE OF RESULTS

CHECK
IF YES
Share and validate the assessment results with members of the community
Ensure community understanding of indicators—specifically as they relate to women
Gather Data for Baseline Assessment

A baseline community assessment should draw from secondary sources (preexisting
data) as well as primary sources (through community consultations). In all cases, it
is imperative that the data is disaggregated by sex and other socioeconomic factors
such as socioeconomic level, caste, religion, ethnic group, age, literacy status, marital
status (single, widowed, divorced), and disability, as noted earlier. If it is not possible to
disaggregate all data by sex, prioritize by highest relevance for the decisions that will be
made about the project and community initiatives.
Step 1. Identify data sources

Table 3D features examples of secondary and primary data sources that can be used
to inform baseline community assessments, followed by ways to ensure the gender
sensitivity of this information.
TOOL 3.5
TABLE 3D | Stocktaking Questionnaire for Gender in Community Engagement
SECONDARY SOURCES (PREEXISTING DATA)15 HOW TO ENSURE GENDER

Preexisting data sources usually provide quantitative data SENSITIVITY OF DATA
Local, regional, or national government data Is the data gender-disaggregated,
Census statistics and is there an equal balance
of information on women and
Health surveys from NGOs or government entities men? Is information on women’s
Data about gender-based violence independence or women’s services
included, such as percentage of
Tax ledgers women with land titles, or percentage
Ethnographic or university studies of healthcare workers who are female?
Local histories or historical societies Are women’s stories included?
Is data from women’s groups
Community, business, or trade associations (women’s community groups, women
business associations, etc.) included?
Previous environmental, social, and/or human
rights impact assessments conducted by the Is the data gender-disaggregated?
company
PRIMARY SOURCES (THROUGH HOW TO ENSURE GENDER-SENSITIVE DATA AND

COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONS) DATA COLLECTION
Local census • Is the data gender-disaggregated?
• To what extent does the census count women who
are not heads of household?
Focus groups Is there equal balance in the interviews and
consultations with men and women? Are women-only
focus groups held in communities/contexts in which
women may not speak candidly in front of men?
Household surveys Is there equal balance in the interviews and
consultations with men and women?
Livelihood surveys Is there equal balance in the interviews and
consultations with men and women?
Open dialogue Are women equal participants?
15 This list was adapted in part from: Minerals Council of Australia, Voluntary Community Investment: A Strategic Approach
That Incorporates Gender. A Toolkit for the Extractives Industry, Canberra: Minerals Council of Australia, 2014.
TOOL 3.5
Interviews with individuals Are women equal participants?
Consultations with groups such as: • Are women equal participants?
• Community organizations • Are women-only focus groups held in
• Women’s organizations communities/contexts in which women may not
speak candidly in front of men?
• Various ethnic groups and classes
Transect walk Walk through various parts of the community (with
community permission) to see different spheres
of community life, including those dominated by
women and those dominated by men.
Step 2. Ensure gender-equitable data collection: include women’s voices in the

data collection process
If community engagement professionals focus only on traditional structures for
community consultation (for instance, local government, local leaders, church
representatives), in many communities this means prioritizing the voices of traditional
leaders, who are often men. Similarly, if the community engagement team asks to meet
with community representatives such as elected officials and community elders, women
may not hold any of these positions. As a result, women’s needs and concerns may not be
raised during these meetings and women’s perspectives could wind up being left out.
Cultural, logistical, or other reasons related to gender roles and responsibilities within
the community can also mean that without a good understanding of gender roles and
community structure, men and women may not be equitably included. For instance,
while women may be present in negotiations or community meetings, they may not feel
comfortable speaking in front of men or may not be allowed to speak while men are
present. Their gender roles and responsibilities also could preclude their attendance in
meetings or consultations if scheduling doesn’t take into account women’s availability,
schedules, and/or transportation and other logistical constraints.
Alternative Approaches to Ensure Inclusivity

In light of these barriers to participation, community engagement professionals will need
to modify their techniques in order to encourage increased women’s participation in the
assessment process. Such modifications might include:
• Ensuring that both women and men are involved in the analysis
• Using additional social assessment techniques to guarantee women’s voices are
accounted for, such as:
• Conducting meetings and interviews with:
• Key informants
• Women-only focus groups
TOOL 3.5
• Mothers focus groups
• Women of varying ethnic and social classes to avoid elite capture (a situation in
which resources or benefits meant for the community are usurped by individuals
or groups who are more well off)
• Healthcare centers and support providers for survivors of gender-based violence
• Accommodating women to ensure their participation:
• Determine the most convenient meeting times and locations to encourage
women’s attendance
• Investigate potential obstacles to women’s attendance and provide solutions
(such as transportation, childcare, support for domestic work)
• Using tools to assess the differing practical and strategic needs of women and men:
• Practical gender needs: What women and men need to help them with their
survival and respective daily activities, based on their socially accepted roles and
responsibilities
• Strategic gender needs: What women need in order to advance their societal
standing and equality in relation to that of men16
Step 3. Account for sensitive issues in data collection

Some of the issues to be researched during the baseline community assessment may
be highly sensitive, such as violence, alcoholism, and prostitution. Some issues that
may not seem sensitive—such as changing the distribution of labor within the home
or community, or where project-related economic changes increase stress within a
household—could touch on sensitivities, for instance, around changing gender roles.
The research team needs to be aware of these sensitivities, as well as the local context
and cultural norms, so they can conduct the assessment respectfully while not
compromising thoroughness. For instance, in situations in which men and women may
have different perspectives or experiences, or where cultural conditions mean that men
and women cannot speak freely about these concerns in front of one another, it may be
important to hold gender-segregated or individual consultations, and to build trust over
time with community members—especially with women community members. You also
should take into consideration the individuals who will conduct the research. In fact, some
companies hire contractors or local NGOs with preexisting relationships with the local
communities and understanding of the local culture to perform the baseline community
assessment or the other recommended activities noted in this toolkit.
16 Adriana Eftimie, Katherine Heller, and John Strongman, Gender Dimensions of the Extractive Industries: Mining for Equity,
Washington, DC: World Bank, 2009, 22.
Capitalizing on local knowledge and relationships can provide a great deal of added value.
TOOL 3.5
Still, it is important to ensure the independence of local contractors or NGOs so they can
provide objective data about the community.
In addition, the research team must tread carefully when asking for sensitive information,
such as trends in violence, alcoholism, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, since local residents
may find it difficult to discuss these issues. Equipping researchers with information on
local support and counseling services and proper referral pathways before they start
probing with sensitive questions will help bridge the discomfort and enable the necessary
data collection while providing genuinely needed assistance. Experience has shown that
it can take some finesse—and trust-building—to get an accurate picture of such delicate
and sensitive issues in many communities.
Step 4. Develop questions to integrate gender into existing baseline community

assessments17
Table 3E includes sample questions that can be used to probe gender differences in
common community baseline topics. While not an exhaustive list, it offers examples of
ways to integrate gender into baseline assessments.
TABLE 3E | Sample Baseline Assessment Questions that Probe Gender Differences
Education
Level of • What is the level of education achieved by men and boys, and
education women and girls?
achieved
Access to school • What is the average school dropout rate for boys and girls? If there
and frequency of is a significant difference between the dropout rates of boys and
attendance girls, to what do you attribute that difference?
• What is the rate of absenteeism for boys and girls during the
school year? If there is a significant difference in the rate of
absenteeism, to what do you attribute that difference?
• Have there been any reports of sexual harassment or gender-
based violence in school settings (student-on-student or teacher-
on-student)?
17 Much of this list was derived from Minerals Council of Australia, Voluntary Community Investment: A Strategic Approach That
Incorporates Gender; World Bank, “Gender-Responsive Social Analysis: A Guidance Note Incorporating Social Dimensions
into Bank-Supported Projects,” June 2005, 17-19; and Why Gender Matters: A Resource Guide for Integrating Gender
Considerations into Communities Work at Rio Tinto, 2009.
Employment
TOOL 3.5
Income and • What is the average income for men and women?
access to money
Employment • Do men and women have equal access to training opportunities
for formal employment?
• Do men and women have equal access to formal employment
opportunities?
Access to • Can women in the community access childcare services? To what
childcare services extent is income or social class the determining factor for access?
Population and Health
Life expectancy • Average life expectancy for men and women?

Access to • Percentage of doctors who are female?
healthcare • Percentage of nurses who are female?
• Is there proper OBGYN care?
• Distance/time required to travel to receive healthcare, including
during labor?
• Are healthcare providers trained in how to respond to gender-
based violence?
Mortality rate • Is there a high prevalence of childbirth-related mortality compared
to the rest of the country or the world? If so, what is the reason?
• What is the time or distance women are required to wait or travel
to see a healthcare provider during pregnancy or childbirth?
Nutrition status • What is the nutritional status of men and boys, and women and
girls?
Birth rate • What is the percentage of teen/adolescent pregnancy and birth?
Health indicators • If there are differences in these indicators between men and
women, what do such differences suggest?
TIP: Place particular emphasis on indicators with strong gender implications,
such as incidence of sexually transmitted infections.
Literacy rate • Is there a correlation between gender differences in literacy
rates and gender differences in rates of school absenteeism or
dropouts?
Household Dynamics and Vulnerability
TOOL 3.5
Household • Number and percentage of female-headed households
and marriage • What types of marriage structures exist in the community? Is
structure polygamy common?
Control over • In households in which men are the income earners, do women
financial have access to this money? Are decisions about family budgeting
resources and spending made by men and women together, or does one
have more decision-making power than the other?
• When women earn income, do they have control over this money?
NOTE: In polygamous societies, women may share their income with their
husband while their husband is also receiving income from other wives.
• Can women hold their own bank accounts?
• Is it common for women to have their own bank accounts?
TIP: See Table 3G for guidance on understanding access to and control of
resources.
Differences in • Are female-headed households different than male-headed
socioeconomic households, socioeconomically?
status • What are the reasons for these differences?
• Do men and women attribute these differences to the same
reasons?
Participation • Do both men and women participate in activities that contribute to
in household household or community development?
and community • Are these contributions based on gender, age, ethnicity, or other
development diversity factors?
• What is the division of labor among household and domestic/
family responsibilities?
Prevalence of • Is gender-based violence more prevalent in certain subpopulations
gender-based of the community, such as particular social classes, economic
violence classes, or ethnic groups?
Community
Number and • What types of leadership roles do women occupy?

percentage • Are women leaders in municipal government in addition to
of women in community organizations?
leadership roles
TOOL 3.5
Community • To what extent are women involved in consultations and
decision making community decision making?
• How is community information conveyed? (Word of mouth,
newspaper, radio, community noticeboard, etc.) Do women and
men get information differently?
TIP: In some communities, women and men may receive information
differently because of their different daily responsibilities and social
networks. For example, men may hear news directly from local leaders or
businesspeople while in town or at work; whereas in some communities,
women may be attending to household or agricultural responsibilities and
hear news from other women or women’s groups. Women may also have less
access to some information because of community gender/power dynamics
or because of gaps in literacy between women and men.
• Does participation in consultations and community decisions
require literacy—for example, are materials written on paper
or on a bulletin board or are alternative media like radio and
loudspeakers used?
• Number/percent of people belonging to indigenous/ethnic
minority groups
Existence of • What are the common types of transport used by community
and access to members?
transport and • Do men and women have equal access and ability to use them?
mobility
• If there are barriers to the use of these transport methods, what
are these barriers?
• What are the implications of these barriers—for instance, do men
or women have difficulty getting goods to market?
Crime rates • What is the rate of gender-based violence?
• What is the rate of crimes reported that are related to gender-
based violence?
• What are the policies/capacity of local authorities/police when
it comes to gender-based violence? Are local law authorities
trained in the handling of gender-based violence complaints? Are
complaints acknowledged and taken seriously?
TIP: Note that the rate of reporting on crimes related to gender-based
violence is likely much lower than incidences of those crimes.18
18 Note that in many countries, gender-based violence is not considered a crime.
Resources
TOOL 3.5
Levels of access • Do men and women have different levels of access to and control
to and control over:
over resources • Buying land/property (whether to live on, or for subsistence
agriculture or cash crops)?
• Renting or using land/property?
• Labor?
• Equipment?
• Cash?
• Bank accounts?
• Education/training?
• If so, what are the reasons for these differences?
• Do men and women attribute these differences to the same
factors?
TIP: See Table 3G for guidance on understanding access to and control of
resources.
Roles and Responsibilities

TIP: Use the activity profile in Table 3F to document and analyze gender differences in roles,
responsibilities, and time usage.
Time usage • Do men and women work for equal amounts of time per day (paid
or unpaid work)?
• Have women expressed interest in pursuing other activities, such
as entrepreneurship, if they had more time?
TIP: Women typically have a much higher burden of unpaid work (such as
household chores and family care responsibilities) than men. This limits their
availability and ability to choose whether to spend their time pursuing more
productive, marketable, or participatory activities, or even personal interests.
This constraint, and the fact that this often reinforces their monetary poverty,
exacerbates their “time poverty.”
Community roles • Are there differences in the ways in which men and women
participate in community consultations or decision making?
• Are there differences in gender roles, responsibilities, and relations
among subgroups (religious, ethnic/indigenous, socioeconomic
classes, age)?
TIP: This type of information might be obtained through secondary data.
• Do women equitably participate in formal and informal institutions
(including local government) and the decision-making processes
within them?
TOOL 3.5
Community roles • If not, are the barriers to this participation gender-specific—for
(cont.) example, are women intimidated or threatened if they attempt to
participate and/or hold office?
TIP: Collecting insights about these dynamics can help companies flag risks
associated with increasing women’s participation in decision making and
leadership roles within a particular cultural context and inform plans for risk
mitigation.
Views
• What are men’s and women’s goals and aspirations for themselves and their
community?
• Where do men and women stand on their views of the infrastructure project—do they
approve or disapprove?
Influencing Institutions
• What are the formal and informal institutions—companies, civil society organizations,
labor unions, and national, regional, and local governments—and organizational
structures that could either help or hinder gender equality efforts?
• Are there institutions that offer opportunities for women and men to voice their needs
and concerns?
Legal Climate19
Do the local, • Physical well-being and safety, including from gender-based

regional, and violence?
national laws • Non-discrimination in the workplace and prevention of sexual
and constitution harassment?
protect/
• Individual and group formal and informal rights to land and
guarantee:
property?
• Equal access for women and men to employment, education, and
healthcare?
• Equal access for women and men to public authorities and the
justice system?
19 For more detailed suggestions on legal and institutional indicators for women’s equality, visit the World Bank’s Women,
Business, and the Law project.
Sample Method of Data Collection and Formulation: Activity and Access
TOOL 3.5
and Control Profiles20
To collect the information suggested above, researchers may choose to create an activity
profile of the community. This will be particularly useful in collecting and analyzing data
on the roles and division of labor between men and women.
Table 3F features an example of an activity profile, with an additional row added to

capture community activities and commitments. The understanding of the gender
dynamics that underlie community roles and responsibilities will prove especially valuable
when integrating gender into your social impact assessment (TOOL 3.6).
Compare the information gathered in the activity profile with the data from the access
and control profile, shown in Table 3G. The access and control profile can guide the
collection and analysis of data to help differentiate between men’s and women’s access
to and control over resources. Examining men’s and women’s responsibilities compared
to their level of access and control can help you understand the extent to which men
and women may be differently impacted by a project, as well as their ability to respond
to changes and stresses that a project may introduce. These sample profiles are based
on the Harvard Analytical Framework for Gender Analysis, developed by the Harvard
Institute for International Development in collaboration with USAID, and “A Guide to
Gender Impact Assessment for the Extractive Industries,” developed by Australian Aid
and Oxfam Australia.21
TABLE 3F | Activity Profile
WHERE / WHEN
/ AMOUNT OF
ACTIVITIES WOMEN MEN GIRLS BOYS TIME REQUIRED
Productive
• Formal (paid) employment
• Informal income-generating
activities such as paid labor
and services
• Selling goods at market or
from the home
20 ILO, “Unit 1: A Conceptual Framework for Gender Analysis and Planning,” International Labour Organization and the
Southeast Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team Online Gender Learning and Information Module.
21 C. Hill, C. Madden, and N. Collins, A Guide to Gender Impact Assessment for the Extractive Industries, Oxfam, Melbourne, 2017.
TOOL 3.5
WHERE / WHEN
/ AMOUNT OF
ACTIVITIES WOMEN MEN GIRLS BOYS TIME REQUIRED
Productive
(cont.)
• Agriculture or fishing other
than for household use
• Other
Reproductive/Care
• Care of children and elderly or
sick family members
• Subsistence farming or fishing
• Household food collection,
preparation and cooking
• Collecting water
• Collecting fuel
• Collecting fodder
• Care of livestock
• Healthcare
• Other
Community Involvement
• Maintenance of community
infrastructure (such as water
resources or education
facilities)
• Participation in community
meetings
• Political organizing
• Community event organizing
(such as cultural or religious
ceremonies and celebrations)
• Religious activities
• Recreation/leisure
• Other
TOOL 3.5
TABLE 3G | Access and Control Profile
ACCESS CONTROL
WOMEN MEN WOMEN MEN
Community and/or Household Resources
• Land for subsistence agriculture
• Land for cash crops
• Water
• Labor
• Equipment
• Community infrastructure
• Cash
• Bank accounts
• Social services
• Legal services
• Other
Community (or Sociopolitical) Activities
• Income for essential family needs
• Income for discretionary spending
• Royalties/compensation
• Decision-making authority
• Other non-cash assets
• Opportunities for education, training, or
knowledge-building
• Status or prestige
• Other
Benefits from Use of Resources
• Cash income
• Assets ownership
• Basic needs (food, clothing, shelter)
• Education
• Political power/influence
• Other
Analyze the Data
TOOL 3.5
Once the data collection for the baseline community assessment is complete, the
information needs to be compiled, organized, and analyzed. Ideally, the independent
gender expert who gathered the data should handle the analysis stage as well.
Full community participation—including men and women—in the analysis is key. To

ensure equal women’s participation, conduct the analysis at times and places that will
make it easier for them to attend (and ask women in order to determine this). Make sure
to find out whether women may have difficulty attending due to needs that can be met by
the company (such as childcare, transportation, etc.). Publicize the meetings broadly and
extensively (and sufficiently in advance) so that all community members are aware of their
schedule. Make use of multiple approaches to communicate this information, including
word of mouth, radio, and posters, to ensure everyone receives the information. Your
goals for the analysis are to identify in general terms:
• Gender differences along social, cultural, economic, or political lines
• Differing views and wishes of men and women
Be sure to share the results widely throughout the entire community. Request feedback
so that you can validate the results with male and female community members alike.
Use the findings from the baseline community assessment and the entire assessment
phase to guide your company’s planning and implementation for both the project
and company-led community initiatives. TOOLS 3.7–3.14 focus on planning and
implementation—the “Address” phase—of gender-sensitive community engagement
initiatives.
TOOL 3.6
Integrate Gender Concerns into Social Impact Assessments
» GOAL: Understand the gender dimensions of project impacts on impacted communities
About the Social Impact Assessment

While a gender-sensitive baseline community assessment helps companies understand
the local community and how gender roles and relations function within it, a gender-
sensitive social impact assessment is essential to identify impacts that the infrastructure
project might have on the community and its gender roles, relations, and influencing
institutions. Social impact assessments are becoming increasingly common as
standalone efforts. In addition, they often are part of the environmental impact
assessment process required by governments and investors for project approval. IFC
Performance Standard 1 establishes the importance of integrated assessment to identify
the environmental and social impacts, risks, and opportunities of projects.
A key aspect of the social impact assessment is its usefulness in understanding what
community members themselves believe to be potential positive and negative project
impacts. To gain such insight and to avoid a company-led, top-down approach, consider
conducting a community-based impact assessment. Alternatively, a third party, such
as an NGO or consulting firm, could carry out the assessment.22 Keep in mind that also
including potential positive impacts in the assessment will allow you to identify the
resources and processes that will be required to realize them. This also will help ensure
that women will be able to maximize their benefit from the opportunities created.
In this tool suite, the baseline and social impact assessments are treated separately
to facilitate integrating gender into existing processes. But combining the two by
adding social impact into the baseline assessment is also an option, particularly for
companies that are in the midst of designing their community engagement programs
or that want to redesign their methodologies, thus avoiding the need for multiple
assessments. Yet another option is a gender impact assessment that incorporates
both. See the Additional Resources section of this tool suite for more information on
gender impact assessments.
22 For more, see Oxfam America’s “Community Voice in Human Rights Impact Assessments” guidance and this toolkit’s
Additional Resources section.
TOOL 3.6
BOX 3A | Commonly Experienced Negative Gender Impacts from Infrastructure
Project Development
• Changing community dynamics with influx of labor and related industries
• Disruption of mobility and access patterns
• Increase in social and health problems in affected community introduced by the
influx of a transient male workforce
• Increased safety risks due to changing community dynamics
• Disruption of social networks and social safety nets
• Increased social pressures associated with increased availability of cash, influx
of people, and changing social dynamics, including alcoholism, prostitution, and
increased risk of sexually transmitted infections
• Increase in social issues related to land access and land titling in sending
communities
• Disproportionate negative impacts from environmental degradation (e.g., of land,
air, or water resources) or climate vulnerability
• Unfair distribution of royalties
• Unequal employment opportunities
• Rebalancing of domestic and/or subsistence responsibilities, with women taking
on more work if men gain paid employment with the project or related sectors
• Loss of livelihoods
• Inflation related to increased economic activity in the area due to the project
Differentiating Project Impacts

Gender-sensitive social impact assessments examine the ways in which men’s and
women’s roles—as identified through the baseline assessment—influence how they
experience project impacts, as well as their resilience to these impacts. This examination
can include:
• Direct and indirect socioeconomic impacts introduced by the construction, operation,
and closure of the project
• Ways in which men and women differ in how they are affected by the above impacts
based on their gender roles, including diversity considerations to account for
additional vulnerabilities
• Ways in which men’s and women’s different access to and control of resources—
TOOL 3.6
including natural resources, cash, and project benefits—affects resilience and ability to
cope with the changes listed above
• Distribution of power relationships, influence, and decision-making power inside
households and in the community: How do these power relationships affect the
impacts on men and women, including those from vulnerable groups?
• Influence of gender roles on livelihoods, subsistence, and mobility in light of project
impacts
• Ways in which differing access to education and employment influence men’s and
women’s ability to cope with the above changes
• Ways in which men and women are affected differently by health and safety changes
resulting from the project
Identifying Ways to Mitigate Risks and Increase Benefits

A gender-sensitive social impact assessment is a useful tool in uncovering ways to
mitigate risks or increase community benefits from projects. To do so, however, your
assessment should take into consideration gender-related differences. Here are some
ways to account for these differences:
• Identify and address disproportionately negative impacts on women
• Enhance positive impacts for women
• Avoid perpetuating or exacerbating existing gender inequalities
• Find opportunities to improve gender relations and gender equality
• Involve women in participation in and design of consultation processes and
negotiations
• Enhance benefit sharing among the women and men in the community
• Evenly distribute benefits among female and male members of the community and
include vulnerable groups
Use the results of the gender-sensitive social impact assessment to inform the
subsequent design of project phases, community consultations, and community
programs. This will help to ensure that gender-sensitive community approaches are
embedded at all stages of the project.
Gender-Equitable Data Collection
TOOL 3.6
Gender-equitable data collection is absolutely key to an assessment that appropriately
reflects the gender-related differences in the social impacts from an infrastructure project.
Standard data collection methods may inadvertently leave out women’s voices. For
example, cultural factors may prevent women from attending community consultations
or from speaking up in front of men, or women’s household or childcare responsibilities
may leave them unavailable to attend consultations. See TOOL 3.5 for more guidance on
including women’s voices in the data collection process.
TABLE 3H | Questions to Include in a Gender-Sensitive Social Impact Assessment
GENERAL QUESTIONS
What are the current or predicted positive impacts (economic, social, and environmental)
of the different project stages on men and women, including on their activities and access
to and control of resources?
What are the current or predicted negative impacts (economic, social, and environmental)
of the different project stages on men and women, including on their activities and access
to and control of resources?
Does the project provide opportunities to promote gender equality though specific
institutions in the area? Which institutions?
Will social cohesion be diminished or damaged?

Note: While some changes may be assumed to be positive, such as reducing the time it takes women
to collect water, it is important to not make assumptions before consulting with women and men in a
community. For example, in some communities, women do not want to reduce their water collection
time because it is used as important time to converse with other women.
Will any cultural heritage practices or culturally significant or sacred sites be diminished or
damaged?
INTERESTS AND PERCEPTIONS
What are the differences in women’s and men’s perceptions of the project and how it will
impact them?
Do women and men have different hopes and concerns about the project?
TOOL 3.6
CHANGING HOUSEHOLD DYNAMICS
Are there opportunities for the project to improve gender equality within the home?
What are the potential implications of the changed access to resources inside and outside
of the home for men and women? For instance, how are changes outside the home—such
as in employment, livelihoods, or increased availability of cash—leading to changes inside
households?
Will the project pose any threats to existing livelihoods, subsistence, or property
ownership rules or customs? How would men and women be differently impacted by this?
Could any of the above changes lead to increased domestic or gender-based violence?
What steps can be taken to prevent or minimize potential subsequent risks of domestic or
gender-based violence?
INFLUENCING INSTITUTIONS
What influencing institutions or other stakeholders, such as civil society or community

groups—especially those that work with women—and labor unions —particularly all-male
unions—could either help or hinder gender equality efforts?
How can the company work with these stakeholders to partner on gender equality efforts
or ensure that company gender equality efforts won’t be obstructed?
How can the project work within or strengthen existing social structures and processes to
further gender equality efforts?
SOCIAL SUBGROUPS AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Do any social subgroups or vulnerable populations (such as those of lower social classes,
higher poverty levels, ethnic minority groups, disabilities, or anyone else with less voice and
agency) have additional gender issues or particular sensitivity to community gender issues?
SAFETY AND HEALTH
Will the project increase the risk of violence for women or men (domestic, gender-based, or
other), sexually transmitted infections, or other threats to their personal safety or health?
What steps can be taken to prevent or minimize these risks?
Are there any injured, ill, or disabled members of the community who are usually taken
care of by their female relatives?
Will the health and wellbeing of these individuals be affected by the changes in power
TOOL 3.6
dynamics or increased gender equality?
PARTICIPATION AND BENEFIT SHARING
Will both men and women have opportunities to participate in the project through
employment, local supplier development, community initiatives, and benefit sharing?
How can the company ensure that both women and men voice their opinions in
community consultations?
How can the company ensure communication and connection with the community’s
female and male leaders?
What is the likelihood of elite capture (benefits going to members of the community who
are more well off, such as men or women who have higher socioeconomic status)?
How can the concerns and participation of all members of society be taken into
consideration?
How can the project be designed to provide leadership and professional development
opportunities to both men and women (for example, through leadership or project
management roles in the company, community, or government)?
Will women or men face different hurdles or bear disproportionate costs to participate in
the project?
TIP: This can include sacrificing paid work or juggling increased pressures of time and labor due to
preexisting commitments to subsistence activities or domestic and childcare duties.

Incorporate Information from Assessments Into Community
Engagement Activities
The information culled from your gender-sensitive assessments should be used to
inform the design, development, and refining of your community engagement activities.
The assessments will highlight areas of focus as these activities are put together. Key
information will be uncovered, such as:
• Ways in which the infrastructure project is directly and indirectly affecting men’s and
women’s roles and responsibilities
• Ways in which the project is changing men’s and women’s access to and control of
resources
• Gender-based differences in perceptions of the project and potential benefits
• Gender-based differences in concerns and aspirations related to local economic and
social development
• Training and capacity-building opportunities and needs for male and female
community members
Input from the gender-sensitive assessment phase can help inform decisions about the
project, shape community outreach activities, and contribute to the design of benefit
sharing and grievance mechanisms.
Why Include Women’s Voices in Activity Design?

Listening to men’s and women’s concerns,
Anecdotal evidence from a
needs, and interests—both as members
of the project-affected community and World Bank project in Peru
as potential customers and users—has indicated that women were
multiple benefits. Not only can it promote
social license to operate as noted earlier,
more likely to choose
but activities designed with input from both investments that benefited
men and women are also likely to be more long-term community
effective in their use of funds and in meeting
customer need. sustainability.
Experience shows that men and women often have different investment priorities.
Anecdotal evidence from a World Bank project in Peru indicated that women were
more likely to choose investments that benefited long-term community sustainability.
ADDRESS
Men, on the other hand, were more likely to suggest spending revenue on
infrastructure projects that might have lower tangible development impacts. Other
studies note similar outcomes.
When women are included, programs tend to be more focused on the community’s
immediate development needs, including health, education, capacity building
and nutrition, and on medium-to-long term infrastructure projects. Where only
men’s voices are heeded, evidence shows that community funds tend to be used
for projects with lower development impacts or less widespread interest. In many
cases, these investments do less to improve key development indicators on health,
education, and sanitation.23
Clearly, companies must make the effort to engage communities in an inclusive manner
at all stages—from consultation on the operation itself to selecting, designing, and
managing community outreach projects.
This section features tools to help integrate gender sensitivity into project design,
emergency planning and response, grievance redress mechanisms, and community and
economic development initiatives. Note that the tools work equally well for companies
that already have in place well-developed community engagement protocols. If this is the
case, use the tools as supplemental guidance to incorporate additional measures into
your existing processes. This will help maximize the integration of the gender dimension
into project design and implementation.
23 Adriana Eftimie, Katherine Heller, and John Strongman, Gender Dimensions of the Extractive Industries: Mining for Equity, 20.
TOOL 3.7
Facilitate Gender-Equitable Participation in Consultations on
Infrastructure Operations
» GOAL: Ensure women’s equal participation in consultations for design of infrastructure
operations and community initiatives
» TARGET UNIT: Community Engagement
Over the life of a project, community consultations can take place in a variety of
circumstances. Consultations can be held ahead of project initiation, as part of
exploration/scoping and community consultation. They may be held during the
operational phase at various stages as part of different community engagement activities.
They may be held to discuss issues related to operations or benefit distribution, or they
may be held to discuss project closure. An ongoing, trusted, transparent, and accessible
consultation process is essential to:
• Keeping open communication and trust between company and community
• Maintaining up-to-date understanding of social license
• Continuing ability to address concerns
• Preserving smooth and undisrupted operations
To facilitate these goals and guarantee ongoing dialogue, conduct regular consultations
that are accessible to all members of the community. Be aware that gender roles
and responsibilities often mean that men, women, or other vulnerable groups in the
community may not have equitable access to consultations. Adapt accordingly, so that
consultative forums reflect all community viewpoints. Remember that investment in a
robust consultative process can help you avoid more costly issues down the road.
Four Steps to Facilitating Women’s Participation in Consultations

What follows is a four-step process that will help increase women’s participation in
consultations.24
Step 1: Understand the community by conducting community and social mapping.

This information might have been uncovered in the baseline or social impact assessment
(see TOOLS 3.5 and 3.6). But if your consultations occur later, changes could have
24 The majority of this list was modified from Adriana Eftimie, Katherine Heller, and John Strongman, Gender Dimensions of the
Extractive Industries: Mining for Equity, 22.
happened in the meantime, so use this step to ensure that your community mapping is up
TOOL 3.7
to date. Be sure to map variations in gender as well as social and ethnic classes, such as:
• Female-headed households
• Groups of differing religious, cultural, or ethnic affiliations
• Variations in social/economic classes
Ensure that mapping includes gender-disaggregated information such as:

• Gender roles
• Gender responsibilities
• Gender differences in time allocation, amount of free time, or lack thereof (time
poverty)
• Gender differences in access to and control of land and resources
• Gender differences in property and land usage
• Gender differences in property and land titling and ownership
• Gender differences in property and land renting
Note that the information gathered in the activity and access and control profiles as
detailed in TOOL 3.5 can be helpful here.
Step 2: Make sure that consultation logistics facilitate women’s participation.

Logistics to be considered include timing and location. If it will be difficult for women to
attend, make alternative arrangements so that the consultation is as inclusive as possible.
To support gender diversity in the consultation process, consider:
• Setting targets for a gender equitable consultation, including equal numbers of men
and women. Where co-ed consultations are not feasible or women may not feel
comfortable speaking candidly in front of men (for instance, where cultural norms
make this difficult), consider single-sex consultations.
• Scheduling meetings at times and locations convenient to women, determined through
discussion with key community women.
• Addressing obstacles to women’s attendance by recognizing them and providing
solutions, such as providing transportation, childcare, and other support for domestic
work.
• Using participatory mechanisms such as opportunity rankings and community
scorecards to invite diverse and anonymous suggestions, opinions, and votes from
men and women during consultations. (See TOOL 3.16 for guidance on community
scorecards.)
Step 3: Facilitate women’s leadership.
TOOL 3.7
Make sure that there is gender diversity in leadership and the various representative
positions in community management structures that relate to the project. This includes
chairs of any committees established to ensure communication between the community
and company. To help, several measures may be needed:
• Leadership training: If there are not enough qualified women for these positions,
offer leadership training programs for women so they have the qualifications needed.
• Gender awareness training: If men in the community express resistance to women
holding these leadership positions, conduct awareness training on women’s equality
and the benefits of gender equality in community and project leadership.
In addition, consultations with community leaders should occur at all stages of the project
and community program and revenue management decisions. This group should always
include formal and informal male and female community leaders.
Whenever possible, try to validate the credentials of the individuals—for example, by

asking multiple sources—to ensure that they are, in fact, recognized community leaders
and that they will reflect community views. Also keep in mind that more traditional
societies can be very hierarchical, and that respect for this hierarchy and for community
and traditional leaders must be shown. However, it may be necessary to hold multiple
consultations to capture varying viewpoints, since the views of people in leadership
positions may not necessarily reflect the views of everyone in the community—especially
the most vulnerable.
Step 4: Create an environment open to women’s participation and leadership by

sharing knowledge and building capacity.
Gender training for community members and company staff—including supervisory and
security staff—can help open minds and broaden perspectives. Use such programs to:
• Increase gender awareness and sensitivity
• Educate community members and staff about the benefits of gender equality in the
project and in the community
• Inform community members and staff about the interventions that will take place
and allow open discussion about the changes to local customs and traditions that
might result
• Reduce harassment and resistance to gender equality initiatives (For detailed guidance
on how to reduce harassment in the workplace, see TOOL SUITE 4)
• Encourage staff to collect information about gender aspects of project operations
TOOL 3.8
Guide for Integrating Women into COVID-19 Interventions and
Other Emergency Planning and Response
» GOAL: Ensure the integration of gender into COVID-19 interventions so that planning
and response are adapted to the specific needs of men and women. Can also be
applied to other emergency situations.
The outbreak of COVID-19, with its speed, its differences in impact across contexts, and
the lack of documented good practice for a pandemic at this scale has quickly revealed the
response limits of national and international institutions as well as companies. A gender-
inclusive response and recovery process has proven difficult to achieve. Infrastructure
companies can play an important role in supporting communities in pandemic response.
Doing so will not only help to maintain social license but can also build increased trust
and collaboration between companies and the communities in which they operate. Given
the uncertainty about how long the crisis will last, employers may consider adjusting their
budgets, policies, and strategic initiatives to adopt new and effective means and norms for
working during and following the crisis.
The guide below is divided into different sections. Companies can choose from these
sections to select focus areas that they see as a priority. The suggested actions are just a
general roadmap. Based on context, there may be various reasons why certain elements
do not fit or are not feasible for a company in each context. We do suggest, however, that
each element is carefully considered for its potential benefit and impact.
Retaining Female Staff and Getting them Involved in Decision-Making

Women are on the front lines of this crisis at many levels—yet are missing from decision-
making tables.25 To integrate gender:
• Consult with women workers and their representatives. Women may have good ideas
about how to support employment during difficult times.
• Actively champion women’s leadership in COVID-19 response coordination bodies and
promote women’s meaningful participation.
• Ensure all COVID-19 funding proposals, impact assessments, and strategies are co-
created and co-led by women and contain comprehensive gender analyses.
25 Care International, “Where are the Women?The Conspicuous Absence of Women in COVID-19 Response Teams and Plans,
and Why We Need Them“, June 2020. OECD, “Women at the core of the fight against COVID-19 crisis“, April 2020.
• Ensure that there are considerations for female members of response teams to
TOOL 3.8
facilitate work-life balance, that there is regular paid time off, that appropriate
protective materials and equipment as well as psychosocial support is offered.
Ensuring Gender-Responsive Communication

Women, girls, and other underserved populations have less access to information in
many contexts for a multitude of reasons, including high rates of female illiteracy, lack of
ownership or access to radios, televisions, or mobile phones, and often less interaction
outside the home. This can hinder reception of critical information related to disease
transmission and prevention, available services, volunteering opportunities, and other
elements. To integrate gender:
• Consult women, girls, and other underserved populations in the development of
materials and campaigns to support their rollout.
• Adapt messaging and information on diseases or other emergencies to the specific
needs of women, but also choose appropriate channels. This can include:
• SMS/text messages, informational mailers, radio messages, and/or announcements
on the company site
• Mechanisms including but not limited to committees, women’s groups and informal
networks, adolescent youth and women with disabilities groups, etc.
• GBVH response services (such as hotline numbers), if they exist
• Proactively address rumors, misinformation, and disease-related superstitions and stigma
• Offer communication services available remotely via different communication
channels, including hotlines, text messaging, mobile phone apps, and social media (for
example, strengthen apps and mobile technology to offer services to women survivors
of violence during quarantine).
Encouraging Healthy and Respectful Workplaces

It is critical that companies take GBVH into account in efforts to respond to COVID-19.26
Measures to control the spread of the disease have been shown to lead to increases
in domestic violence, sexual exploitation, and abuse. This applies to both the domestic
sphere and to the work environment. To this is added the stress and strain on mental
and physical health caused by the pandemic, where women in particular have to juggle
multiple responsibilities with little mobility or downtime. What companies can do:
• Take the risk of harassment and bullying seriously. For in-depth guidance, consult IFC’s
detailed recommendations on workplace risks and responses.
26 UN Women, “Facts and Figures: Ending violence against women,” 2022.
• Review, strengthen, and revise any strategies, action plans, or policies related to
TOOL 3.8
prevention of GBVH to evaluate whether they respond to the changed situation during
the pandemic and adapt them as needed.
• Integrate service delivery across various spheres (for staff as well as for community
members), including mental and physical health, housing, income support, and access
to legal and justice resources.
• Support employees’ mental health through a variety of tools, such as access to
telemedicine, digitally delivered self-diagnostics, psychological therapy, guided
meditation, and the creation of virtual support groups.
• Create employee resource groups to reduce the stigma of mental health problems by
promoting social contact, peer support, and education about mental illnesses, such as
depression and anxiety.
Securing Livelihoods for Women

As the International Labour Organization has assessed, women are the most affected
by cuts in incomes as an impact of the pandemic.27 During the COVID-19 pandemic as in
other emergencies, women experienced a significant burden on their time. Confinement
measures led to multiple care responsibilities, reductions in working time, and even
permanent exit from the labor market. Also, as women are more likely to work in informal
employment and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), COVID restrictions make it
very difficult for them to maintain their livelihoods. What companies can do to secure
livelihoods for women (partly adapted from OECD28 as well as from the comprehensive
case study overview on gender equality and COVID-19 provided by IFC29):
Within the company:

• Offer public childcare options to working parents in essential services, such as
healthcare, public utilities, and emergency services.
• Reduce working hours, provide relief for workers, and manage redundancy payments
related to temporary layoffs and sickness.
• Promote flexible working arrangements that account for workers’ family
responsibilities.
• Target men in campaigns to share the burden of informal and unpaid work, especially
caring for children, the elderly, and the infirm.
27 ILO, The COVID-19 response: Getting gender equality right for a better future for women at work, 2020.
28 Policy options proposed by OECD, “Women at the core of the fight against COVID-19 crisis,” April 2020.
29 IFC, COVID-19 and Gender Equality: Six Actions for the Private Sector, November 2020.
• Extend access to unemployment benefits to non-standard workers and/or consider
TOOL 3.8
one-off payments to affected workers.
With women-led small and medium enterprises (WSMEs):

• Introduce mediation measures concerning procurement and payment delays.
• Minimize exposure to shocks by diversifying the supplier base and expanding
opportunities for women-owned businesses.
• Preserve supplier networks by providing WSMEs with much-needed liquidity. In a
crisis such as the pandemic, companies are rightfully focused on cash management;
nevertheless, this must be balanced with preserving the supplier networks that
they rely upon. Through roundtable discussions and interviews, IFC has found that
companies are providing accelerated payments or cash flow relief to give their key
vendors a lifeline.
• Promote supplier development programs. Companies can cultivate a resilient supplier
network through supplier development—a business strategy that involves working
with diverse suppliers to boost their performance and drive continued business
growth. These programs provide education and mentoring, facilitate collaboration
between suppliers and identify promising suppliers that meet both current and future
procurement needs.
• Consider more forward-looking support measures to strengthen business resilience,
such as training or mentoring programs to help WSMEs assess and manage the
financial impact of the crisis, go digital, or find new markets.
Setting Up Support Services for Staff on Site and/or Communities

Cooperation with multilateral organizations who already have gathered experience with
disaster management can be helpful in order to deliver strong and flexible mechanisms
for COVID-19 response by benefiting from their expertise and resources. For example, the
“Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, Quality” (AAAQ) framework contains questions to
identify barriers women and girls may face accessing support services.
In addition, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
developed a good practice checklist for gender and diversity in relief efforts, which has
been adapted for this toolkit (see Box 3B).
TOOL 3.8
BOX 3B | Good Practice Checklist for Gender and Diversity in Providing Support
Services30
• Collect data on the age, gender, and diversity of the affected staff or community
members.
• Ensure that needs assessment and any support teams are balanced for gender
and diversity.
• Consult with and seek feedback from both men and women to ensure that
services actually meet their respective needs and are socially and culturally
appropriate.
• Provide both male and female support personnel.
• Ensure that assistance includes items and information that meets both men’s and
women’s reproductive health needs, including protection against HIV/AIDS and
other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Include counseling on domestic violence and alcohol abuse prevention when
providing psychosocial support. Ensure this support is sensitive to the needs of
some men for help coping with changes in their gender roles, i.e., caring for young
children after loss of a spouse.
• Design emergency support services that are responsive to the sociocultural and
economic needs and preferences identified by both affected men and women,
and keep in mind privacy and safety considerations.
• Identify the possible need to protect vulnerable men and women, including those
from ethnic minorities or who are older or disabled. Rigorously monitor, report
on, and advocate for the safety of these groups.
30 From: “International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. A practical guide to Gender-sensitive Approaches
for Disaster Management.” IRC: Geneva, 2010.
TOOL 3.9
Guidance Note on Gender-Responsive Livelihoods Restoration
» GOAL: Ensure women benefit from livelihoods restoration programs
Benefits of Integrating Gender into Livelihoods Restoration

A gender-responsive approach to livelihoods restoration is needed because the loss of
assets associated with infrastructure projects can aggravate existing gender disparities.
Inadequate identification of stakeholders and their needs can lead to inequitable systems
for benefit sharing both at community and household levels. This, in turn, will limit impact
in improvement of livelihoods and access to resources and services within families and
communities. Working constructively with women and men throughout the community
engagement process is important to ensure that community benefits are equitably
distributed. This will help companies obtain social license and mitigate any reputational
risk. In this sense, women are a company’s allies in this process.
Companies should consider differentiating potential impacts on communities by sector

and by the stage at which the project occurs. For example, construction may create
specific impacts on land use, while service delivery may create impacts in related
industries that may employ more women than men. Mitigation strategies included in
resettlement, grievance mechanisms, empowerment, and other areas must take these
differences into account.
The following constitutes an overview of key issues with actions to take in order to ensure
that gender is integrated into livelihood restoration plans. Based on the specific context
and goals of the company, the application of the suggested measures can range from
basic/light touch to intensive and impactful. The suggested actions can be further broken
down and expanded upon depending on the context.
Building Resilience
Ideally, an investment will not only restore, but also upgrade livelihoods and
sustainably improve the situation of underserved groups, going well beyond the
“compliance” approach.31 It can actively work to close gaps and violations of human rights
by reducing gender inequality and other pervasive forms of discrimination. An inclusive
approach can improve the well-being of entire communities. This can be achieved by
31 See also World Bank, “How to Ensure Better Outcomes for Women in Resettlement: A Toolkit.” Washington, DC: World Bank
Group, 2019.
using a broad range of tools which can be identified through gender-informed data
TOOL 3.9
collection and stakeholder consultations (see TOOLS 3.5, 3.6, and 3.7). The measures for
empowerment should be tailored to men and women as well as other subgroups such as
youth, with complementary, but possibly divergent, development trajectories.”32
Building resilience can be a useful guiding principle, as it is the counterweight to

vulnerability and includes the promotion of concerted development and investment
approaches and interventions. It also champions complementarity between short-term
actions addressing immediate needs and long-term programs that target structural
causes and reinforce capacities.33
Inclusivity is Key
Success hinges on inclusive approaches that integrate continually, engaging farmers and
the local community and placing them at the center of the learning process—for example,
through continuous feedback loops.34
• Focus on underserved households that may be headed by women, minors, or the
elderly, by people living with disabilities or chronic illness, or by members of socially
or economically marginalized sub-groups within the community (such as displaced
households, households below the poverty line, or those belonging to a minority
ethnic group). Integrate them as empowered stakeholders with the potential to steer
and contribute to the restoration process in unique ways.
• Integrate community-based organizations and NGOs that represent underserved
groups, ensure their participation throughout the entire project, and offer tailored
capacity building to them both at individual and institutional levels.
• To ensure that gender gaps are addressed in the livelihoods restoration plan, develop
the plan based on the results of
• National and regional-level data sets
• Gender analysis of government policies, strategies, and legislation on land use, land
rights, land tenure regimes (customary and formal), natural resources, agriculture,
financial inclusion, and other livelihoods- related areas
• Gender analysis of government policies, strategies, and legislation on land use, land
rights, land tenure regimes (customary and formal)
32 International Institute for Environment and Development – IIED, “Briefing: Gender considerations in the restoration of
livelihoods: resettlement from hydropower“. IIED: London, UK, 2018.
33 For an in-depth discussion and good practice examples on the resilience-empowerment nexus, see ActionAid and UK
Department for International Development (DFID), “What works for Women?” ActionAid, London, 2011.
34 Andrea Mottram et al., ”Resilience Design in Smallholder Farming Systems: A Practical Approach to Strengthening Farmer
Resilience to Shocks and Stresses“. The TOPS Program and Mercy Corps: Washington DC, 2017.
• Vulnerability assessments and gender assessments
TOOL 3.9
• Gender-responsive stakeholder consultations
• National restoration priorities and funding sources
Understanding Household Economics

Households are not homogenous entities. In livelihoods programming, take into account
in what ways:
• Resources, responsibilities, and constraints are distributed unequally between
household members /ex. women have less ownership over land and fewer
property rights)
• Women face more lack of access or barriers to market, credit, and financial
mechanisms and any strategies for income diversification
• Men and women play different roles at the household level and contribute
in different ways. Care work delivered by household members to look after
the disabled, infirm, or elderly, assessing the existing and additional labor that
would be associated with reproductive (unremunerated) and productive (cash-
income) activities. This is to ensure that new restoration and livelihood activities
will not overburden the women who are still delivering the majority of care or
reproductive work worldwide.
• Women and men play different roles in farming systems. They may produce
crops in different value chains, and restoration measures must take into
account losses and other impacts for all crops affected. Where community
forest resources are affected, the plan would need to account for economic,
environmental, and social costs related to the use of communal forest resources
by each gender. Another example is fishing communities, where restoration
measures would need to recognize that fish are usually caught by men, but
women play key roles in fish processing and marketing.
• Women and men may not be affected by impacts and risks associated with
livelihood loss or resettlement in the same ways and may not respond in the
same ways, either.
• Gender roles influence revenue flow (ex. women bearing greater responsibility
for basic household needs than men).
TOOL 3.9
BOX 3C | In Vietnam, Women’s Skills and Capacity Developed35
The Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project in Vietnam was the first hydropower project
to receive funding from the Asian Development Bank. It took a proactive approach
to advancing gender equality through implementation of a complex resettlement
and livelihood restoration process for indigenous and ethnic minorities. Women’s
skills and capacities were built by upgrading traditional farming practices through
skills training in wet rice field development (mostly women); bean and corn
cultivation, and vegetable gardening (mostly women); and livestock and fishery
(men and women).
Activities related to community-based forest development have also relied on
close consultation with and involvement of the minority Co Tu women, including
selection of trees to plant, natural forest protection, use of green manure, weeding,
and home gardening. In addition, literacy classes have been implemented in the
affected villages with majority women participants. The emphasis on targeting
women in extension training and use of community-based female extension
workers was built on Co Tu women’s traditionally important role in agricultural
farming and food production.
The new skills and agriculture information helped lessen the drudgery of work in the
field. For example, a new bean and corn cultivation pilot technique follows terrain
contour lines to improve ease of access by women to their crops on steep slopes
and reduce soil erosion in their plots. Similarly, women have been taught how to
use green manure and other techniques to increase vegetable production in home
gardens. Women were shown to be able to put this new knowledge into use by
deciding how to invest their money on a daily basis.
Suggested Interventions
Interventions will ideally be designed to strengthen and build upon the existing asset base
of affected populations and underserved groups, including women in particular. These
assets, beyond productive resources such as land, can include skills and certification,
financial capital, physical and mental health and safety from harm, and social networks.
Livelihoods restoration can also include measures that increase access to productive
resources, markets, education, and information.
35 Asian Development Bank, Navigating gender-inclusive resettlement: The experience of the Song Bung 4 hydropower project
in Viet Nam Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Asian Development Bank, 2014,
A truly transformative approach can contribute to reducing the time women spend on
TOOL 3.9
domestic duties such as water collection or food processing by improving access to water,
sanitation, and electricity. It would also look into environmental factors such as reduction
of the impacts of climate change or the degradation of natural resources caused by
infrastructure projects. This can be achieved by joining livelihoods restoration activities
with other aspects of a company’s social investment strategies.
IFC’s Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory Team has partnered with actors on the ground to
put in place community investment strategies that have included:
• fostering sustainable and inclusive agricultural production and value chain
development
• targeted entrepreneurship programs for boosting women and youth’s local businesses
• training and capacity-building programs targeted at women and youth and developed
with their stated preferences and needs in mind (for example, on financial inclusion)
• training and sensitization on the prevention, mitigation, and response to gender-based
violence for men and women
• training on sustainable agriculture and livestock raising techniques
• providing or enabling access to career guidance and employment support, including
the sponsoring of apprenticeships
• providing or facilitating access to vocational and technical training opportunities
Additional measures can include:

• advocacy to improve women’s rights to land and natural resources, including within
communities
• creating partnerships and alliances with regional and national agriculture, restoration,
or resilience networks to enhance inclusiveness of women and marginalized groups
• facilitating access to information and/or legal services relating to employment, work
permits, or business registration
• facilitating access to financial services (including savings, money transfers, and
loans) to help stabilize household cash flows and provide seed money for household
investments in business or training
• enabling access to business support services and entrepreneurship training
Livelihoods in Urban Contexts

In urban environments, it is essential to include informal urban occupations in livelihood
restoration plans, analyzing the different types of income that men and women generate.
Livelihood restoration in urban settings can draw from the ready availability of training
institutions to offer women new and more lucrative opportunities. In Lahore, Pakistan,
TOOL 3.9
an urban resettlement process included a gender survey of women who unanimously
expressed the need for better business opportunities and identified training and capacity
building in stitching, teaching, using computers, and cooking as their priority needs.36
Adapted urban livelihood measures are especially important where refugee populations
are affected by infrastructure projects, as they often make up a high percentage of
female-headed households and often depend on informal and precarious areas of work.37
Livelihoods in Conflict Settings

In conflict, post-conflict, or fragile settings, livelihood restoration can contribute to
peacebuilding by increasing access to limited resources for people affected by conflict
and/or climate change and by building social cohesion through community stewardship
of these resources. When implemented with a gender-responsive approach that takes
into account the needs of men and women, livelihood restoration measures can help
reduce inequalities and achieve sustainable development outcomes. For example,
restoring water infrastructure in conflict-affected areas can mean that agriculture, health,
education, sanitation, and other critical services can resume.38
Knowledge Exchange and Partnerships for Livelihoods Restoration

The exchange of knowledge on key gender issues, strategies, and outcomes in livelihood
restoration can aid the identification of best practices and opportunities.
• Circulate all assessments, studies, and knowledge products to national gender
experts, working groups, or institutions for peer review to ensure the highest
possible level of accuracy.
• Consult other expert groups, especially where agricultural/agroforestry or production
or value chains are concerned, as livelihood interventions in this sector are governed
by a multitude of influencing factors and risks and outcomes need to be measured
with appropriate indicators and tools. Development and also humanitarian
organizations often have the needed expertise and can be helpful partners.
• Following interventions, socioeconomic surveys are needed to evaluate the extent
to which resettlement outcomes were successful and livelihoods were restored
after the project. The surveys should be complemented by independent monitoring
and evaluation.
36 Vincent Roquet et al., “Urban Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement.” The World Bank, Washington DC, 2017.
37 UNHCR, “Refugee Livelihoods in urban settings.”
38 Ilona Coyle et al., “From Fragility to Resilience: Managing Natural Resources in Fragile Situations in Africa”. African
Development Bank: Abidjan, 2016.
TOOL 3.9
BOX 3D | Investing in Women Along Agribusiness Value Chains39
The IFC report and guidance “Investing in Women Along Agribusiness Value Chains”
calls on the private sector to invest in closing gaps between men and women in
agribusiness. It focuses on four different stages of a simplified value chain:
1. Input provision (provision of seeds and fertilizers, for example)
2. Production
3. Post-harvest processing and storage
4. Transportation, sales, and marketing
For each stage in the value chain, the report helps companies identify potential
benefits from closing gender gaps. The authors accomplished this by reviewing
women’s contributions and constraints within each stage, outlining solutions for
the private sector, demonstrating the business rationale for making gender-smart
investments, and presenting best-practice case studies.
39 IFC, Investing in Women along Agribusiness Value Chains, 2016.
TOOL 3.10
Ensure Gender Sensitivity in Participatory Monitoring and
» GOAL: Ensure women participate in participatory monitoring and evaluation as well as
in grievance mechanisms for project-affected communities
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement and/or Independent Gender Expert
About Social Accountability Strategies: Participatory Monitoring and

Community members—male and female alike—must have a way to express concerns,
questions, complaints, or satisfaction about an infrastructure project and specific
community outreach activities. That is why participatory monitoring and evaluation
processes and grievance redress mechanisms are key.
Such instruments are especially valuable if all voices were not heard and incorporated at the
various stages of project development. They are efficient and effective methods to identify
existing and potential problems as early as possible and throughout the life of a project.
Involving both men and women in the initial design of the processes and mechanisms—as
well in their execution—will ensure optimal effectiveness and functionality for all members
of the community. This will increase their potential for success, and, in turn, contribute to
the smooth operation of the project and community initiatives.
Participatory monitoring and grievance mechanisms take a number of forms, each

with its own values and specific implementation techniques. Rather than detailing
every technique, this tool provides guidance that can be incorporated into any of the
approaches you might consider using.40 Note that many financial institutions require
such mechanisms. For example, IFC Performance Standard 1 requires the establishment
of grievance mechanisms to hear grievances and facilitate resolution of affected
communities’ concerns related to IFC clients’ environmental and social performance.
Designing Gender-Sensitive Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation Processes

Participatory monitoring and evaluation techniques (such as participatory rural appraisals,
key informant interviews, outcome mapping, and community scorecards) differ from
traditional monitoring and evaluation methodologies because they allow the project-
affected community to play a role in determining indicators, priorities, and how success
40 For more information on designing grievance mechanisms, see IFC’s “Good Practice Note: Addressing Grievances from
Project-Affected Communities” and CAO’s “Grievance Mechanism Toolkit: A practical guide for implementing grievance
mechanisms in different sectors.”
TOOL 3.10
of projects and community initiatives is measured. They also give communities ownership
over outcomes. (See TOOL 3.16 for more on community scorecards.) Development
institutions are increasingly utilizing participatory monitoring and evaluation techniques
because they ensure more accurate analysis of project success.
Diverse members of the community should have the ability to play an equal part in
all steps of the participatory monitoring and evaluation process, and they should be
encouraged to do so. Here are some ways to facilitate inclusive participation:
• Set indicators: Any participatory monitoring technique starts with the definition of
indicators of success—that is, a successfully implemented project or delivered service.
Allowing those impacted by a service to be involved in determining the metrics by
which it is evaluated helps ensure that you are focusing on the key project attributes
and services and demonstrating commitment to accountability for these services.
It is essential that women in the community are involved in determining these
indicators, so that they reflect the priorities of both men and women. Indicators can be
determined at the project and program level as well as on a higher level, such as those
that can measure increases in women’s equality in the community and/or the meeting
of their strategic gender needs—such as the percentage of women who participate in
community meetings or the percentage of women with access to cash income or land
or property titles.
• Disaggregate the data by gender: As previously noted, disaggregating data by gender
is one of the first steps in integrating gender sensitivity into project and community
initiatives. The only way to assess whether a project or program is disproportionately
harming women is to view its impacts on women separately from its impacts on men.
Programs and policies that appear to be “gender neutral” stand the risk of benefiting
men over women and perpetuating or even exacerbating existing gender inequalities.
(For more, see TOOL 3.6.)
• Share and analyze data with both men and women: Results can be developed
publicly, such as through community meetings, or confidentially and later
disseminated. Take care to ensure equal participation by men and women and that
they have equal access to results.
• Adapt the project or program to reduce negative impacts on women and
increase equal benefits: Gender-disaggregated data should be analyzed against
baseline data to determine ways in which the project or program may be inadvertently
harming or benefiting men and women disproportionately. Changes and adaptations
should be made in collaboration with men and women from the community so they
will have a role in ensuring equal benefit from the project.
TOOL 3.10
Designing Grievance Redress Mechanisms for Women and Men
Grievance mechanisms provide a formal and transparent process for community
members to voice their concerns or questions about infrastructure projects. These
mechanisms range from a simple approach, such as a box to deposit handwritten
complaints, to more complex and formal processes.
Many institutional investors require that project-affected communities have access to a

grievance mechanism process. It creates a credible way to learn of community concerns,
to allow a company to take the necessary steps to address the issues, thus minimizing
risk and safeguarding the company-community relationship.
Obstacles To Participation
Men and women, including vulnerable groups within both communities, may face
obstacles when it comes to voicing their grievances about an infrastructure project.
These obstacles can range from logistical to cultural challenges, such as:
• Cultural expectations for women or certain vulnerable groups: This may lead them to
remain silent about grievances.
• Lower levels of literacy among some community groups: This can make it difficult to
express concerns when processes require handwritten submissions.
• Limited familiarity with formal processes: This can occur if the company does not
ensure equitable participation in consultations and community meetings.
• Lack of gender-diverse grievance mechanism staff.
• Lack of understanding and knowledge about the community on the part of
grievance mechanism staff: They may not be familiar with the issues faced by men,
women, and vulnerable community members. They also might lack training on the
appropriate handling of gender-sensitive issues.
• Culture-based gender dynamics: In some communities, women are expected to
rely on male family members instead of directly accessing grievance processes, law
enforcement, or lawyers.
• Reliance on informal grievance structures: Some community groups may be more
familiar with informal grievance structures, such as women’s associations. Some
might believe that it is not their place to participate in formal grievance mechanism
procedures.
TOOL 3.10
Concrete Steps to Enable Equal Access to and Use of Grievance Mechanisms
Here are specific measures your company can take to ensure that men and women alike
can make use of the grievance mechanisms you have in place.41
• Involve women in the design of the mechanism from the very start.
• Publicize all relevant steps of the grievance process and make sure there is broad
reach throughout the community: This includes information on points of contact for
access to the mechanism, how to register a complaint, stages and timelines of the
mechanism, when complainants can expect to receive communication on the progress
of their complaint, and availability of advisory or expert support resources and how
they are funded.42
• Keep up a steady stream of publicity about the mechanism: This will guarantee that
members of the community—including new community members—will remain
informed. Engage local community organizations, women’s groups, or NGOs to help
ensure that the information continues to reach diverse members of the community.43
• Examine any potential barriers that might prevent women’s equitable access and
participation (see list above).
• Ensure that the mechanism is rights-compatible in both process and outcomes. (See
the next section for more on this topic.)
• Base the design of the mechanism on the inclusion, participation, and empowerment
of all individuals, paying particular attention to vulnerable people.
• Appoint a company gender champion to ensure that men’s and women’s grievances
are addressed equally:
• At a minimum, appoint one gender champion within the community engagement
team.
• For best practice and to avoid elite capture, also bring on a democratically elected
gender representative from within the community.
Ways to Facilitate Equal Access to and Use of Grievance Mechanisms

Here are some examples of ways to encourage the use of established grievance
mechanisms by all community members, male and female alike.
• Do not charge a fee for use.
41 Christina Hill and Kelly Newell, Women, Communities and Mining: The Gender Impacts of Mining and the Role of Gender
Impact Assessment, Carlton: Oxfam Australia, 2009, 6.
42 Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative, Rights-Compatible Grievance Mechanisms: A Guidance Tool for Companies and
Their Stakeholders, Cambridge: John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2008.
43 Ibid.
TOOL 3.10
• Provide simple, user-friendly forms, with clear directions.
• Set up more than one method of submitting a complaint so individuals can choose
the one that best meets their needs, ensures the confidentiality of their submission,
and doesn’t prevent them from freely submitting. For example, individuals who are
illiterate may choose to submit in person or via an anonymous telephone hotline;
others may prefer to submit in writing in order to quickly and anonymously complete
the submission.
• Enable access to the process for people who only speak the local language or who
are illiterate: Provide assistance and safeguards to ensure the successful filing of their
grievance.
• Create an authorization process for third-party complaints: For complaints filed on
behalf of someone else, provide a way to confirm that the person filing the complaint
is authorized to do so.
• Clearly publicize more than one point of access to the grievance mechanism: Designate
at least one independent access point separate from the company, such as a
community organization or representative, trade or worker’s union or representative,
ombudsman, or hotline. Make sure that it is available to everyone, not just to the
members of the organization or union they might represent.44
• Provide separate locations and consider any additional accommodations necessary to
facilitate participation of women and men as needed.
• Ensure the safety and security of locations for both men and women: Access points
should be well-lit, easily accessible, not secluded, and not too public.
• Ensure the anonymity of complainants.
• Take every complaint seriously and treat every complainant with respect.
• Consider training for local community groups: In some communities, there may be
a preference for informal grievance structures. In such situations, local community
groups, women’s associations, or women’s dialogue platforms can be provided with
training so they know how to handle grievances relayed to them. This also will help
ensure that your formal grievance process incorporates any grievances gathered in
this way.
44 CSRI, Rights-Compatible Grievance Mechanisms: A Guidance Tool for Companies and Their Stakeholders.
TOOL 3.11
Design a Gender-Sensitive Resettlement Process 45
» GOAL: Ensure the resettlement process facilitates equal opportunities and minimizes
disproportionate harm to women
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement, Resettlement Specialist, and/or Independent
Gender Expert
In cases in which infrastructure projects conduct resettlement of local residents, the

most disadvantaged or vulnerable46 members of the community are the most at risk of
further marginalization. They might have the most difficulty reconstructing their lives
following resettlement, and yet they could receive the least amount of compensation and
assistance from traditional resettlement programs.
To provide the greatest latitude for project-affected people and to allow them to make
their own decisions for their post-resettlement life, an inclusive resettlement process—
one that is tailored to the specific needs and concerns of each subgroup and that involves
full engagement with all community members—is critical.
Compensation for Both Land and Property Owners and Users

When a company negotiates land purchase or resettlement with a project-affected
community, resettlement is often designed to compensate the owners of land or property
so they can maintain or improve their quality of life and income-generating activity.
However, many of the users or residents of the land or property are not necessarily the
owners, so an arrangement that only calls for compensation for owners means excluding
an entire group of community members—users or renters. Often among the poorest and
most vulnerable, they may rely on the land or property as their main source of shelter,
subsistence, and/or livelihood. They are at significant risk of losing it all if the resettlement
process does not address their situation. In urban environments, renters who are
displaced due to a project may be forced to move to an area with higher property values
and rental prices, thus putting them at an even greater economic disadvantage. To only
include or compensate the owners of the property would be to miss this group of people
entirely, and potentially perpetuate urban inequity and gentrification.
45 Much of this tool draws from Asian Development Bank Gender Checklist: Resettlement, Manila: Asian Development Bank, 2003.
46 “This disadvantaged or vulnerable status may stem from an individual’s or group’s race, color, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. The client should also consider factors
such as gender, age, ethnicity, culture, literacy, sickness, physical or mental disability, poverty or economic disadvantage, and
dependence on unique natural resources.” (IFC Performance Standard 1, page 4).
One way to ensure that all those affected by resettlement are considered is the approach
TOOL 3.11
taken by IFC. IFC Performance Standard 5 requires that “economically displaced persons
who are without legally recognizable claims to land…will be compensated for lost assets
other than land (such as crops, irrigation infrastructure, and other improvements made to
the land) at full replacement cost.”
Women at Increased Risk in Resettlement Process

Failure to customize the resettlement process to the needs of the people being resettled
could increase the risk that the community—or those most vulnerable, who are often
women—winds up worse off than before the project.
In many countries, women are prevented from owning land in their names due to legal
restrictions or local customs. A resettlement process that does not account for this
could mean that women are more vulnerable to the loss of land or livelihoods—or to
inadequate compensation for the loss of land that they, in fact, do own or use. For women
whose domestic responsibilities depend on land access, such as subsistence farming,
the lack of compensation for resettlement can increase pressure and exacerbate other
inequalities within the home.
Resettlement processes that worsen gender disparities can have negative impacts not
only for the community, but also ultimately for the company as well. On the other hand,
experience shows that gender-equitable and inclusive community engagement strategies
with a focus on poverty reduction will help secure stronger social license to operate—the
cornerstone of a quality relationship with the community.
“The key to participation is full information. If the affected

persons are to exercise their rights to rehabilitation, they must
be fully informed.”
—Gender Checklist: Resettlement, Asian Development Bank
TOOL 3.11
FIGURE 3A | How Gender Affects Resettlement Impacts
Women may not have legal or Non-landowners whose livelihoods depend on

customary rights to hold title on the land may not be eligible for compensation
land or property they use after resettlement
Men and women may have different Workers who do not generate income may
levels of participation in income- not receive employment or income/livelihood
generating labor assistance. This can disproportionately affect
women who more often provide unpaid labor
in the home
Women are often responsible for Resettlement could increase the distance
gathering water, fuel, fodder, or or scarcity of water, fuel, fodder, or forest
forest products products so gathering them could take longer,
impacting women’s lives and increasing their
susceptibility to violence
Men and women may have differing Limited mobility makes adaption to location
levels of mobility and access within disruptions harder, especially if relocation
the community, city, or region causes a decrease in mobility and a breakdown
of social networks. Fewer social ties also can
reduce women’s access to finance, often
secured through social networks
Men and women may have differing Women in particular may be uninformed about
levels of awareness of their legal available legal resources and protections
rights and opportunities
Gender inequality often leads The social and economic changes brought
to domestic and gender-based about by resettlement can increase domestic
violence and gender-based violence
Women worldwide have a lower Studies have shown that involuntary

nutritional status on average than resettlement is correlated with a decrease
men and higher rates of mortality in nutritional status and increases in female
and morbidity mortality and morbidity
When both men and women feel that agreements are beneficial, friction within the
household and the community can be reduced. It also can help mitigate the risk of protest
and other project opposition that could disrupt operations and alarm investors.
While this tool focuses on ensuring that men and women are included in developing
TOOL 3.11
resettlement plans, it is important to remind users of this tool suite that men and
women are not homogenous groups, and that there are varying levels of vulnerability.
When it comes to consultations, negotiations, compensation, and options for relocation
and livelihoods, the resettlement process must reflect the needs of all members of the
community with an inclusive approach that extends to all members of a household. Be
sure to account for religious, cultural, and economic differences, such as socioeconomic
status, religion, ethnicity, disability, and civil status. Use of the assessment tools featured
in this tool suite can help you develop a better understanding of the community’s cultural
norms, gender dynamics, roles and responsibilities, and diverse subgroups, which will
enable a more effective and equitable resettlement process.
Note that this tool is not intended as a comprehensive resettlement guide; rather, it is
designed to supplement a company’s preexisting resettlement strategy. The goal is to
ensure that the strategy anticipates the needs of impacted male and female community
members alike with responses that appropriately address these needs before, during, and
after the transition.
Guide to a Gender-Sensitive Resettlement Process

Before starting the resettlement process, it is crucial to have in place a gender-balanced
resettlement team. This balance can improve responsiveness to community issues and
can lead to more nuanced, gender-sensitive resettlement planning. A gender-diverse team
also helps facilitate communication with the various segments of the community, since all-
male or all-female teams might have a hard time interfacing with certain groups.
Phase 1: Understand and Prepare the Community

This first phase is critical to ensuring an equitable and gender-sensitive resettlement
process. The steps are detailed below.
Step 1. Collect relevant, gender-disaggregated data during the assessment stage.
a. Division of labor within the household
b. Role of men and women in decision-making mechanisms within the community and
the household
c. Contribution to household income (formal and informal work, financial and in-kind
contributions) and livelihood activities
d. Access, control, and ownership of land, property, finances, and other resources at the
household level (see next section on land ownership and usage for specific land and
property data to collect)
e. Levels of awareness on legal rights and processes, extent to which rights are exercised,
TOOL 3.11
and degree of interaction with officials and institutions such as banks
f. Existence of women’s solidarity networks, such as cooperatives focused on production

activities
g. Health and nutrition indicators, especially services available to women and vulnerable
people
h. Education and literacy levels
i. Languages spoken:
• Female community members in particular, as well as ethnic minorities, older
individuals, and/or the less educated may not speak the national language. Fewer
may speak the national language in rural areas.
j. Gender dimensions of legal and/or customary use and ownership of land and property:
• Are there gender dimensions to formal and customary laws regarding ownership,
transfer, and inheritance of land, property, and natural resources?
• Is the national government a signatory to any international agreements governing
resettlement?
k. Formal owners/tenants of any land considered for resettlement
l. Actual users of any land considered for resettlement, regardless of whether they are
the formal tenants
m. Returnship (when applicable):

• What land is being returned after project decommissioning?
• To whom is land being returned?
n. Potential impacts and risks from giving money or other benefits directly to men or women:
• Do funds given to men reach the family? Do men include their wives in decision
making about the use of these funds?
• When women receive money, do men assume control of it?
• Does giving money to women increase the risk of domestic or gender-based violence?
Step 2. Ensure women’s participation in consultation, negotiation, and planning.
a. Confirm that compensation and resettlement programs and safeguards are

considered and designed for both owners and users of land.
b. Ensure that men and women from all socioeconomic groups are fully informed about
TOOL 3.11
the project and resettlement process and allow them to review plans through open
and accountable processes:
• Schedule community forums and consultations, as opposed to solely one-way
information flows, to facilitate dialogue and answer questions from community
members.
• Ensure that meetings are conducted in local languages and that prepared
information is translated into languages spoken by community members.
• Provide alternative methods of communication for illiterate residents.
• Take special care to include vulnerable women: those in poverty, single, widowed,
disabled, or belonging to ethnic minority groups. (In polygamous communities,
ensure that not only husbands and their first wives are included, but also that
additional wives are included.)
c. Involve both men and women in decision making and the design of the resettlement
process at all stages.
d. Include men and women in consultations and negotiations and factor them into all
phases of the land and resettlement process, from planning to implementation, as
opposed to limiting consultation to community leaders, who are often men.
e. Use techniques and accommodations as suggested in this tool suite to secure the
presence of both men and women from all socioeconomic groups:
• Schedule consultations at times and locations convenient for both men and women.
• Arrange childcare or transportation if necessary.
• Convene separate meetings with men and women and/or have corresponding
gender facilitators for gender-specific groups: This can be especially useful in
gathering differing views on sensitive issues such as water, sanitation, hygiene
(including toilets), house plans, and domestic and gender-based violence.
• Use participatory rural appraisal techniques47 such as time use analysis, agricultural
calendars, focus group discussions, and transect walks to uncover data and
encourage participation of men and women.
Step 3. Determine budgeting and finance options conducive to the sustainability of

resettlement services.
a. Adequately analyze the full cost of resettlement and have a contingency budget: This will
reduce the risk of adding to the community’s financial burden and contributing to poverty.
47 For more information on participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques, see Robert Chambers, “The Origins and Practice of
Participatory Rural Appraisal,” World Development, Vol. 22, no. 7, 1994: 953-969.
b. Identify services in need of community funding: Communities may need financial
TOOL 3.11
contributions in support of long-term operations and maintenance of services.
c. Consider partnering with government or NGOs for long-term financing of services.
d. Include specific line items in the budget for gender activities and communicate this
information to women so they are aware that the funds exist.
e. Establish a monitoring process: This will ensure that the funds are used for their
intended purposes.
Phase 2: Work Collaboratively and Equitably with Community for Resettlement

and Compensation Programs that Meet All Needs
Involving male and female community members on resettlement location and structure,
assistance programs, and support services is the only way to ensure that the process
meets all needs and enables equal access and benefit. In addition, participation of
men and women in decisions related to resettlement design and process increases the
likelihood that it will benefit the community as a whole.
Here are the steps to follow in designing a tailored, inclusive, and gender-equitable
resettlement and compensation program.
Step 1. Use innovative approaches to enable women’s access to benefits.
a. Ensure that both spouses are aware of, have a say over, and agree on the
compensation packages.
b. Consider alternative strategies to determine compensation, based on real impacts of

resettlement, in situations where men and women have unequal ability to own land
or property:
• This effort might include exploring local customs for hidden bias: For example, in
situations where a divorced, widowed, or single woman lives with her adult sons, be
sure to account for her land use patterns when determining compensation.
c. Create a transparent compensation process:

• Make sure that the information is available to all men and women, and not just to
the male and female heads of the household.
• Provide information in the languages spoken by community members as well as
alternative methods of communication for the illiterate.
d. Consider varied/alternative means of compensation—cash, check, or bank account—

to give affected individuals options based on the best fit with their needs:
• Direct deposit into bank accounts (when bank account usage is prevalent by both
TOOL 3.11
men and women) could be the best option, since compensation received in cash is
sometimes spent quickly and might not be available for family needs.
• Listen to potential differences in preferences between women and men: Men may
prefer cash compensation while women may favor another option.
e. Consider giving men and women their compensation directly or depositing it into joint
bank accounts: This will ensure that both men and women have financial access and
that funds withdrawal will require joint signatures:
• If national, regional, or local laws prohibit direct monetary compensation for
women, consider alternative forms of resettlement assistance packages or other
options to ensure equitable compensation.
• Assess potential risks that could arise as a result of giving money or other benefits
directly to men, rather than to women, such as increased risk of domestic or gender-
based violence:
• Consult with both men and women as part of this process.
• If potential risks are determined, look at ways to mitigate them.
f. Make sure that female-headed households receive the same benefits as male-headed
households:
• Get to know the intricacies of the nontraditional households within the community.
• There could be households within households that are entitled to receive their
own resettlement compensation and assistance in the name of the female head of
household. For example:
• Female-led households headed by a divorced or widowed woman may reside within
their parents’ or larger families’ households and may include multiple generations.
In some countries, it is also common for multigenerational families to live together.
• In some countries and within some communities, polygamy is common and often
results in the first wife receiving resettlement measures while the remaining wives
may not be considered equal beneficiaries. In such situations, implement measures
to ensure equal access for all spouses to resettlement consultations and benefits.
Step 2. Support equitable access to formal land tenure, property ownership, and
compensation.
Women may have difficulty exercising their rights as title or property holders, or they may
have less access to formal land ownership. Efforts to document ownership status and
ensure compensation that reflects actual ownership status are critical. Provide assistance
to support equal access to:
• National identity documents, often needed to establish title.
• Bank and postal accounts in each individual’s name: Alternatively, establish husbands and
TOOL 3.11
wives as joint signatories on bank accounts, as often only husbands’ names are listed.
• Land titles: Divorcees and widows are in particular need of assistance here. In many
countries, they may face cultural, political, or legal difficulties in accessing their right to
their land. Also note that in some contexts, women who hold the formal title to land
may still face cultural, procedural, or customary law barriers to exercising this right.
Step 3. Make sure that support for alternative livelihoods meets men’s and women’s
needs. Provide opportunities or plans for women and men who were employed by
the project or who had income- or subsistence-generating activities linked to the
project, such as:
a. Skills training or employment opportunities:

• Men and women may have had different access to education and training
opportunities. When a company offers alternative options for employment after
resettlement, keep in mind that there may be gender disparities in who is eligible
for these new employment opportunities. Providing training opportunities for
these new positions will allow for more equal access to alternative livelihood and
employment opportunities.
• In situations where women’s work is concentrated in smaller, less formal sectors,
such as selling goods, domestic work, gathering forest products, or working in
fields, women may be particularly vulnerable to losing their source of income during
resettlement, especially if they do not have the same access to land, transport,
markets, or customers. It is essential to include these informal economic activities in
resettlement plans and offer comparable or better alternative livelihood options.
b. Access to credit and microfinance schemes
c. Compensation for loss of income (even for informal income) and loss of assets (including
natural resources such as rivers or agricultural land): Note that such compensation
should not be viewed as a substitute for sustainable, long-term livelihood opportunities.
Step 4. Involve both men and women in resettlement site selection and housing design.
Site selection and housing design may affect men and women differently. In some
circumstances, women might not adapt as easily, given their gender roles, responsibilities,
and levels of mobility. Involving men and women in the selection and design process
ensures that all new infrastructure and resources meet the needs of the entire family.
a. Site selection: Failing to involve both men and women in these important decisions
could pose risks for decreased access to resources, employment, education,
healthcare, or markets, as well as reduced safety and security.
• Make sure that the new location does not restrict access to markets, food, water, or
TOOL 3.11
other resources for any reason, including increased security risks and vulnerability.
• Check that the new location is not in an ecologically or geologically unsafe, polluted,
or otherwise vulnerable area.
• In rural contexts, make certain that the soil quality at the new location is the same or
better than the original location to facilitate equal or improved food security.
b. Home construction and design:

• Discuss preferences on settlement, housing structure, and design with affected male
and female community members alike.
• Consult with men and women equally on whether they prefer to receive funding and
materials to build their houses themselves.
• Consult with both men and women on other forms of support they might need.
• Have a plan in place to ensure that basic needs are met during the transition phase
between the original community/housing and the new housing. This is particularly
important for women, children, the elderly, and vulnerable people.
Step 5. Guarantee equal or improved access to civic infrastructure, including water,

sanitation, and fuel resources.
This effort includes making plans to maintain the infrastructure. It is possible that the
government could assist with provision of water (wells), waste disposal, sewage, or other
services, so be sure to check on the availability of public resources.
a. Incorporate access to key infrastructure in the resettlement process, including:

• Roads and other transit/mobility options: This will ensure access to basic
infrastructure, schools, healthcare, and other essential places, as determined by
the community. Note that consulting women to ensure that their transit needs have
been met is essential in contexts where women have lower mobility than men.
This also involves further questioning to determine the arrangements needed to
accommodate women’s transit needs during the transition period and in the new
location. Make sure to include single, pregnant, elderly, female-headed households,
and any other vulnerable groups in these consultations.
• Sanitation facilities such as toilets and bathing facilities: If the plan is to build
communal facilities, consider adding lighting to increase women’s safety.
• Water sources: In situations where women are responsible for water collection,
be sure to involve them in decisions about the siting and design of water-related
infrastructure, such as taps and wells. This will help guarantee equal access and
increase the chances that they will maintain the facilities.
b. Ensure that access to basic resources such as fuel and water is maintained or
TOOL 3.11
improved in the new location: Often, women and girls are responsible for gathering
these basic needs, so a resettlement that makes these resources harder to find or puts
them at a further distance away can increase women’s time poverty, creating negative
consequences such as girls dropping out of school to help their mothers at home.
c. Consider using resettlement as an opportunity to introduce new stove technologies:

This effort should involve input from men and women alike, particularly in situations
where men and women may have different responsibilities for purchasing stoves—as
opposed to using them. New stoves can reduce fuel collection time. They also lower
the risk of the indoor air pollution that can lead to respiratory problems in women and
children, who are often in closest proximity to operating stoves.
d. Divide the responsibilities for waste disposal and sewage management between
the government and the community: Women and men should be included in any
applicable trainings.
Step 6. Guarantee equal or improved access to social infrastructure and social services.
Consider using relocation as an opportunity to introduce services that the community needs
but does not have. Assess whether government or NGO involvement can be secured for
some of these services, such as connecting schools or healthcare centers to the national or
regional systems. Make sure the effort includes plans for longer-term maintenance of these
services. Consult with local women about the community’s needs for:
a. Schools and educational infrastructure
b. Hospitals and healthcare centers
c. Childcare centers/services
d. Places of worship
e. Other social services and infrastructure that could meet their needs or aspirations
Step 7. Put in place a gender-sensitive grievance mechanism process.

For more on setting up a gender-sensitive grievance mechanism, see TOOL 3.10.
Step 8. Set up a gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation process to evaluate the

resettlement process.
The monitoring and evaluation should enable the identification of shortcomings and gaps
to be addressed in order to secure the wellbeing of the community, including women and
other vulnerable groups. For more on this, see TOOLS 3.15 and 3.16.
TOOL 3.12
Create Community Development Initiatives that Benefit Both
Men and Women
» GOAL: Ensure that community initiatives are designed to reflect priorities of men and
women in the community
In addition to assessing community status, impacts, and development objectives, many

companies plan activities to promote community development. Such efforts include support
for local economies, supply chains, and infrastructure. For rural communities that are
underserved by government services, company activities and public-private partnerships
can be important means of service delivery. These programs benefit both the community
and the company. They facilitate positive relations, helping to achieve and maintain social
license and smooth, uninterrupted project operations.
Including men and women in decisions about the type and structure of the company’s
community initiatives is critical to achieving real and sustained development and progress.
This tool provides suggestions on incorporating men’s and women’s perspectives and
needs in equal measure as the type and design of community development initiatives
are determined. This includes ensuring gender-equitable access to and benefit from
activities, as well as initiatives specifically geared to promote the economic and social
empowerment of women.
Designing Gender-Equitable Community Initiatives

The following recommendations for designing gender-equitable community initiatives will
help you optimize impact and sustainability:
• Make sure that gender is integrated as a strategic priority in the design of multi-year
community development plans.
• Use the information gleaned from your gender-sensitive baseline community and
social impact assessments (see TOOLS 3.5 and 3.6) as key inputs in the design of your
strategic community plan and specific community initiatives.
• Include men and women at all stages of consultation for planning and implementation
of community development activities:
• Make sure to involve diverse participants from all social and economic strata to
avoid elite capture.
• If necessary, conduct separate meetings with men and women at times, in places, and in
languages that will support their active participation (see TOOL 3.7 for detailed guidance).
TOOL 3.12
• Keep the community regularly informed of progress towards delivery of initiatives
and other commitments. This management of expectations could prevent unrest in
the case of implementation delays.
• Engage women and men in monitoring and implementation of the initiatives
(see TOOL 3.15).
• Provide constructive guidance, based on the baseline and social impact assessments,
to encourage input from women who have not previously been engaged in
consultations or community program design. Initially, it might seem as if the women
lack ideas. But this could be due to limited exposure, since past programs may have
only served to reinforce traditional roles and opportunities.
• Look for opportunities to link economic and social empowerment activities with the
company’s local supply chain needs, which can greatly help with social license and the
economic resilience of the local community:
• Collaborate with local procurement/sourcing colleagues to identify needs that could
be filled through local sourcing.
• Use this information as a basis for community consultation on designing community
training or providing other support (such as access to finance) that could enable the
expansion of local sourcing. (See TOOL SUITE 2 for detailed guidance on increasing
integration of women-owned businesses into the supply chain.)
• Collaborate across departments to share activity costs.
• Gain consensus on community priorities and make sure that initiatives align with
these priorities: Sometimes communities agree to activities proposed by companies or
development professionals even if they do not fit priorities, climate, or needs. Ensuring
that activities genuinely align with community priorities will lead to higher success
rates and, ideally, more positive impact for women.
Implementing Gender-Equitable Community Initiatives

Here are some recommendations to guide you on gender-equitable community initiatives:
• Ensure that both men and women have equal opportunities to play a variety of roles in
community programming: For instance, take steps so women can assume leadership
or management positions in community management of outreach activities. This is not
only a way to increase the social impact of activities, but also an opportunity to provide
women with leadership opportunities.
• Stay informed about the community and gender initiatives of other companies, donor
agencies, and NGOs in the area: This will avoid overlap and uncover opportunities for
collaboration. Partnering with others also could help ensure sustainability after the
project cycle ends and the company leaves the area.
TOOL 3.12
BOX 3E | Examples of Community Initiatives with Specific Benefit for Women
This list highlights activities that have been implemented in communities to offset
potential negative project impacts that disproportionately affect women and to
promote women’s economic and social empowerment.
• Capacity-building for female subsistence farmers: Examples include training on
how to boost agricultural productivity and output.
• Capacity-building for female microentrepreneurs: Examples include training on
marketing or financial literacy.
• Capacity building and financial support for local and regional women’s
organizations: Such efforts also contribute to community self-sufficiency and
reduce the risk of overdependence on the company.
• Infrastructure projects to reduce women’s time poverty.
• HIV/AIDS awareness programs: This includes counseling, screening, public
service announcements, and free condom distribution, which benefit both men
and women. Note that in many contexts, women may have less autonomy over
sexual behavior and/or family planning options, so community-wide public health
programs can have particularly strong impacts on women’s ability to exercise
healthy behaviors.
• Counseling, support, and shelter for victims of domestic and gender-based violence
and alcohol and drug abuse: Such programs should be provided by trained experts
and could be conducted in partnership with governments or civil society.
• Gender-based violence education and awareness: Programs should target
both men and women to increase understanding of the consequences, legal
implications, and broader impacts on the family.
• Gender-based violence education, awareness, and capacity building for local
municipalities and authorities in order to ensure that they are better prepared
to respond.
• Programs to encourage girls’ primary and secondary education: Such efforts
might involve partnering with governments and include initiatives such as subsidy
programs to encourage families to keep children in school, rather than sending
them to work or help with household chores.
• Health programs or improved infrastructure to facilitate increased access to
healthcare.
• Education programs or improved infrastructure to facilitate increased access
to education.
TOOL 3.13
Create Local Economic Development and Empowerment
Opportunities for Women
» GOAL: Develop activities that promote women’s economic empowerment
Creating economic opportunity—in the form of employment and use of local suppliers—
is one of the most clear-cut ways in which infrastructure projects can contribute to the
communities surrounding their operations (For detailed guidance on creating gender-
equitable employment and local supplier opportunities, see TOOL SUITES 1 and 2).
For women not engaged in formal employment or the supply chain, however, economic
activities developed through community engagement activities can often support broader
social and economic development by helping them build capital and control of resources.
With this comes access to information, influence, and status. Building local businesses
that are independent of the natural resource company makes these enterprises more
sustainable throughout the various phases of the project, as well as after the project ends.
TOOL 3.12 addresses the establishment of vital community and social support services.
By contrast, this tool provides guidance on creating programs that directly target
women’s economic development and empowerment, giving women a path to increased
economic and social independence. In turn, they will be able to make positive, long-term
contributions to their families, communities, and themselves.
Use this tool in tandem with TOOL 2.7 in the Supply Chain tool suite, which offers
strategies for supporting the development of local women-owned businesses. Note that
economic development and empowerment activities can overlap in scope. As with TOOL
3.12, women and men alike can benefit from many of the initiatives suggested here. Still,
the focus is squarely on ensuring women’s access to such programs, which will eliminate
barriers and facilitate the broader goal of progress toward gender equality.
Designing Programs for Women’s Economic Development and

Empowerment
Here is some guidance on designing programs aimed at boosting women’s economic
opportunities and empowerment.
• Involve both women and men in programs whenever possible: This approach ensures
benefit for all members of the community. It also contributes to men’s acceptance
of the programs, reducing any potential resistance if men believe that women have
been unfairly favored. (This could also expand understanding of gender equality and
TOOL 3.13
challenge traditional concepts of gender to show that certain programs or activities are
not strictly “for men” or “for women.”)
• Be sure to choose programs that will be relevant to the local context and markets
to enhance the chances of success and sustainability. For example, before deciding
to train women to make and sell a particular good or product, it is recommended to
conduct a market feasibility study or to discuss the idea with community members or
businesses in the areas to find out current levels of supply and demand for the product.
• Be sure to think beyond traditional goods and services normally associated with women
(baked goods and textiles, for example). When conversing with women to come up with
an idea, consider also suggesting ideas that may be new to them or their community.
• Mitigate potential gender role-related consequences: Women’s participation in
economic empowerment programs could detract from their traditional gender
roles. For example, they may not have as much time for their domestic work. (This
could have dangerous unintended consequences, such as increases in gender-based
violence in the home.) Mitigation strategies could include:
• Facilitating childcare for working families
• Facilitating support groups for working women and families
• Improving technology and infrastructure to reduce domestic burdens and
strengthen market access
• Lighting to allow women and children to work and/or study after dark
• Wells to speed up water collection
• Mills to speed up processing of grain
• Electricity to enable operation of such infrastructure, as needed
Women’s Empowerment Framework

For more guidance when considering which community initiatives might have the highest
success rate in terms of empowering women in the specific community in which you
are operating, the Women’s Empowerment Framework developed by Sara Hlupekile
Longwe, a Zambian gender expert, can help.48 This framework enables assessment of
a project’s contributions to gender equality and women’s empowerment. It helps you
determine whether the project will address women’s needs and interests and whether
it will encourage women’s participation and control during the decision-making process.
The framework defines five progressive levels of equality, in order from highest to lowest
level of empowerment:
48 For more, see: “A Conceptual Framework for Gender Analysis and Planning,” an online learning module of the International
Labour Organization and the Southeast Asia Multidisciplinary Advisory Team.
TOOL 3.13
• Control: The ability to exercise agency and maintain balance of control between
women and men over the factors of production.
• Participation: The ability to participate in consultation and decision-making processes.
In a project context, this means active involvement in needs assessment, planning and
design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Conscientization: The awareness of gender roles and relations, and the
understanding that gender division of labor and of benefit streams should be fair and
equitable to both women and men.
• Access: The ability to access key factors of production (land, labor, credit, training), and
project benefits.
• Welfare: The ability to access nutrition, health, medical care, and other key
determinants of material wellbeing.
The framework also distinguishes between women’s issues and women’s concerns and
helps identify how well the project design reflects women’s issues.
By customizing charts such as the one shown in Table 3I based on a specific project or
initiative, the information can assess the degree to which a project or initiative addresses
women’s empowerment. Work in tandem with the women who will participate in the
programs to complete the chart, which also can be used for input as part of the larger
participatory monitoring and evaluation process.
TABLE 3I | Women’s Empowerment Framework Form
LEVEL OF RECOGNITION OF WOMEN’S ISSUES

LEVEL OF EQUALITY NEGATIVE NEUTRAL POSITIVE
Control
Participation
Conscientization
Access
TOOL 3.13
BOX 3F | Programs to Encourage Women’s Economic Independence
and Empowerment
• Adult literacy programs
• Financial literacy programs and women-to-women savings schemes
• Employment counseling, vocational training, and business skills development:
Programs can either prepare women for employment or business opportunities
that currently exist in the local area:
• Direct employment with the infrastructure company, local supplier
development, jobs at other firms, or for aspirational roles to fill a new local
business or market need.
• Promotion of women’s entrepreneurship through:
• Startup grants or access to microfinance and microcredit schemes: Before
deploying such tools, be sure to find out about any financing gaps that would
make entrepreneurship training futile. (See Chapter 1, section III of UN Women’s
“The power of procurement: How to source from women-owned businesses”
to learn about the unique challenges women face in accessing financial, social,
and human capital.) Work in tandem with financial institutions to offer startup
grants or access to microfinance and microcredit schemes.
• Opportunities for women’s entrepreneurship that tie into local markets and/or
local supplier development in the infrastructure project’s supply chain.
• Tourism or handicraft opportunities, depending on local context: Do not rely
solely on such options, since there is often little market access for them.
• Support for women’s land and property ownership and land titling.
• Affordable social housing programs for female-headed households or other
vulnerable members of the community.
• Training and other programs to build women’s confidence: This includes instilling
the belief that they have the power to bring about change.
• Scholarships and apprenticeship programs for women and girls to increase their
access to education and skills training: Such programs can be general in nature or
specific to the project’s sector.
TOOL 3.14
Guidance Note for Building a Women’s Entrepreneurship
Community
» GOAL: Support companies in creating a vibrant women’s entrepreneur ecosystem
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement, Procurement
Companies that stand by their suppliers realize business benefits. They find that their
suppliers are loyal, offer bigger discounts and deals, and help manage supply chain risks
by proactively notifying them about supply issues. A forward-thinking approach that
companies are deploying involves supporting suppliers with complementary solutions
to form successful partnerships so that collectively they can win larger bids. This leads to
company benefits such as lower procurement costs, innovative solutions, and supplier
growth, which can strengthen the company’s supply chains.
Women-owned enterprises account for a third of all businesses operating in the formal
economy globally. In emerging economies, the majority of women-owned enterprises
are micro or small enterprises.49 Evidence suggests that women tend to start businesses
with more emphasis on social or environmental goals.50 Investment in building a women’s
entrepreneurship community can enhance local content and procurement and help
to strengthen livelihood and resettlement efforts, while also building more resilient
communities that fully benefit and are able to engage with infrastructure projects. It also
can increase women’s opportunities to access income and contribute to development
and job creation. The business case for working with women entrepreneurs has been
described in more detail in TOOL SUITE 2 of this toolkit, as well as the IFC publication
“Investing in Women” (2017).51
This tool details the main types of interventions that can serve to fill gaps in the women’s
entrepreneurship ecosystem. It is structured into five broad categories of support: (a)
creating an enabling environment; (b) access to finance and capital; (c) access to coaches,
mentors, and business networks; (d) business education and skill development training to
foster personal agency, personal initiative, and entrepreneurial mindsets; and (e) inclusion
of men.52 Based on the national or regional context, companies can choose which category
to focus on in order to sustainably strengthen the ecosystem, determining where they can
make most of a difference while also considering complementarity with existing initiatives.
49 ILO, “Women’s Entrepreneurship Development: Encouraging women entrepreneurs for jobs and development”, 2016.
50 Hechavarría, D. et al., “Taking Care of Business: The Impact of Culture and Gender on Entrepreneurs Blended Value Creation
Goals“, Small Business Economics, 2017. 48.1: 225–57.
51 IFC, Investing in Women: New Evidence for the Business Case, 2017.
52 This chapter partly leans on the excellent analysis by gender and economics specialists Shankar, Elam, and Glinksi in their
article “Strengthening the Women’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem within the Energy Sector“, published in collaboration with
ENERGIA and IDS Bulletin in 2020.
TOOL 3.14
BOX 3G | WeConnect Virtual Matchmaking53
In June 2020, WEConnect International, with the support of IFC and the Women
Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) and others, hosted a series of virtual
business matchmaking meetings with WEConnect International’s certified WSMEs
in Latin America and the Caribbean. This virtual matchmaking was comprised of five
meetings across different product/service categories (technology, business services,
communications and marketing, agricultural and food products, and COVID-19
products and services). During each meeting, procurement teams and purchasing
decisionmakers from participating corporations shared information about their
acquisition processes and opportunities. This was followed by short business pitches
delivered by the participating WSMEs. One month after the event, four corporate
buyers had expressed interest in follow-up meetings with 18 WSMEs in various
product/service categories.
Thousands of small suppliers feed midsized suppliers, which, in turn, feed large
corporations. The COVID-19 pandemic is a threat to these ecosystems, and the
livelihoods of the individuals employed by small suppliers, including women-
owned businesses. Corporations and financial institutions that support women
entrepreneurs in their value chains will deliver a win-win solution for all.
Creating an Enabling Environment

Often, social norms discourage female entrepreneurship, and systemic barriers confine
them to small scale and informal business. Therefore, an enabling environment must
be created. The enabling environment starts from within the companies, institutions,
and projects that are looking to work with and/or support women entrepreneurs.
Infrastructure companies should first take steps to make their own supply chain
management and service provision activities more inclusive of women.
Some best practices for working with women entrepreneurs are listed here, but in-depth
guidance is provided in TOOL SUITE 2 of this toolkit (Women-Owned Businesses and the
Supply Chain):
• Self-assessment for service providers to develop action plans that contribute to
improving service provision and outreach to women entrepreneur clients.
• Gender awareness and diversity training for suppliers and service providers is essential
in developing their capacities to serve the needs of both female and male entrepreneurs.
53 This was copied from IFC, COVID-19 and Gender Equality: Six Actions for the Private Sector, 2020.
TOOL 3.14
• It is also crucial to carry out gender-sensitive value chain analysis to understand how
to better integrate women entrepreneurs into different parts of the value chain, both
horizontally (integration with other entrepreneurs at the same level of the chain, such
as networking and exchange) and vertically (building an understanding of all links and
dynamics within the value chain and one’s own role and agency within the hierarchy).
Next, companies can enhance an enabling environment “out there” in the contexts and
communities with which they seek to interact:
• Draft and implement action plans for better value chain integration of women
entrepreneurs.
• Recognize and celebrate women entrepreneurs, for example through “Month of the
Woman Entrepreneur” campaigns to promote women entrepreneurs’ contributions to
the economy and society.
• Work with media outlets (TV, radio, newspaper) to highlight stories of female
entrepreneurs building companies that inspire.
• Build—and/or connect local women with—women-focused networking events as well
as online forums and groups targeted at women. This can allow them to learn from
other’s mistakes, share knowledge, make connections, learn new business skills, and
keep abreast of business trends.
• Sometimes, it may be necessary to enhance, rehabilitate, or build the needed
infrastructure for women entrepreneurs to thrive, such as providing markets,
warehouses, workshops, or office spaces.
BOX 3H | UNOPS New Market Means Increased Economic Opportunities for

One Somali Town54
During the construction of Bossaso’s new local market in northern Somalia,
the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) emphasized gender
mainstreaming through community engagement and skill-building training. The
market represents the central economic area for the community and in particular for
women traders that include minorities such as Yemeni refugees. During the project,
UNOPS engaged and consulted with nearly 2,000 female and male entrepreneurs to
inform the design and construction of the market to ensure it met the needs of the
end users and to increase the sense of ownership over the final product. In addition,
over 200 traders, 90 percent of whom were women, received business skills training
and business startup kits. The newly constructed market, combined with the new
skills acquired, helps local traders generate higher income to support their families
and contributes to economic development and stability in the region.
54 UNOPS, “New market means increased economic opportunities for one Somali town”, 2017.

TOOL 3.14
Access to Finance and Capital, Including Time Capital
Challenges for women when accessing financial capital (both money assets and financial
services) can include lack of ownership of land or assets (leading to lack of collateral for
loans), low bankability of women, or discriminatory banking practices. To counteract this,
infrastructure companies can look into programs and partnerships that provide startup
capital. This can be done through micro-loans, micro-consignment, supplier credit, or
equity investment.
At the same time, women entrepreneurs need financial literacy to increase their capacity
to manage their finances and enable them to select the best suited financial products
for their needs. Just like any new skill, fundraising and investing requires training and
education. It is important to know which documents are imperative for proper due
diligence, how to value a small enterprise that has no true assets, etc. Therefore, financial
support should be connected to training activities.
The availability of time to put into business-related activities can also be considered a type
of capital. As women carry the main responsibility for household tasks in most contexts,
this limits their ability to engage in entrepreneurship. To save women time, companies
can look into programs and partnerships to enhance energy access, especially in the
form of electricity, which women can use for wide range of domestic and productive
uses as well as entrepreneurial activities. Similarly, any entrepreneurship programs
mentioned in this guidance should take into account women’s time needs, for example
by scheduling meetings and events at times that correspond to school timetables, that
offer childcare, or offer online participation.
BOX 3I | Supporting Women in Growing Their Businesses: ScaleX55

ScaleX is an IFC-led initiative launched in partnership with We-Fi to help close the
gender financing gap. Women entrepreneurs in emerging markets face a daunting
gender finance gap when it comes to growing their startups, with only 11% of
enterprises that actually attain seed funding being women-led. Research developed
by IFC and the World Bank Group Gender Innovation Lab in partnership with Village
Capital shows that despite women leading half the startups that participate in
accelerators, they continue to face greatly unequal access to capital. To close this
gap, the ScaleX program incentivizes accelerators supporting women entrepreneurs
with bonus payments of $25,000 for every women-led business that it helps raise at
least $1 million from investors. These bonuses provide an avenue for venture capital
funds to commit to investing in women entrepreneurs in emerging markets and will
catalyze a total of $40 million into women-led startups in its pilot phase.
55 Learn more about ScaleX on the IFC website.

TOOL 3.14
Access to Coaches, Mentors, and Business Networks
Female entrepreneurs, especially in emerging economies, need access to mentors and
expanded networks through which they can access or mobilize resources needed for business
creation and growth. One way to foster this is to engage women through groups that offer
mutual support and help pool funds such as cooperatives or savings and loans groups. These
structures can also support women in gaining a voice within their communities and to change
social norms. In order to build a thriving women’s entrepreneur ecosystem, it is essential that
companies think of ways to offer coaching and mentoring to individual entrepreneurs. In
more remote settings, this can also be achieved by using digital communication.
BOX 3J | Strengthening Women Retailers in Turkey56

To address the gap between men and women in its supply chain, Boyner Group,
which is Turkey’s largest retail corporation, partnered with IFC to launch the Supply
Chain Women Entrepreneurs’ Empowerment Program in 2014. The program,
commonly known as the “Good for Business Program,” aimed to train the company’s
women-owned suppliers—enhancing their ability to obtain financing and improve
business performance. The program trained women entrepreneurs and developed
women’s market and network and finance opportunities. Training workshops
combined classroom instruction and coaching clinics with certified business and
management trainers. Benefits included the establishment of a peer network among
the participants, improved business planning and motivation, and enhanced business
networks as well as relationships with banks and other companies.
Business Education and Skills Development

Training for women entrepreneurs must focus not only on expertise, education,
and training credentials, but also foster personal agency, personal initiative, and
entrepreneurial mindsets. Research suggests that women entrepreneurs are much more
prone to low confidence and strong reluctance to take risks in the face of a decidedly
clear bias against women business owners.57 This means that training should go beyond
the “business as usual” training typically included in entrepreneurship training programs,
which tend to focus on accounting, financial planning, pricing and costing, marketing, and
inventory management (even though this is still highly relevant and can be adapted to all
levels and sizes of businesses—for example, the ILO has developed a module for semi-
literate entrepreneurs called “GET Ahead”).58
56 IFC, Case Study: Boyner Group’s Supply Chain Strengthens Women In Business.
57 Shankar, Elam, and Glinksi in their article “Strengthening the Women’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem within the Energy
Sector,” published in collaboration with ENERGIA and IDS Bulletin in 2020.
58 Susanne Bauer, Gerry Finnegan, and Nelien Haspels, “Gender and Entrepreneurship Together: GET Ahead for Women in
Enterprise: Training Package and Resource Kit“, Bangkok, Berlin, and Geneva: International Labour Office, 2004.

TOOL 3.14
Entrepreneurial training that builds on psychological mechanisms that enhance
personal initiative for the self-employed has been shown to yield better results in terms
of increasing both sales and profits. This was proven by a study that sampled 1,500
microenterprises in Lomé, Togo, and compared the outcome of traditional business
training and personal initiative-enhancing training. The latter type of training yielded
better results (personal initiative training increased firm profits by 30 percent, compared
with a statistically insignificant 11 percent for traditional training).59 While this outcome
was similar for male and female owned businesses, women need the “entrepreneurial
mindset” training more urgently than men due to the cultural constraints they face from a
young age that associate “entrepreneur” with “male.”
Infrastructure companies can decide to take the essential step of creating accelerators,
entities designed to train and support the development of startups to become
investment ready. However, in many developing contexts where women run micro-
enterprises, accelerators need to start “from scratch” and act as training schools at the
same time, because some entrepreneurs may lack basic business and related skills.
The scope of what the accelerator delivers depends on the level of competence and
potential of the companies it aims to benefit. Participation in such initiatives will help
women entrepreneurs learn how to define and express key performance indicators,
understand value chains and markets, and polish their investor presentation. This is
also where women entrepreneurs can learn more about fundraising and how to reach
out to investors and secure investments.
Inclusion of Men
Since men are more likely to start a business and since entrepreneurship is widely seen
as a male pursuit, women face major penalties of credibility and status as entrepreneurs
starting and growing companies. Growing evidence indicates that the involvement of
men in programs aimed at women’s economic empowerment will substantially boost the
effect of these programs on women and their families. Efficient strategies for this purpose
include the provision of capacity-building programs that enable men to pursue more
constructive and gender-equitable masculinities, the promotion of the benefits gained by
men from women’s economic empowerment, the promotion of men’s positions in care
work, the involvement of men in women’s training, and the identification and promotion
of gender champions.60
59 Francisco Campos et al., “Teaching personal initiative beats traditional training in boosting small business in West Africa“,
2017, in Science Vol. 357, Issue 6357, pp. 1287-1290.
60 ILO, Engaging Men in Women’s Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Development Interventions.

MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: TOOLS 3.15–3.16

Monitoring and evaluation are both essential in measuring baseline information and
the positive and negative impacts of your project and community initiatives. Gender-
specific indicators about economic, environmental, and social aspects of the project
and community initiatives will allow you to assess what is working, what is not working,
and where changes need to be made. These indicators give you a way to measure the
extent to which attitudes toward your company’s project are changing and the reasons
for the change. A careful and thorough monitoring and evaluation process is the only
way to determine the effectiveness of your community engagement projects and
programs in narrowing gender gaps in project-affected communities. It is important
to note that monitoring tools are more impactful when they are part of a larger action
plan (such as a gender action plan) that ties indicators to specific actions, timelines,
and responsible parties within a company. The indicators should also be binding at
the highest leadership level of a company; i.e., accountability and reporting should be
reported to senior leadership.
Design of Monitoring and Evaluation Processes for Community

Engagement Initiatives
If possible, the monitoring and evaluation should include participatory processes that
involve women and men from the community, such as participatory rural appraisals, key
informant interviews, outcome mapping, and community scorecards (See TOOL 3.16 for
more on this.) Other useful instruments include supplemental quantitative surveys and
evaluations with both mixed and same-sex focus groups. Key elements of a careful and
comprehensive monitoring and evaluation process include the following:
• Evaluation of activities’ positive and negative gender impacts
• Monitoring that is well organized, carefully planned, and frequently recurring: Build
this into your multi-year project and community engagement plans and budgets.
• Activity-specific customization
• Partnership with the community to ensure diversity of gender, race, and socioeconomic
status: Community members should be involved at all stages, from the designing of
indicators to ongoing data collection and monitoring and the evaluation phase.
• Adaptation and improvement of project and community initiatives as determined by
results of monitoring and evaluation
• Repeat assessments at regular intervals during the project cycle, such as during
significant changes like expansions: This allows for measurement of social,
environmental, or economic changes and the extent to which they can be attributed to
the project.

MONITOR AND SUSTAIN

Well-designed indicators are key
When creating your monitoring and evaluation framework, be sure to include indicators
that are:
• Gender sensitive
• Linked to both local level and strategic gender targets
• Reflective of changes in the social status and roles of women and men
• Determined by the company and the community
• Inclusive of both qualitative and quantitative factors
• Reinforced by reliable data from the assessment phase, along with regular updates

TOOL 3.15
Sample Indicators for Monitoring and Evaluating the Gender
Mainstreaming of Infrastructure Companies’ Community
Engagement and Community Initiatives
» GOAL: Develop indicators to adequately measure and evaluate gender aspects of
infrastructure projects and community initiatives
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement, in partnership with Independent Gender Expert
Table 3J provides examples of indicators to measure the gender sensitization of your

community engagement activities and community initiatives. The indicators vary in scope,
from micro-level changes easily attributed to your company’s interventions to measures
that assess larger, community-wide poverty metrics.
In designing your measuring instrument, try to keep your focus on indicators that
measure changes directly attributable to your interventions. Otherwise, there is a risk of
going too broad, which might yield a generalized assessment of the local poverty situation
but not insights on the effectiveness of your specific engagement initiatives.
Note that the table references “participants” rather than “community members” as a way
to define individuals in the community who participate in your company’s initiatives.
TABLE 3J | Sample Indicators to Measure Gender Impacts of Community Engagement

Initiatives
THEME INDICATORS (Track data for men and women separately)
Women’s • Percent of participants with bank accounts in their names
Economic • Percent of participants with access to loans, credit, and microcredit
Development
• Percent of participants who received loans in their name in the past
six months by accredited banks or microcredit institutions
• Ratio of female- to male-owned businesses
• Percent of female participants with entrepreneurship/trade skills
• Percent of female participants who own businesses
• Percent of female participants who engage in income-generating
economic/livelihood activities
• Number of new community initiatives focused on women’s
economic development as a result of company activities
• Number of sex workers (where applicable) who are newly
registered or newly working as a result of company activities

TOOL 3.15
Women’s Social • Level of satisfaction among women or women’s groups with
Empowerment company approach to gender impacts
and Community/ • Number of participants involved in participatory monitoring
Political • Percent of female participants in community leadership positions
Participation
• Percent of female participants who participate in committees or
working groups:
• Percent who report being actively involved in decision making and
management after two years, as changed from baseline percentile
• Level of satisfaction after one year
• Percent of female participants who participate in community- and
household-level decision making
• Number of female participants who speak during community
meetings and consultations compared to male participants who
speak— especially at meetings and consultations focused on
decision making
• Number of new community initiatives focused on women’s social
empowerment as a result of company activities
• Change in percentage of community funds spent on services (as
opposed to buildings or infrastructure) as a result of company activities
• Change in percentage of community funds spent on projects
proposed by women, compared to those proposed by men, or
change in amount spent on women’s services and needs as a result
of company activities
• Number of funding proposals for community projects suggested
by female participants compared to those suggested by male
participants
Land, Labor, and • Rates of unemployment and economic activity among participants
Assets • Prevalence of child labor in participants’ families
• Percent of participants with land or property titles in their name
• Percent of local land or properties owned by female participants
compared to percentage owned by male participants
• Percent of participants who use/rent land or property
• Percent of male and female participants who report reduced
access to land used for agriculture or subsistence activities due to
infrastructure project
• Percent of male and female participants who report decreased
revenue from agriculture or subsistence activities due to
infrastructure project

TOOL 3.15
Education • Percent of participants with access to formal education
• Rates of enrollment, attendance, and completion of schooling at
primary, secondary, and tertiary levels among participants
• Adult participant literacy rates
• If literacy training is offered, percent of participants who attend and
percent who complete
• Percent of participants with employment skills
• Number of teachers funded as a result of company activities
• Number of schools funded or built as a result of company activities
• Percent of children participants who work but do not attend school
Health • Life expectancy at birth for participants
• Infant mortality rate among participants
• Maternal mortality rate among participants
• Percent of participants with access to healthcare and medical facilities
• Time needed to travel for participants’ maternal healthcare and labor
• Incidence of infectious diseases and other health conditions among
participants
• Incidence of sexually transmitted infections among participants
• Percent of participants receiving treatment
• Percent of infected participants who are sex workers
• Percent of mother-to-child HIV transmission among participants
• Mortality rates of participants with HIV
• Number of reported cases of participant sickness or respiratory
illness caused by exposure to hazardous materials or pollution
from large-scale infrastructure activities
• Number of reported cases of participant injury and death due to
traffic accidents; percent related to infrastructure company vehicles
• Number of reported cases of participant illness due to hazardous
materials exposure from small-scale mining activities
• Number of reported cases of participant injury from small-scale
mining activities; ratio of male-to-female injuries
Environment and • Average distance to sanitation facilities
Sanitation • Number of reported participant sanitation-related illnesses
• Number of reported participant water-related illnesses
• Ratio of girls to girls’ toilets at each school
• Ratio of boys to boys’ toilets at each school

TOOL 3.15
Environment and • Average distance and time required for participants to access
Sanitation clean water
(cont.) • Percent of participant homes with a water tap
• Percent of female participants who report a reduction in access to
clean water
• Percent of participants with access to safe drinking water
• Percent of participants with access to safe fuel
• Time required for participants to gather fuel
Infrastructure • Percent of participants with access to safe transport and paved roads
and Electricity • Number of participant homes with electricity
• Number of participant homes with adequate water and
sanitation onsite
• Percent of female participants who report an increase in access
to electricity
• Percent of female participants who report an increase in access
to water
• Number of trips taken per participant each week
• Number of trips taken per participant each week, and purpose
• Number of trips taken per participant each week, and mode of
transport
• Average distance traveled and trip duration by gender
• Amount of participant time spent each week transporting goods
to market
• Amount of participant time spent each week collecting water
Safety and • Percent of female participants who report being victims of domestic
Violence or gender-based violence
• Percent of cases in police records
• Percent of cases in hospital/medical facility records
• Number of female participants seeking safe haven
• Number of female and child participants in safe haven
• Percent of participants who are drug and/or alcohol users
• Number of clinics, counseling centers, or other services to help
victims of violence as a result of company activities
• Number of clinics, counseling centers, or other services to help
alcohol or drug users as a result of company activities

TOOL 3.15
Safety and • Percent of police or local law enforcement trained in proper ways
Violence to respond to cases of domestic or gender-based violence as a
(cont.) result of company activities
• Percent of infrastructure project security personnel trained to deal
with safety/violence incidents in a gender sensitive manner as a
result of company activities
Poverty and • Participant poverty rate
Vulnerability • Percent of participating households that are headed by a single woman
• Poverty rate among female participant-headed households
• Unemployment rate among female participant-headed households
• Rate of child marriage among participants
• Percent of child participants under 5 years of age in childcare programs
• Number of participants (individuals and/or families) voluntarily
leaving the community because of loss of land or housing, or rising
costs of housing, food, or transport
BOX 3K | The Business Costs of Project-Related Gender-Based Violence in the

Community: Lessons from The World Bank’s Experience in Uganda
In 2015, a $265 million World Bank-funded project to improve the national road
network in Uganda was cancelled following allegations of sexual abuse of minors
by government contractors, among other problems. Two other projects were also
suspended as a result, pending further investigation.
As this example shows, allegations of sexual misconduct and gender-based
violence can have serious implications for projects funded by World Bank Group
organizations. These behaviors violate World Bank Group Environmental and Social
Safeguards and Performance Standards and can be grounds for project suspension
or cancellation, even when subcontractors are responsible for the misconduct.61
61 World Bank, “World Bank Statement on Cancellation of the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project,” News Release,
December 21, 2015.

TOOL 3.16
Community Scorecard Tool
» GOAL: To gather community perspectives on, and empower community members to
make changes to, gender issues. (Can be used to evaluate other issues, and can be
used for employees, or to evaluate services, for instance, in the community.)
Scorecards (SC) are participatory monitoring mechanisms that can help companies
to facilitate a participatory dialogue with communities. Scorecards are a process for
gathering perspectives, as well as empowering participants to make suggestions for
improvement and how to implement those suggestions.
Scorecards were developed in the public sector to support dialogue between public
service providers and users, but they can be an effective tool in the private sector to help
companies and communities understand each other’s perspectives and priorities, and to
develop collaborative, often low-cost solutions.
In a private sector context, scorecards can:

• Give companies and communities an opportunity to reflect on a given community issue
• Give companies and communities an opportunity to identify what positive community
relations and development would look like, and ways to achieve those improvements
• Provide a forum for discussion and exchange between companies and communities,
and an opportunity to use this forum to agree on changes
• Create a forum to monitor the extent to which changes have been implemented and to
assess and collect feedback on the change process
• Strengthen buy-in, transparency, communication, and accountability between the
company and community
What Do Scorecards Involve?

Generally, the scorecard process involves a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) in
which different groups discuss and evaluate a set topic (for instance, ‘gender equality
in the community’) by discussing and identifying what good performance on this issue
means to them and coming up with their own specific indicators, and then rating their
community accordingly. Once a range of FGDs have been conducted, participants from
different groups come together to compare and discuss findings, and come up with a final
agreed rating and plan for improvement.

TOOL 3.16
Scorecards have traditionally taken place in person, but in 2020, IFC began piloting virtual
scorecards. This included a mix of virtual ‘rooms’—including some participants who were
able to gather in person, a remote facilitator, and some additional participants who were
participating remotely from quarantine.
Scorecards are a good alternative to traditional surveys because they allow participants to
define the metrics, rather than being limited to the questions being asked by assessors.
Not only do they give management a more authentic view of what matters to participants,
but they also invite them to come up with solutions. This can lead to more innovative
ideas, as well as inviting investment in implementing their own suggestions. Scorecards
are meant to be an iterative process that get repeated at six month or yearly intervals to
track improvements and make any necessary adjustments.
Detailed Guidance on Implementing a Scorecard:

Below are detailed steps on implementing a scorecard.62 Additional resources providing
detailed implementation guidance can be found at the end of the section. The following
steps are adapted from World Bank guidance.
1. Preparation:
a. Identification of facilitators: Trained facilitators are an important component

of a successful scorecard. Facilitators may be external to the company, or internal
facilitators may be trained. But it is important that facilitators are perceived to be
impartial and able to conduct an objective and confidential (non-attribution of what
happens within any focus group) scorecard process. Some companies may choose to
have an external facilitator conduct the initial scorecard process, while simultaneously
training internal facilitators for follow-up scorecards. To promote impartiality, internal
facilitators should include both men and women, from both staff and management,
working together for balanced facilitation.63
b. Identification of subject and scope: What will be the specific subject and scope of
the scorecard exercise? It is important that the scope be clearly defined—too broad
a mandate, and it will be difficult to narrow down criteria and recommendations. In
the case of gender, sample subjects could be ‘How can [company name] contribute
to preventing GBVH in the community?’ or ‘How can the community development
programs offered by [company name] serve to empower women and girls?’
62 Based on World Bank, “How-To Notes, Rapid Feedback: The Role of Community Scorecards in Improving Service Delivery.”
63 IFC has developed several additional tools on how to ensure that training and learning programs are gender inclusive. For
additional reading on this, see IFC, Gender Supplement: Guide to Training: Setting the Standard for the Design, Delivery, and
Evaluation of Learning Programs in Emerging Markets. Washington, DC: IFC, 2020. Also see IFC, Gender Responsive Training
Methods: A Guidance Note, Washington, DC: IFC, 2021.

TOOL 3.16
c. Stratification of participants: Once the topic has been defined, identify key
participant groups. In assessing gender equality in the community, for instance, it
would be important to get both men’s and women’s perspectives. Groups can be
formed based on other factors such as age, gender, economic status, profession,
health status, minority status, and so forth.
d. Preliminary information gathering: Facilitators should make sure that they have
current, up-to-date information regarding community relations policies and programs
as well as social investment strategies, and if possible, gender-disaggregated data on
the current gender equity status within the community. Having this information at
hand will help facilitate discussions.
e. Awareness raising: Facilitators should coordinate communication with community

members to ensure that staff are aware and informed about the upcoming
scorecard process.
2. Focus Groups:
a. For each focus group, facilitators will ask participants to discuss and evaluate the
company for the selected question. For instance, facilitators would invite participants
to have a focused discussion around what gender equality in the community means to
them, and how they define it. Participants will suggest criteria and then vote to identify
their five to eight most important criteria upon which to evaluate the impact of the
company. In the case of gender equality, for instance, sample criteria might include:
i. Participation / inclusion of women and girls in community consultations
ii. Encouragement of women’s participation and leadership in community
development committees
iii. Availability of training opportunities for local women and girls
iv. Availability of employment opportunities for women and girls
v. Measures to prevent and reduce GBVH in the community
vi. Development projects that are tailored to the needs of women and girls
b. Once criteria have been proposed and selected, participants evaluate how well the
company is doing on each of these criteria, on a scale of 1 (Very Inadequate) to 5 (Very
Good). Scores will be tabulated and an average score for each criterion calculated.
c. Once scores have been identified for each criterion, facilitators should encourage a
discussion about potential solutions or ways to improve each issue. Ideally, solutions
should focus on low-cost solutions, where feasible—for instance, identifying ways to
change processes and policies rather than big infrastructural actions, like building new

TOOL 3.16
facilities. Of course, recommendations should reflect community priorities and needs,
but a range of suggestions, including lower and higher cost items, can increase the
likelihood that the company can agree on a range of recommendations to implement.
d. Focus groups will be replicated among various community groups and also with the
company team that is in charge of community relations. Within the company, the
discussion—identifying criteria and voting on corporate performance—will serve as
a reflection and evaluation of its own performance, as well as a broader discussion
about the topic (for example, what makes gender-responsive community engagement).
FIGURE 3B | Sample Scorecard Focus Group Recording Template
SCORES
5 4 3 2 1 PROPOSED
Very Good OK Inadequate Very STRENGTHS/ ACTIONS FOR
CRITERIA Good Inadequate WEAKNESSES IMPROVEMENT
1. Encourage
women’s
participation
2. Measures
to prevent
GBVH
3. Exchange Meeting:
a. Once both community and company focus groups have been conducted, the next
step is to bring together representatives from both sides in an ‘exchange meeting.’ In
this meeting, representatives from each focus group should have the opportunity to
present their criteria and rating, as well as proposed recommendations.
b. The exchange meeting discussion should lead to a final recommended action plan
that can be agreed upon by representatives of both the community and company. A
sample action plan is included below.

TOOL 3.16
FIGURE 3C | Sample Scorecard Exchange Meeting Action Plan
Proposed Actions Who should lead on Who should support

making changes? work on changes?
1. Community consultations are carried Company • Community leaders
out with a gender balance of minimum • Women’s
40% women, and there are also separate cooperatives
consultations with women and girls
2. Special transport provisions and Company • Community leaders
childcare are offered to women who • Women’s
come to community consultations to cooperatives
facilitate their participation
3. The grievance mechanism includes Company • Community leaders
clear provisions to respond to any cases • Community
of GBVH. It is made available in the Development
local language(s) and is also shared in Committees
community meetings that include at
least 50% women.
4. Women can make complaints through Company • Community leaders
communication channels that are • Community
adapted to their needs, and they can Development
report to female officers Committees
5. The company actively prevents Company • Local service
GBVH against women and girls in providers
the community through sensitization • Women and youth
campaigns targeting both community associations
members and company/EPC employees
• Community leaders
6. The company supports local vocational Company • Training facilities
training facilities to offer scholarships • Youth associations
for girls
7. The company’s community development Company • Local service
project to support economic providers
empowerment of youth includes girls in • Women and youth
a meaningful way by tailoring activities associations
to their specific needs and training both
• Community leaders
boys and girls on gender equality and
sexual and reproductive health • Families of the youth

TOOL 3.16
4. Follow-up:
Following the scorecard, it is key that there are clear lines of accountability and action to
ensure that the recommendations are followed up and acted upon. Scorecards should
be followed up at agreed intervals, for instance, every six months or year. The power
of the scorecard is in the participant ownership and its ability to change the corporate
environment, as well as participant satisfaction by giving them a voice and stake in
improvements. To capitalize on this, there needs to be clear and sufficient follow-up
on the recommendations, as well as a follow-up scorecard to capture change over a
prescribed period of time.


Terms of Reference for Independent Gender Expert
• Regional Association of Oil and Natural Gas Companies in Latin America and the
Caribbean (ARPEL), “Terms of References for a Gender Sensitive Rapid Rural Appraisal
in The Oil and Gas Industry” in Guidelines for the Implementation of Gender Policies and
Strategies, Montevideo: ARPEL, 2004.
• World Bank, “Sample Terms of Reference (ToR) For Conducting Gender-Responsive
Social Assessment” in Gender-Responsive Social Analysis: A Guidance Note: Incorporating
Social Dimensions into Bank-Supported Projects, Washington: DC, World Bank, 2005.
• World Bank, “Element 3: Translate Commitment into Action” in Gender-Sensitive
Approaches for the EI in Peru: Improving the Impact of Women in Poverty and their Families:
Guide for Improving Practice, Washington, DC: World Bank, 2011. (This guidance provides
recommendations for hiring a gender champion and gender team, including ideal
roles, tasks, and skills required.)
Baseline Community Assessments

• World Bank, Gender Dimensions of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: A Rapid Assessment
Toolkit, Washington, DC: World Bank, 2012. (NOTE: Although this resource is specific to
gender in artisanal and small-scale mining, it provides detailed guidance on methods
of data collection that would be highly useful in the context of this toolkit as well.)
• World Bank, Guidance Notes 1-6 in Gender-Sensitive Approaches for the EI in Peru:
Improving the Impact of Women in Poverty and their Families: Guide for Improving Practice,
Washington, DC: World Bank, 2011.
Gender Impact Assessments

• International Council on Mining and Metals, “Tool 12: Social Impact and Opportunities
Assessment” in Community Development Toolkit, London: ICMM, 2012.
• Hill, Christina; Madden, Chris; and Collins, Nina, “A Guide to Gender Impact Assessment
for the Extractive Industries,” Oxfam: Melbourne, 2017.
• O’Faircheallaigh, Ciaran, “Shaping projects, shaping impacts: community-controlled
impact assessments and negotiated agreements,” Third World Quarterly, 38:5, 1181-
1197, 2017.
• Oxfam America, “Community-Based Human Rights Impact Assessment: The Getting it
Right Tool.”

Grievance Mechanisms
RESOURCES
• IPIECA, Community Grievance Mechanisms Toolbox.
• Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative, “Rights-Compatible Grievance Mechanisms: A
Guidance Tool for Companies and Their Stakeholders,” Cambridge: Harvard University:
2008.
• IFC, “Good Practice Note: Addressing Grievances from Project-Affected Communities:
Guidance for Projects and Companies on Designing Grievance Mechanisms,”
• International Council on Mining and Metals, “Human Rights in the Mining & Metals
Sector— Handling and Resolving Local Level Concerns & Grievances,” London: ICMM,
2009.
• Fair Labor Association, “Nestlé Gender Dialogue Project: Establishing Women’s
Dialogue Forums and Training on Grievance Mechanisms,” Fair Labor Association,
2016.
• World Bank, Extracting Lessons on Gender in the Oil and Gas Sector, Washington, DC:
World Bank, 2013.
• Compliance Ombudsman Advisor (CAO), Grievance Mechanism Toolkit: A Practical Guide
for Implementing Grievance Mechanisms in Different Sectors, World Bank Group, 2016.
• UN Global Compact, Human Rights and Business Learning Tool, Geneva: Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2018.
Gender-Sensitive Indicators
• Canadian International Development Agency, A Project Level Handbook: The Why and How
of Gender-Sensitive Indicators, Gatineau: CIDA, 1997.
• Golla, Anne Marie; Malhotra, Anju; Nanda, Priya; Mehra, Rekha, Understanding and
Measuring Women’s Economic Empowerment Definition, Framework and Indicators,
Washington, DC: ICRW, 2011.
• Kemp, Deanna and Keenan, Julie, Why Gender Matters: A Resource Guide for Integrating
Gender Considerations into Communities Work at Rio Tinto, Melbourne: Rio Tinto, 2010.
• Minerals Council of Australia, Voluntary community investment: A strategic approach
that incorporates gender: A toolkit for the extractives industry, Sydney: MCA.
• Montaño Sonia, “Gender Indicators and Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean,”
Santiago: United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean,
2005.
• World Bank, Integrating a Gender Dimension into Monitoring & Evaluation of Rural
Development Projects, Washington, DC: World Bank.

More Resources
RESOURCES
• Eftimie, Adriana; Heller Katherine; and Strongman, John, Gender Dimensions of the
Extractive Industries: Mining for Equity, Washington, DC: World Bank, 2009.
• IFC, A Strategic Approach to Early Stakeholder Engagement, Washington DC: IFC, 2015.
• IFC, Projects and People: A Handbook for Addressing Project-Induced In-Migration,
• IFC, Strategic Community Investment: A Good Practice Handbook for Companies Doing
Business in Emerging Markets, Washington DC: IFC, 2015.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources – IUCN, Gender-
responsive restoration guidelines: A closer look at gender in the Restoration Opportunities
Assessment Methodology. IUCN: Gland, Switzerland, 2017.
• Macdonald, Catherine, “Working Paper: The Role of Gender in the Extractives
Industries,” Helsinki: UNU-WIDER, 2017.
• World Bank, Uganda—Transport Sector Development Project: Additional Financing,
Lessons Learned and Agenda for Action, Washington, DC: World Bank, 2016.
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Assessment Toolkit, Washington, DC: World Bank, 2012.
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Listening to the Voices of Resettled Communities in Mualadzi, Mozambique.” Oxfam:
Melbourne, 2015.
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Incorporates Gender. A Toolkit for the Extractives Industry, Canberra: Minerals Council of
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TOOL SUITE 4 | ADDRESSING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT AND BUILDING RESPECTFUL WORKPLACES
OVERVIEW: Tools to Address Gender-Based Violence

and Harassment and Create Respectful Workplaces
Gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) is defined as “an umbrella term for
any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and that is based on socially
ascribed (i.e., gender) differences between males and females. It includes acts that
inflict physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion, and
other deprivations of liberty”.7 GBVH disproportionately affects women and girls across
their lifespan, but can impact anyone, and can include sexual, physical, economic, and
psychological abuse in domestic, community, or workplace settings. (See Box 4A, below,
for definitions of workplace GBVH.) GBVH can include physical violence or injury, as
well as more subtle or less obvious forms of harassment, coercion, or extortion. GBVH
occurring on the job can create a hostile work environment, causing employees stress,
anxiety, and fear. It can also disrupt concentration, which can lower productivity and/
or increase turnover.8 GBVH is an issue that cuts across all the Tool Suites in this Toolkit,
due to the impacts on all genders in the workforce, supply chain, and community.
The cost of GBVH extends beyond the individuals and families who experience it.
Regardless of whether GBVH occurs in the workplace, the costs for businesses can be
significant. A World Bank Group report estimates that across five countries, the cost of
certain forms of GBVH9 is between 1.2 to 3.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP),10
and figures from the private sector mirror similarly significant costs. A 2017 study by
CARE found that nearly one in three female garment factory workers in Cambodia
had experienced sexual harassment in the past 12 months, costing the industry USD
89 million per year as a result of turnover, absenteeism, and presenteeism.11 In Peru,
private sector companies lose more than USD 6.7 billion a year—comparable to 3.7
percent of GDP—highlighting the significant underrecognized costs of GBVH.12 In fact,
research13 indicates that sexual harassment claims can be even more detrimental to
corporate reputation than fraud, as illustrated by the seismic shifts of the #MeToo and
#TimesUp movements.14
7 Inter-agency Standing Committee (IASC), Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian
Action: Reducing risk, promoting resilience and aiding recovery, p. 5. Geneva: IASC, 2015.
8 M. Ellsberg and L. Heise, Researching Violence Against Women: A Practical Guide for Researchers and Activists. Washington
DC: World Health Organization and PATH, 2005.
9 Intimate partner violence (IPV).
10 Countries include Australia, Bangladesh, Peru, United Kingdom and Vietnam. J. Klugman, L. Hanmer, S. Twigg, T. Hasan, J.
McCleary-Sills, and J. Santamaria, Voice and Agency: Empowering Women and Girls for Shared Prosperity. Washington, DC:
World Bank Group, 2014.
11 CARE, ‘I know I cannot quit.’ The Prevalence and Productivity Cost of Sexual Harassment to the Cambodian Garment Industry.
Canberra: CARE Australia, 2017.
12 A. Vara Horna, Violence against women and its financial consequences for businesses in Peru. Peru: GIZ, 2013.
13 S. Does, S. Gundemir, and M. Shih, “Research: How Sexual Harassment Affects a Company’s Public Image,” Harvard Business
Review, 2018.
14 A. Allan, How Businesses Can Take the Lead in Combatting Gender-Based Violence. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2019.
Any company seeking to address GBVH must ensure that it is meeting minimum
OVERVIEW
obligations to provide a safe workplace by addressing bullying and sexual harassment and
taking steps to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) connected to the workplace.
Tackling GBVH and respectful workplace issues also presents an important opportunity
to enhance company culture and values, staff wellbeing, and the productivity of the
company. All initiatives must be survivor centered (BOX 4I).
BOX 4A | Definitions: Scope of Workplace Gender Based Violence and Harassment

Workplace violence and harassment is pervasive, and it affects all countries,
occupations, and work arrangements.15 The problem consists of a range of
unacceptable behaviors or threatened behaviors that aim at or result in physical,
psychological, sexual, or economic harm, including gender-based violence and
harassment (GBVH).16 These behaviors are incompatible with a respectful workplace
culture and a productive business.
In 2019, the International Labor Organization (ILO) formalized the right of employees
to work in an environment free from workplace violence and harassment through
Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment. The convention brings together
principles of equality and non-discrimination with workplace health and safety to
“address violence and harassment that occurs in the course of, linked with or arising
out of work, both in the formal and informal economy, and whether in the private or
public sector”.17 These behaviors are linked with or arise out of work, including:
• in the workplace, including public and private spaces where they are a place of work
• in places where the worker is paid, takes a rest break or a meal, or uses sanitary,
washing and changing facilities
• during work-related trips, travel, training, events, or social activities
• through work-related communications, including those enabled by information
and communication technologies
• in employer-provided accommodation, and
• when commuting to and from work.18
Convention 190 notes that domestic violence can affect employment, productivity,
and health and safety, and that governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations
continued on next page
15 International Labor Organization, Eliminating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work Convention No. 190,
Recommendation No. 206, and the accompanying Resolution, 2019.
16 International Labor Organization, Violence and harassment in the world of work: A guide on Convention No. 190 and
Recommendation No. 206, 2021.
17 Ibid.
18 Definition adapted from: International Labor Organization, Violence and harassment in the world of work: A guide on
Convention No. 190 and Recommendation No. 206, 2021.
OVERVIEW
continued from previous page
and labor market institutions can help, as part of other measures, to recognize,
respond to and address the impacts of domestic violence.19 For further information
on other international laws and conventions, see TOOL 4.4: Guidelines on
Potential Legal Obligations Involving GBVH.
Prior to the ratification of ILO Convention 190, several ILO instruments related to
occupational safety and health (OSH) set out to protect workers’ safety and health,
including from the risk of violence and harassment. They include the Occupational
Safety and Health Convention (No. 155) and Recommendation (No. 164), 1981; as well
as the Protocol of 2002 to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981.
Definitions of workplace bullying, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse
(SEA), and domestic violence are outlined below and in the Respectful Workplaces
Sample Policy in TOOL 4.12.
Workplace Bullying: Workplace bullying is unreasonable and often repeated
behavior that undermines a person’s health, safety, confidence, or dignity.
Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature,
which makes a person feel offended, uncomfortable, humiliated, or intimidated.
Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA): Sexual exploitation is any actual or attempted
abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust for sexual purposes,
including but not limited to profiting monetarily, socially, or politically from the sexual
exploitation of another.20
Sexual abuse is actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether
by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. It also includes sexual relations
with a child, in any context, defined as a human being under the age of 18 years.
Sexual Assault: Sexual activity with another person who does not consent. It is
a violation of bodily integrity and sexual autonomy and is broader than narrower
conceptions of “rape,” especially because (a) it may be committed by other means
than force or violence and (b) does not necessarily entail penetration.21
Domestic and Sexual Violence (DSV): Domestic violence is conduct, or the threat
of such conduct, committed by a person against another person with whom the
offender is in a domestic relationship that constitutes physical, sexual, psychological,
or economic abuse. It may consist of a single act or a number of acts that form
part of a pattern of behavior, even though some or all of those acts when viewed in
isolation may appear to be minor or trivial.
19 International Labor Organization, Eliminating Violence and Harassment in the World of Work Convention No. 190, 2019.
20 UNHCR, What is sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment?
21 UN Glossary on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse 2017, pg. 6.
Research has shown a correlation between infrastructure projects and rising rates of
OVERVIEW
GBVH, from incidences of onsite harassment to an increased risk of sexual exploitation
and abuse (SEA) and domestic and sexual violence (DSV) within project-affected
communities (including both incidents involving workers and those driven in part by
project-related impacts within the community).22 In situations where these issues are not
addressed, the infrastructure sector can create and/or exacerbate dynamics leading to
GBVH incidents. Beyond the workplace impacts, the occurrence of incidents of GBVH is a
violation of fundamental human rights, and what happens in the immediate workplace is
intimately connected with what happens offsite. Taken together, the risks to individuals,
to communities, to business, and to reputation have prompted many companies to
also recognize opportunities to change onsite behavior and address issues in the
broader community by taking a proactive stance on combating GBVH. Companies have
an opportunity to not only create standards in terms of acceptable work conduct and
atmosphere in the workplace and employee conduct in communities, but also provide
support for employees who may experience violence at home.
As companies increasingly recognize the growing imperative to address GBVH in-house

and as community stakeholders, this Tool Suite provides guidance and tools to help
companies understand these issues, take measures, and set expectations for behavior
and support services. In addition, this Tool Suite recognizes that GBVH is frequently
connected to, and a symptom of, broader ‘respectful workplace’ issues (i.e., workplaces
that are free from bullying and harassment). While the tools presented here are often
focused on GBVH, they can also be used to support the development of workplaces that
are free from all forms of violence and harassment.23
In some countries,
ONE IN THREE WOMEN
GBVH IS
WORLDWIDE
ESTIMATED have reported experiencing either
TO COST physical and/or sexual intimate
UP TO 3.7% partner violence or sexual violence
OF GDP. by a non-partner in their lifetime.
Sources: J. Klugman, L. Hanmer, S. Twigg, T. Hasan, J. McCleary-Sills, and J. Santamaria, Voice and Agency: Empowering
Women and Girls for Shared Prosperity. Washington, DC: World Bank Group, 2014, and UN Women, “Facts and Figures: Ending
Violence against Women.”
22 L. Berger, How a Community-Led Response to Sexual Exploitation in Uganda Led to Systemic World Bank Reform.
Accountability Research Center, Accountability Note 3, 2018.
23 IFC, Respectful Workplaces: Exploring the costs of Bullying and Sexual Harassment to Businesses in Myanmar. Washington,
D.C.: IFC, 2019.
OVERVIEW
BOX 4B | IFC E&S Support Linked to IFC Performance Standards
IFC GBVH Due Diligence and Risk Screening

Environment and Social (E&S) Specialists at the IFC are required to undertake
gender and GBVH due diligence.24 When a project is at the design stage, the E&S
Specialist responsible for the project at the concept review stage completes the
Gender and GBVH Contextual Risk Screening Tool (an internal IFC document)25. The
level of risk of a project related to GBVH depends on a range of data points and
questions, such as national laws, GBVH prevalence rates, labor influx, use of security,
etc. By asking the client questions about its gender and GBVH-related policies,
procedures, and grievance mechanisms, the specialist can initiate the conversation
about gender and GBVH risks with the client and identify the level of risk associated
with the project. Below are some examples of how IFC works with clients to apply
gender-related requirements of the Performance Standards:26
IFC is working with an investment client in West Africa to implement mitigation
actions to address the risks of sexual exploitation and abuse by project employees
or contractors against local community members. IFC is working with the client on
ethical and survivor-centered responses and mechanisms should an incident occur.
At a chemical manufacturer in India, IFC noted there were no female employees.
Women are often not hired in the sector because it is assumed that such jobs
entail hard physical labor and are dangerous. However, given technology changes,
modern chemical plants need little physical labor and can in fact be safer than
other industries. The IFC team worked with the company on developing a female
employee-friendly plant through a physical redesign of the factory operations,
focused recruitment efforts to increase female employees, and updated human
resource policies. This helped shift the employment footprint, and the company
managed to employ 45 women for its first 630 roles.
IFC Advisory programs such as the Respectful Workplaces Program have also taken
steps to address harassment, including GBVH, with over 50 private sector companies
across various countries, including, for example, in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon
Islands27, and in the garment sector in other countries, where as part of the Better Work
program, IFC promotes anti-sexual harassment training for workers and managers.28
24 IFC, Assessing Gender and GBV Risks in Projects: A Guide for IFC E&S Specialists, 2019.
25 Ibid.
26 Examples from IFC’s Addressing Gender and Gender Based Violence in IFC Projects. Washington, D.C.: IFC, 2018.
27 See IFC’s Respectful Workplaces Program.
28 For more information, see “Better Work’s Sexual Harassment Prevention Training sparks changes in attitudes and behavior,” 2017.
TOOL SUITE 4: Tools to Address Gender-Based Violence

and Harassment and Create Respectful Workplaces
Any company seeking to address gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) must
ensure that it is meeting minimum obligations to provide a safe workplace by addressing
bullying and sexual harassment and taking steps to prevent sexual exploitation and
abuse (SEA) connected to the workplace. These steps are essential to building a respectful
corporate culture and will allow you to support your employees further by responding to
domestic or sexual violence that may occur outside the workplace.
Tool Suite 4 offers support, practical suggestions, and examples of strategies to address
GBVH. This toolkit is meant to provide a comprehensive guide of options—companies
should pick and choose tools, or portions of tools, to use depending on their current needs
and capabilities. The tools can be used as rough guides, or can be followed verbatim, but
should always be tailored to the specific context of the organization and the contexts in
which it operates. All initiatives must be survivor centered (see BOX 4I).

↓ TOOL 4.1: Road Map for All Readers Introduces how all the
Using Tools in Tool Suite 4 tools in this Tool Suite work
together
↓ ASSESS AND PREPARE: Tools 4.2–4.8
↓ TOOL 4.2: The Business All Readers Explains how GBVH can affect
Case for Respectful your businesses, employees,
Workplaces and the communities in
which you operate
↓ TOOL 4.3: Guidelines Community Engagement, Provides guidance on

for Finding and Employee Assistance, identifying and assessing
Assessing Available Internal Communications, GBVH data specific to your
GBVH Data Human Resources, Legal, company
Medical, Occupational
Health and Safety (OHS),
Gender Focal Points,
Security, and Unions
↓ TOOL 4.4: Guidelines Human Resources and Outlines legal obligations

for Potential Legal Legal involving GBVH that may
Obligations Involving apply to your company
GBVH
TOOL SUITE 4
↓ TOOL 4.5: Service Community Engagement, Identifies what supports are
Provider Guidelines Employee Assistance, available in the locations your
Internal Communications, business operates
Human Resources, Legal,
Medical, Occupational
Health and Safety (OHS),
Gender Focal Points,
Security, and Unions
↓ TOOL 4.6: Gender Occupational Health and Provides an overview of

Smart Safety Safety, Human Resources, gender smart safety and a
Medical and Legal case study
↓ TOOL 4.7: Respectful Human Resources and Includes sample questions

Workplaces Staff Unions that can be included in
Engagement Survey employee engagement
surveys
↓ TOOL 4.8: Terms Human Resources and Provides a sample ToR for
of Reference for Gender Focal Points independent specialists to
GBVH and Respectful conduct employee interviews
Workplaces Assessment and surveys about GBVH
↓ ADDRESS: Tools 4.9–4.14
↓ TOOL 4.9: Checklist for Executive Board, Senior Outlines steps leadership
Publicly Committing Management, and Human teams can take to
to Address GBVH and Resources demonstrate commitment to
Model Respectful addressing GBVH
Behavior
↓ TOOL 4.10: Identify Senior Management and Offers guidance on selecting

Key Staff for GBVH Human Resources staff to serve as focal points
Focal Points and
Contact Team
↓ TOOL 4.11: Guidelines Human Resources, Provides guidance on training

for GBVH Focal Point Training and Development focal points
Training and Union
↓ TOOL 4.12: GBVH and Executive Board, Senior Offers guidance and
Respectful Workplaces Management, and Human examples of workplace
Guidelines and Sample Resources policies, procedures, and
Policy reporting and investigation
mechanisms
TOOL SUITE 4
↓ TOOL 4.13: Raising Executive Board, Provides information on
Awareness and Senior Management, how to improve employee
Communication of GBVH Communications and awareness through training
Commitments and Public Relations, Human and everyday reminders
Approaches Resources, and Unions
↓ TOOL 4.14: Guidelines Human Resources and Outlines resources to support

for Self-Care for Focal Points/Contact Team focal points and the contact
Respectful Workplaces team
Focal Points/Contact
Team
↓ MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: Tool 4.15
↓ TOOL 4.15: Developing Human Resources, Examples of how to monitor

a Theory of Change for Training and progress through a theory of
Interventions Involving change
Development, and Focal
GBVH
Points/Contact Team
TOOL 4.1
Purpose: The purpose of this Roadmap is to guide organizations to use the tools and
resources within this Tool Suite to address gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH)
as a workplace issue and to build respectful workplaces that enhance business value by
improving employee and community well-being.
Audience: Private sector companies and relevant staff, including those leading
community outreach, employee assistance programs, internal communications, HR, legal,
medical, OHS, gender focal points, security, and unions.
How to use this toolkit: Before

embarking on the journey to create a
Companies have an opportunity
safer and more respectful workplace, to not only create standards
you will need to decide the extent in terms of acceptable work
to which your company will address
gender-based violence and harassment conduct and atmosphere in the
(GBVH). At a minimum, you need to workplace and employee conduct
ensure that you are meeting your
in communities, but also provide
obligations to provide a safe workplace
and are committed to taking action. support for employees who may
This means you will need to address experience violence at home.
bullying and sexual harassment
and take steps to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) connected to the
workplace. Once you have made progress on these issues, you will have built the
corporate culture that will allow you to further support your employees by responding
to domestic or sexual violence that may occur outside the workplace. (Key definitions
can be found in Box 4A).
• Start by: addressing bullying and sexual harassment and preventing SEA connected to
the workplace
• Then: support employees by responding to domestic and sexual violence
Approach: Treat employees as allies when addressing GBVH. Employees will respond
better if you ask them to help you to prevent and respond to GBVH than if you treat them
as potential perpetrators. Link your GBVH initiatives to company values.
1. ASSESS AND PREPARE: The first step to addressing GBVH in your company is to understand
TOOL 4.1
the extent to which it is an issue within your company, the associated legal obligations
and contexts, available resources, and employee perceptions and workplace conditions.
› Assess the Situation: Begin by reading the business case in TOOL 4.2 to
understand how GBVH affects your business, employees, and the communities in
which you operate. TOOL 4.3 provides guidance on identifying and assessing GBVH
data specific to your company, while TOOL 4.4 outlines legal obligations involving
GBVH that may apply to your company. The checklist in TOOL 4.5 identifies ways to
research what supports are available for survivors and perpetrators of GBVH in the
locations that your business operates.
› Understand employee perceptions and conditions: The overview of gender smart
safety and the case study in TOOL 4.6 can provide insights to inform a gender safety
audit. TOOL 4.7 includes sample questions that can be included in your employee
engagement surveys to assess how safe your employees feel at work and how likely
they are to raise issues with you.
› Hire an independent specialist: Since you should not ask your employees about
their personal experiences of GBVH, you must hire an expert If you want to conduct
interviews or survey employees. TOOL 4.8 includes a sample terms of reference (ToR).
TIP: IFC clients receive specialized support from IFC E&S specialists linked to IFC performance
standards. See the summary in Box 4B.
2. ADDRESS: As companies prepare to implement GBVH initiatives, ensure that initiatives

are supported by leadership and dedicated staff who receive adequate training,
resources, and other support. All initiatives must be survivor centered (see BOX 4I).
› Ensure leadership commitment: Leadership commitment is fundamental to
addressing GBVH in your workplace. Without leadership commitment, any actions
you take to address GBVH will fail. Leadership commitment could involve allocating
resources, agreeing to targets, committing time to participate, upholding standards,
and being held accountable for results. The business case in TOOL 4.2 can help engage
the leadership team and win their commitment, and TOOL 4.9 includes a checklist to
help leaders publicly commit to addressing GBVH and model respective behavior.
TIP: Do not progress to the next steps until you have secured leadership commitment.
› Identify and train key staff to be focal points for GBVH: Choose staff that are
respected in the workplace. Include staff from HR, OHS, community engagement,
and others who have a role in employee well-being. Ensure that you have one
senior management sponsor. TOOL 4.10 includes guidance on choosing staff. Once
focal points have been selected, conduct training to strengthen their knowledge,
skills, and attitudes about GBVH. The training should include information on the
business case to address GBVH, definitions and concepts of GBVH, fundamentals
about preventing GBVH and effectively supporting survivors of GBVH and managing
TOOL 4.1
perpetrators. TOOL 4.11 offers more information on training focal points.
TIPS:
• Levels of seniority are not important as long as the staff you choose are supported to fulfil their
role. However, it is important to pick one senior management sponsor to help elevate the profile
of GBVH actions.
• Participation must be voluntary. Do not force staff to lead GBVH initiatives, as many people are
affected by GBVH and may not want to be reminded about their experiences.
• Focal points must have the resources to do their job well. Ensure that staff have paid time to
undertake their GBVH focal point role.
• The training must be based in a survivor-centered approach, as training that is not survivor-
centered is likely to cause harm (see BOX 4I for details).
› Develop GBVH and respectful workplace policies and procedures: Review and
update existing policies, procedures, and reporting and investigation mechanisms
(if any), or develop them if they do not exist. TOOL 4.12 includes guidance and a
sample policy.
TIPS:
• Policies should clearly articulate that disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated, give examples of
disrespectful behavior and its consequences (which should be handled on a case-by-case basis),
and identify where to report GBVH and what support will be provided for affected employees.
• Reporting mechanisms must be survivor-centered and should include multiple channels: informal,
formal and/or online, including at least one anonymous way to report disrespectful behavior.
• Investigate and resolve all issues raised in a safe and confidential manner by a trained team.
• Make sure that disciplinary action is commensurate with the impact of the GBVH.
› Foster employee awareness: Improve employee awareness about the company’s

GBVH commitment and initiatives by providing training and everyday reminders,
such as posters in the workplace. TOOL 4.13 offers more information and materials.
TIPS:
• Training should make employees aware about what actions they can take if they experience,
witness, or hear about GBVH. Awareness should be raised through training and practicing
scenarios. For more information on the bystander approach, see TOOL 4.9.
• Do not start raising employee awareness until you have completed the earlier actions in this
roadmap. Raising awareness about GBVH will create expectations about a company response.
You should be ready to accept disclosures and support survivors before raising awareness.
› Support focal points to drive progress and change: Consider debriefing with other
focal points or GBVH service providers or counselors, offering refresher training,
providing acknowledgement and/or rewards, recognizing and celebrating their
efforts and successes, and encouraging self-care. TOOL 4.14 provides information
and materials to support focal points.
TOOL 4.1
TIP: Form relationships with service providers so that focal points have immediate access to
support if needed.
3. MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: Monitor progress and institutionalize mechanisms to ensure

continued improvement and sustained progress in addressing GBVH. It is essential
to ensure that incidences of GBVH and responses are monitored and evaluated, and
the approaches taken are reviewed as necessary. You should maintain a confidential
record of complaints and actions taken, including details of support to survivors and
disciplinary actions taken, and adjust actions at the company level as needed based
on lessons learned. Additional steps include tracking changes in knowledge, attitudes,
and behavior. TOOL 4.15 provides examples on how to monitor these aspects at your
company through a theory of change (TOC), while TOOL 4.7 can be revisited to collect
data through employee engagement mechanisms.
TIPS:
• Confidential records of complaints can help you track trends and highlight recurring
problems (e.g., are certain departments more prone to complaints than others? Are
employees in certain types of roles more likely to experience GBVH?)
• Do not adopt targets on decreases in GBVH incidents reported. Disclosure may increase
after implementation of GBVH initiatives in the short-to medium term as corporate culture
and trust in the company improves.
The journey to create a safer and more

respectful workplace by addressing Tackling GBVH and respectful
GBVH issues at the workplace takes time workplace issues also presents
and continued efforts can help build a
stronger company culture. A sustained
an important opportunity to
focus on learning and adjusting enhance company culture and
approaches to GBVH, especially around values, staff wellbeing, and the
responding in a survivor-centered
way to incidents of GBVH, will help productivity of the company.
enhance employee trust in company
commitments and encourage others to report issues.
Acknowledgments: This Tool Suite was co-developed through a partnership between the Respectful Workplaces Program,
Gender and Economic Inclusion Group (GEIG) and Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory (SIA). The authors of Tool Suite 4 on
Addressing GBVH and Building Respectful Workplaces are Shabnam Hameed (Previous Global Lead, Workplace Responses to
GBVH, GEIG) and Inka Schomer (Senior Gender and Infrastructure Advisor, SIA). Special thanks to Adriana Eftimie (Gender
Lead for Infrastructure - Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory) and the peer reviewers Ana Luiza Almeida E Silva (GBVH
and Respectful Workplace Advisor, GEIG), Amy N. Luinstra (Acting Global Co-Manager and EAP Lead, GEIG), Sarah Twigg
(Program Manager Women in Work, Sri Lanka, GEIG), Katherine Heller and Jennifer Scott (Senior Gender Advisors, SIA) for
their important input. The editor for the Tool Suite was Mark Toner and design and layout was by Rikki Campbell Ogden.
TOOL 4.1
4.2 The Business Case for Respectful
Workplaces
4.3 Guidelines for Finding and Assessing
Assess Situation Available GBVH Data
4.4 Guidelines for Potential Legal
Obligations Involving GBVH
4.5 Service Provider Guidelines
Understand 4.6 Gender Smart Safety

ASSESS & Employee Perceptions
PREPARE 4.7 Respectful Workplaces Staff
and Conditions Engagement Survey
Hire Independent 4.8 Terms of Reference for GBVH and

Specialist Respectful Workplaces Assessment
4.9 Checklist for Publicly Committing to

Ensure Leadership
Address GBVH and Model Respectful
Commitment Behavior
4.10 Identify Key Staff for GBVH Focal Points

Identify, Train, and and Contact Team
Support Key Staff as
Focal Points 4.11 Guidelines for GBVH Focal Point
Training
Develop GBVH and

4.12 GBVH and Respectful Workplaces
ADDRESS Respectful Workplace
Guidelines and Sample Policy
Policies
4.13 Raising Awareness and

Foster Employee
Communication of GBVH
Awareness Commitments and Approaches
Support Key Staff and 4.14 Guidelines for Self-care for Focal
Focal Points Points/Contact Team
MONITOR 4.15 Developing a Theory of Change for

Track Progress
& SUSTAIN Interventions Involving GBVH

The first step to addressing gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) is to understand
the extent to which it is an issue within your company, the associated legal obligations and
contexts, available resources, and employee perceptions and workplace conditions.
Among the steps you can take to prepare to develop your company’s response to GBVH:
• Read the business case in TOOL 4.2 to understand how GBVH affects your business,
employees, and the communities in which you operate.
• Access guidance on finding and assessing GBVH data specific to your company in
TOOL 4.3.
• Access guidance on legal obligations about GBVH that may apply to your company in
TOOL 4.4.
• Research what supports are available for survivors and perpetrators of GBVH in the
locations that your business operates. Use the guidance in TOOL 4.5.
• Conduct a gender safety audit. For an overview of gender smart safety and a case
study, see TOOL 4.6.
• Include questions in your employee engagement surveys to assess how safe your
employees feel at work and how likely they are to raise issues with you. Adapt the
sample questions in TOOL 4.7.
Important note:
• Do not ask your employees about their personal experiences of GBVH. If you
want to conduct interviews or survey your employees about GBVH, you must hire
an expert. You can access a sample terms of reference (ToR) for an independent
specialist in TOOL 4.8.
IFC clients will receive specialized support in assessment from IFC E&S specialists linked
to the IFC performance standards. See Box 4B in the Overview for more information.
TOOL 4.2
The Business Case for Respectful Workplaces
» GOAL: Explains how GBVH can affect your businesses, employees, and the
communities in which you operate
» TARGET UNITS: All Readers
A respectful workplace is a safe workplace that is free from all forms of gender-based
violence and harassment (GBVH), where employees and others associated with the
company treat each other with dignity, courtesy, and respect. The key to addressing
GBVH and respectful workplace issues is grasping key definitions.
Definitions:
Gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH): GBVH is an umbrella term that covers a
range of behaviors, including sexual, physical, psychological, and economic abuse. What sets
it apart from other types of violence and harassment is that it is directed at people because of
their sex or gender, or disproportionately affects people of a particular sex or gender.29 GBVH
is rooted in gender inequality and unequal power, which can leave people, especially women
and girls, vulnerable to violence and harassment and prevent them from reporting it.
Prevalence: Rates of GBVH are high and have increased during COVID-19.30 Before the
pandemic, one in three women worldwide reported experiencing either physical and/or
sexual intimate partner violence or sexual violence by a non-partner in their lifetime.31,32
Anyone can experience GBVH, regardless of their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation,
or intersex status; however, some forms of GBVH are most commonly experienced by
women and girls. Other factors that increase the risk of experiencing violence include
race, income, religion, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, or disability.33
Impact: GBVH affects individuals their families, and communities and affects the business
bottom line. In some countries, GBVH is estimated to cost up to 3.7 percent of GDP.34
GBVH can occur in the workplace and can cause employees stress, anxiety, and fear,
disrupt concentration, and affect their physical and psychological well-being.
29 WHO, Global and regional estimates of violence against women: prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence
and non-partner sexual violence, 2013.
30 Shelby Bourgault, Amber Peterman, and Megan O’Donnell, Violence Against Women and Children During COVID-19— One
Year On and 100 Papers In: A Fourth Research Round Up. Washington, D.C.: Center for Global Development (CDG), 2021.
31 UN Women, “Facts and Figures: Ending Violence against Women.”
32 This data is being used as a proxy for prevalence of all forms of GBVH, given limited research and prevalence data on
different forms of GBVH.
33 These issues often “intersect” to create unique dynamics and effects in systems of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class, and other forms of discrimination. This is often referred to as intersectionality.
34 J. Klugman, L. Hanmer, S. Twigg, T. Hasan, J. McCleary-Sills, and J. Santamaria, Voice and Agency: Empowering Women and
Girls for Shared Prosperity. Washington, DC: World Bank Group, 2014.
GBVH directly affects the financial performance of companies. GBVH can increase health
TOOL 4.2
and safety risks, reduce employee engagement and productivity, increase absenteeism
and presenteeism35, accelerate turnover of employees, and cause lasting damage to public
image, business reputation, and social license to operate36. GBVH’s effects on workplace
culture can be significant: Disengaged workers have 49% more accidents, 60% more
errors and defects, 37% higher absenteeism, and almost 50% greater voluntary turnover.37
IFC research from Fiji shows companies lose almost 10 days of work per employee each
year due to lost staff time and reduced productivity38; and similar costs have been found in
Papua New Guinea39, Myanmar40, and Solomon Islands41. In Peru, it is estimated that GBVH
costs private businesses approximately USD 7 billion each year.42
By addressing GBVH, employers can:

• Help fulfill employers’ duty of care—all employers are responsible for providing a
safe workplace.
• Improve staff health, safety, and wellbeing by creating an environment that is safe
and supportive, where every individual is treated with dignity, courtesy, and respect.
• Increase staff engagement and loyalty, which can improve employee motivation and
teamwork, and decrease absenteeism, presenteeism, and turnover.
• Position the organization as an employer of choice, as the organization will become
known as a good place to work. This will help the organization attract and keep the
best people.
• Demonstrate corporate social responsibility by creating positive perceptions of the
company in the community and mitigating against costs that would otherwise be
borne by the community.
Together, these factors drive and strengthen financial performance. Creating respectful
workplaces is every employer’s responsibility, and that includes proactively and ethically
addressing workplace GBVH should it arise.
35 Presenteeism occurs when staff have compromised productivity due to GBVH and respectful workplace issues.
36 While there isn’t a universally accepted definition, social license to operate is the idea that there is more to running a
business successfully and sustainably than legal and regulatory compliance, and that companies need to earn the support of
the community and society in which they operate. It means ongoing acceptance by the people who live in the area of impact
or influence of a project; it is also a form of risk management against delays, conflict, and additional costs (World Bank. 2014).
37 Emma Seppälä and Kim Cameron, “Proof That Positive Work Cultures Are More Productive,” Harvard Business Review.
Brighton, Massachusetts, 2015.
38 IFC, The Business Case for Workplace Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence in Fiji. Washington D.C.: IFC, 2019.
39 IFC, Workplace responses to Family and Sexual Violence in PNG: Measuring the Business Case. Washington D.C.: IFC, 2021.
40 IFC, Respectful Workplaces. Exploring the Cost of Bullying and Sexual Harassment to Business in Myanmar. Washington D.C.:
IFC, 2019.
41 IFC, The Impact of Domestic and Sexual Violence on the Workplace in Solomon Islands-Executive Summary. Washington D.C.:
IFC, 2019.
42 A. Vara Horna, Violence against women and its financial consequences for businesses in Peru. Lima, Peru: GIZ, 2013.
TOOL 4.2
BOX 4C | Measuring the Business Case for Workplace Responses to Family and
Sexual Violence in PNG
GBVH is both a cause and consequence of gender inequality, and gender equality
in the workplace can improve outcomes in addressing GBVH. Recent research
in Papua New Guinea found a correlation between the gender balance of the
workforce, the level of support that companies provide to respond to family and
sexual violence, and positive outcomes.43 Researchers found less acceptance of
family and sexual violence, higher reporting of family and sexual violence, fewer
days lost to the impacts of family and sexual violence, and more helpful responses.
BOX 4D | IFC Respectful Workplaces Program

IFC’s Respectful Workplaces Program seeks to enhance business value by addressing
gender-based violence and harassment, including customer and client aggression,
workplace bullying, and sexual harassment, domestic and sexual violence, and
sexual exploitation and abuse connected to the workplace. The program supports
the private sector in emerging markets to create safe and resilient workplaces
through demonstrating the business case for action and providing businesses with
advisory services, resources, and tools to help them address the issue. For more
information, visit the Respectful Workplaces Program website.
43 IFC, Workplace responses to Family and Sexual Violence in PNG: Measuring the Business Case. Washington D.C.: IFC, 2021.
TOOL 4.3
Guidelines for Finding and Assessing Available GBVH Data
» GOAL: Provides guidance on identifying and assessing GBVH data specific to your company
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement, Employee Assistance, Internal
Communications, Human Resources, Legal, Medical, Occupational Health and Safety
(OHS), Gender Focal Points, Security, and Unions
Data is a crucial tool for understanding gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH).
Data on GBVH can be obtained from different sources, including qualitative, quantitative,
and mixed method approaches. Qualitative methods in GBVH research include interviews,
focus groups, and observations, among other approaches. Quantitative methods in GBVH
research produce information that can be summarized in numbers and can be useful
for drawing conclusions about a broader group. Quantitative methods include surveys,
case management tools, client satisfaction surveys, pre/post tests, etc.44 Mixed methods
is a research approach in which researchers collect and analyze both quantitative and
qualitative data within the same study—for example, a cross-sectional survey combined
with qualitative data collection activities.
Official statistics are usually compiled and produced by national statistical offices and are
based on data from surveys and/or administrative sources. It is important to note that for
GBVH, these sources often capture only a fraction of
the actual prevalence45 and incidence46 of violence. It is important to note
Other sources can include sample surveys. These
that for GBVH, official
may not be statistically representative, but they are
useful when no other statistically representative47 sources often capture
information is available, or when organizations only a fraction of the
dealing with reported cases of violence against
women have limited case records on hand (such as
actual prevalence and
the police, health, justice, or and social services). incidence of violence.
When considering data about GBVH:
• Not all countries will have comprehensive data about all forms of GBVH
44 The Global Women’s Institute, George Washington University, Gender-Based Violence Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation
with Refugee and Conflict-Affected Populations: A Manual and Toolkit for Researchers and Practitioners.
45 Prevalence refers to the number of persons within a demographic group (e.g., female or male) who are victimized during a
specific time period, such as a person’s lifetime or the previous 12 months.
46 Incidence refers to the number of separate victimizations, or incidents, perpetrated against persons within a demographic
group during a specific time period.
47 A statistic is representative if it represents the attributes of a known parameter in the population. When the statistic does
not represent the population parameter, it is called unrepresentative.
• Most countries will not have data on workplace bullying, sexual harassment, or sexual
TOOL 4.3
exploitation and abuse connected to the workplace
• You can use proxies to assess GBVH risks
• The most commonly used proxy for all forms of GBVH is intimate partner violence. Data
from the UN Women Global Database on Violence Against Women can be found here.
• Causes and risk factors that can exacerbate GBVH include:
› High levels of gender inequality, including gender stereotypes, multiple and
intersecting forms of discrimination, and unequal gender-based power relations
› Low levels of GBVH services
› Remote worksites
› Labor influx/use of transient workers
› Use of military or private security forces
› Heightened fragility due to recent or ongoing conflict
• Other data sources for GBVH and gender inequity include:
› The WEF Global Gender Gap Report: Benchmarking report across 153 countries on
progress toward gender parity, including the prevalence of GBVH.
› The World Bank Group’s Gender Data Portal: Source of sex-disaggregated data and
gender statistics including country-level GBVH statistics.
› UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific: Assessment of
men’s experience of violence, including their perpetration of violence against others.
› UN Women Global Database on Violence against Women: A ‘one-stop shop’ for
information on prevalence and measures undertaken by governments to address
violence against women.
› USAID Demographic and Health (DHS) Program STATcompiler: Tool to collate
demographic and health indicators across more than 70 countries, including
prevalence data on women’s experience of sexual violence and physical violence.
• You may also be able to source industry-specific data of GBVH risks. Most of the data
available is company- or country-specific and may not be comparable. However, it may
still be helpful to build your company-specific business case.
How do you know if the data is reliable?

Generally speaking, quantitative data about prevalence that is collected by the national
statistical office is the most accurate. However, there are variations in how countries collect
data. UN Women analyzed the country data available globally and standardized the findings.48
48 UN Women, Global Database on Violence Against Women.
When you assess other sources of quantitative data, check the sample size and how the
TOOL 4.3
sample was chosen. Small sizes can indicate that the data findings may not be statistically
significant.49 The choice of sample size may also bias the data collected. If the sample
has been chosen for convenience50, it may not necessarily be bad data, but the sample
size needs to be large enough for the findings to be reliable. In many instances, GBVH
researchers chose a sample of convenience where participants can opt in as they want to
ensure that participation is voluntary.
Qualitative data is very useful to gain

a more nuanced understanding of the GBVH can affect workplace culture and
issues. Qualitative data is usually context
lead to employee disengagement.
specific and can investigate dynamics
and response to GBVH at the company Disengaged workers have
49% MORE ACCIDENTS
and community level. Qualitative
data is not usually useful to establish
prevalence, however, the data will give 60% MORE ERRORS & DEFECTS
you more of an understanding of the
experience of those experiencing GBVH 37% HIGHER ABSENTEEISM
and those who respond to GBVH. It can and an almost
also identify strengths and challenges 50% INCREASE IN
VOLUNTARY TURNOVER
with policies and procedures.
Mixed methods research that involves

Source: Emma Seppälä and Kim Cameron, “Proof That
both qualitative and quantitative data Positive Work Cultures Are More Productive,” Harvard
can be helpful as it can triangulate
findings giving you an overall view of
prevalence and more detailed descriptions of experience and processes. Remember
though, that all data is only as good as the research methodology that underpins it.
For more information about conducting research on GBVH, see the World Health
Organization’s guidelines on researching violence against women51.
49 Statistical significance indicates that an effect you observe in a sample is unlikely to be the product of chance
50 For more rigorous results, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is used. An RCT is an experimental form of impact evaluation
in which the population receiving the program or policy intervention is chosen at random from the eligible population
and a control group is also chosen at random from the same eligible population. H. White, S. Sabarwal, and T. de Hoop,
“Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs),” Methodological Briefs: Impact Evaluation 7, Florence: UNICEF Office of Research. 2014.
51 M. Ellsberg and L. Heise, Researching violence against women: practical guidelines for researchers and activists. World
Health Organization, 2005.
TOOL 4.4
Guidelines for Potential Legal Obligations Involving GBVH
» GOAL: Outlines legal obligations involving GBVH that may apply to your company
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources and Legal
Many levels of laws that are relevant to gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH)
may apply to your company, including international laws and conventions and national
laws. International laws and conventions that may apply include, among various others:
• Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW): CEDAW is an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations
General Assembly. The CEDAW Committee adopted General Recommendation No 19
on violence against women in 1992.
• Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW): Several internationally agreed norms and
standards relate to EVAW, which should guide the response on GBVH by national legal
systems and public policy frameworks52. For more information, visit the UN Women site.
• International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 on Violence and
Harassment and accompanying Recommendation (No. 206): The framework set out
in these instruments provides a clear roadmap for preventing and addressing violence
and harassment in the world of work.
• Convention on the Rights of the Child: The United Nations Convention on the Rights
of the Child is an international human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political,
economic, social, health, and cultural rights of children53.
While not all countries have ratified these conventions (or aligned with their norms and
standards), they represent international good practice and can provide guidance on what
your company could do.
National laws that may apply include:

• Constitutional provisions. Many countries have specific provisions involving protecting
human rights and non-discrimination. It should be noted that disadvantage is often
based on social identity, which may be across dimensions such as gender, age,
location, occupation, race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship status, disability, and sexual
orientation and gender identity (SOGI), among other factors.
• Specific laws prohibiting:
› Workplace bullying
› (Workplace) sexual harassment
52 At least 155 countries have passed laws on domestic violence, and 140 have legislation on sexual harassment in the
workplace. But challenges remain in enforcing these laws, limiting women and girls’ access to safety and justice.
53 While you should not employ child labor, children may be affected by your company’s activities in your areas of operations.
› Domestic violence
TOOL 4.4
› Sexual assault
› Sex with minors
• Most countries also have industrial relations laws or occupational health and safety
laws that may mandate employers’ duty of care and outline procedures for reporting,
resolving, and monitoring GBVH cases. Some countries also have laws or regulations
that mandate that employers provide training to select or all staff to prevent and
respond to GBVH.
• While it is important that your policies and procedures are consistent with national
laws, you may choose to exceed the mandated minimum to bring your company in line
with good practice. The best and most succinct place to start is the ILO Convention and
Recommendation (mentioned above).
Many companies may also have contractual obligations about preventing and mitigating
GBVH involving buyers, investors54, or lead contractors. For detailed information and
advice, seek help from:
• Your legal department or legal experts in-country specializing in GBVH
• Department of Labor or equivalent in your country
• GBVH advocacy organization or service providers55 in your country. Not all GBVH
organizations specialize in workplace-related GBVH, so shop around. Some important
aspects to pay attention to when selecting an organization include expertise in:
› GBVH related to the workplace
› Legal obligations in the countries that your company operates in
› Knowledge of international good practice including a survivor-centered approach
› An established and verifiable track record in providing advice to the private sector
Remember that you do not need to become an expert in GBVH for your company to
respond. Your job is to focus on company initiatives and refer to experts when needed.
You can draw on expertise that already exists.
You can find out more about the laws that may apply to your company from the following
resources:
• UN Women Global Database on Violence against Women: A ‘one-stop shop’ for
information on prevalence and measures undertaken by governments to address
violence against women.
54 IFC’s Environmental and Social Performance Standards define IFC clients’ responsibilities for managing their environmental
and social risks.The 2012 edition of IFC’s Sustainability Framework, which includes the Performance Standards, applies to all
investment and advisory clients whose projects go through IFC’s initial credit review process after 1 January 2012. Various
Performance Standards exist at the IFC that have relevance for the gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) and
infrastructure nexus.
55 GBVH service providers are entities that can provide access to services–health, psychosocial, legal/security, safehouse/
shelter, livelihood to survivors.
• The OECD Social Institutions & Gender Index (SIGI): Cross-country measure of
TOOL 4.4
discrimination against women in social institutions through formal and informal laws,
social norms, and practices across 180 countries.
• World Bank Group Women, Business, and the Law: Data on the laws and regulations
that restrict women’s economic opportunities in 190 economies, including violence.
• World Bank Compendium of International and National Legal Frameworks: Provides
a set of practical tools that not only inform about existing laws, but also provide a
baseline to help countries identify opportunities to intensify their action on GBVH.
BOX 4E | Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives Addressing GBVH

Many companies have also made commitments to address GBVH through
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives at a global, country, or community
level. Examples of contractual or CSR initiatives to address GBVH include:
• Waka Mere: Fifteen of the largest companies in the Solomon Islands committed
to measures to promote gender equality in the workplace. Through the Waka
Mere Commitment to Action, they work toward at least one of three goals:
promote more women in leadership, build respectful and supportive workplaces,
and increase opportunities for women in jobs traditionally held by men.
• CARE and Diageo: CARE International and Diageo plc, a multinational beverage
company operating in more than 180 countries, requires suppliers to specifically
prohibit harassment and is now developing an improved global standard and
Dignity at Work policies across its operations (based on ILO Convention 190). For
instance, among its smallholder farmer supply chain, Diageo is now analyzing
the experiences of both male and female barley farmers in Ethiopia, including
looking at issues of GBVH in farming and crop harvest as well as bringing goods
to market (e.g., risks in utilizing transport, etc.).
• Primark: To respond and prevent GBVH in its suppliers’ factories, Primark is
developing programs to support more gender-friendly workplaces by building
a network of partners and focusing on the use of workplace committees as
one way to report, investigate, and deal with GBVH. In India, staff across 13
factories were trained on GBVH and their participation in their factory’s internal
complaints committee was encouraged.
Sources: IFC, Waka Mere Commitment to Action, Business Fights Poverty, “CARE and Diageo: Tackling Violence and Harassment
at Work,” 2018; Associated British Foods, “Tackling Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in the Workplace,” 2021.
TOOL 4.5
Service Provider Guidelines
» GOAL: Identifies what supports are available in the locations your business operates
» TARGET UNITS: Community Engagement, Employee Assistance, Internal
Communications, Human Resources , Legal, Medical, Occupational Health and Safety
(OHS), Gender Focal Points, Security, and Unions
How to use this resource or tool: Companies need to know how to support their
employees who have experienced gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH), and
often this means working with service providers. This tool provides a structure to compile
key information about support services for survivors of GBVH, which can include medical,
psychosocial, legal/security, safehouse/shelter, and livelihood support. It is important to
have this information on hand—especially in case of emergencies.
This document outlines different survivor support needs that may be necessary and
outlines principles that should guide how you screen potential service providers based on
survivor needs and quality of service provision. For guidance on how to select key staff to
be focal points for GBVH and work together as a contact team, see TOOL 4.10.
Companies do not need to always start from scratch, as many countries already have
established referral pathways56 in place to certain service providers (see, for example, the
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs57). These providers can
be used if the sources are trusted and verifiable.
Different situations will require different responses: The company’s responses need to
be guided by your duty of care and the other legal obligations outlined in TOOL 4.4. They
also must respond to surviors’ needs. Consent of the survivor is key for follow-up actions,
which depend on the nature of the incident. Non-physical forms of workplace bullying and
harassment may require counseling, while physical or sexual assault may require medical
attention. Many forms of violence and harassment connected to the workplace may be
criminal and as such, you may want to refer survivors to legal assistance and/or police. If
there is an immediate threat of violence, you may want to refer the survivor to the police
for police protection. If the survivor is scared and the current accomodation is unsafe, then
a safehouse and shelter58 may need to be considered. Legal recourse may also need to be
sought, or a restraining order put in place by police or courts.
56 GBV Referral Pathway provides information to contact points on GBVH/or survivors with a one-stop guide that includes all
services presently being offered in a country or area.
57 See UN OCHA Bahama’s Referral Pathway for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence.
58 A safehouse provides immediate security, temporary refuge, and support to GBV survivors escaping violent or abusive
situations. This resource (if available) can be provided to survivors (and often their children) who are in imminent danger.
Admission is usually contingent on specific criteria. Safehouses are usually in undisclosed and/or protected places to
protect the safety of survivors.
Below is a brief summary of the different focus areas of service providers and what they
TOOL 4.5
should provide:
Case management:
What is it: GBVH case management is a structured and supportive method for providing
help to a survivor who may need to access more than one service.
Who needs it: Survivors of GBVH who need information about all the support options
available to them so they can address the issues and problems facing them.
Key Considerations: GBVH case management is important because of the range of
services a survivor may need. It is important that this care is coordinated and that
survivors are not re-traumatized (e.g., by repeating details of the incident). See the
example of Bel isi PNG in Box 4F.
Medical:
What is it: Medical services encompass provision for a survivor’s health and wellbeing
by a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professionals after an incident of GBVH. Medical
services can also play a pivotal role in the identification and prevention of GBVH and
evidence provision in legal cases.
Who needs it: Surviors may require medical attention in the case of physical or sexual
assault.
Key Considerations: It is important to remember the window for survivors to receive
treatment for certain medical treatments and health services. For example, health
facilities can provide treatment to prevent HIV within 72 hours of an incident and prevent
unwanted pregnancy within 120 hours of an incident. It is essential that medical care is
trauma-informed (see the principles in BOX 4I).
Psychosocial:
What is it: Psychosocial support is usually provided by GBVH specialist organizations and
involves providing emotional and psychological care to a survivor of GBVH. Psychosocial
support builds on survivors’ capacities and positive coping mechanisms by focusing on the
strengths and resources of the survivor.
Who needs it: Survivors who have emotional, social, mental, and spiritual needs during
(e.g., if they are currently in a domestic violence relationship) or after an incident of GBVH
may need psychosocial support.
Key considerations: Both survivors of non-physical and physical forms of GBVH can
benefit from psychosocial support. Attention needs to be paid to cultutal norms around
accessing psychsocial support such as counseling in different contexts.
Police and Law Enforcement:
TOOL 4.5
What is it: The police are often the first responders or point of contact in GBVH cases.
They are responsible for gathering evidence, ensuring survivors obtain medical treatment,
and finding them suitable alternative accommodation (when needed).
Who needs it: Survivors who want to formally report an incident, capture evidence, and
access specialist support including a range of protection measures (if there is an imminent
threat of harm) need access to the police and law enforcement. Positive initial contact
with police is crucial for survivors of violence as they navigate the justice system.
Key considerations: In many countries, specialized police units or specially trained
officers support survivors (e.g., family violence, child protection, and sexual offenses
units). However, care should be taken to ensure police and law enforcement are trained in
survivor-centered approaches (see details of the principles in BOX 4I) and do not engage
in victim blaming or forced reconciliation between the parties.
Legal:
What is it: Legal (aid)59 organizations provide professional and legal services to help
survivors understand their rights, secure protection orders (e.g., apprehended violence
order60 or restraining order), and pursue criminal cases. Some legal aid organizations also
focus on family law, which is a legal practice area that includes issues involving family
relationships such as divorce, child custody, and child maintenance.
Who needs it: Survivors may have multiple legal challenges associated with their abusive
situation, and therfore need to have access to the appropriate legal services required to
secure and maintain their (and their families’) safety and wellbeing.
Key considerations: In many countries, legal provisions to protect survivors are
insufficient. Legal organizations can interact with key actors within the justice system in
order to build capacity, develop laws, and improve enforcement of existing GBVH laws.
Security:
What is it: Many companies use the services of private security companies to provide
armed or unarmed security services and expertise to watch, secure, or guard business
premises, compounds, transport, or other properties.
Who needs it: GBVH survivors who need additional safety may need support from
company security services (e.g., screening for perpetrators at workplace entrances or
accompaniment to their car at night).
Key considerations: Security staff should be trained in GBVH prevention and response.
Care should be taken to ensure that the presence of security does not increase the risks of
GBVH, as security forces have been implicated in perpetrating GBVH in some situations.61
59 In some countries, survivors may be able to access legal aid organizations free of charge. In others, survivors may be charged
fees to access services.
60 An apprehended violence order is a court order issued to protect an individual who has a reasonable fear of violence or
harassment from a specified person.
61 World Bank Group, Environment and Social Framework (ESF) Good Practice Note on Gender-based Violence – English, 2018.
TOOL 4.5
BOX 4F | Bel isi PNG Case Management and Safehouse Service
Bel isi PNG offers employees case management and safehouse services and
provides business leaders with transformational tools to support change in the
workplace and community. Bel isi PNG directly addresses the escalating cost
and impact of family and sexual violence on companies. Its Case Management
Centre is open weekly and the Safehouse operates 24 hours a day but will only
accept clients through referrals from the Centre. For more information, visit the
organization’s website.
Principles of Survivor Care

The following principles should guide survivor care from service providers.
• Survivor-centered approach: Seeks to empower the survivors by prioritizing their
rights, needs, and wishes. It means ensuring that survivors have access to appropriate,
accessible, and good quality services. This encourages employees to come forward
and seek support because they know they can expect the service providers to take
their experience seriously and respond to it ethically and fairly. There are three key
principles to the survivor-centered approach: respect, confidentiality, and safety.62
• Best interest of the child: Generally refers to an approach that decides what type
of services, actions, and orders will best serve a child, as well as who is best suited
to take care of a child.63 It is akin to a survivor-centered approach that prioritizes the
rights, needs, and wishes of the child but also takes into consderation the child’s
developmental stage.
• Trauma-informed care: Focuses on not re-traumatizing the survivor by ensuring
that the physical environment, processes, and interactions are welcoming and do not
require the survivor to relive the trauma repeatedly (e.g., through having to recount
abuse multiple times).
• Assets-based approach: Focuses on the survivor’s strengths instead of trying to
identify deficits. This approach may include asking the survivor about existing support
networks and helping them to utilize these networks. This principle promotes the self-
esteem and coping abilities of individuals and communities.
62 For more information, see the definition of the survivor-centered approach at the UN Women Virtual Knowledge Centre to
End Violence against Women and Girls.
63 For more information on the best interest of the child, see Guidelines on Determining the Best Interests of the Child. Geneva,
Switzerland: UNHCR, 2008.
Strategies to Find Good Service Providers
TOOL 4.5
Globally, many service providers are developing GBVH services that are survivor centered
and in the best interest of the child. Often, services will have a specialist unit that can
provide better responses. When searching for service providers in the countries where
your company operates, ask others about the quality of the services available. Good
sources of information in-country may include ministries of women’s affairs, the United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UN Women), United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Certain groups require specialist service (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer,
and/or questioning, intersex, asexual, and agender (LGBTQIA). Survivors with a disability
may also need support from specialized service providers. It should also be noted that
certain factors that increase the risk of experiencing violence include race, income,
religion, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, or disability and therefore special care may
need to be taken to protect survivors from perpetrators in such cases.
Guiding Questions to Identify Service Providers

The questions below provide an initial guide for information to gather on-site or in-
country from GBVH service providers.
• Name of service provider?
• What services do they offer?
• Who do they offer services to? Note: some services may only offer services to
women and children, while some survivors such as LGBTQIA populations may need
specialist services.
• Can a person refer themselves, or is there a referral process?
• What is the best way to contact the service provider? What is their phone number
and address?
• If it is a crisis or emergency, can they give immediate assistance?
• What is their area of operation/coverage?
• Are the staff well-trained, appropriately hired (for their gender-equitable views and
non-violent behavior), and adequately supervised and supported?
• Does the service demonstrate the principles of survivor care?
TOOL 4.6
Gender Smart Safety
» GOAL: Provides an overview of gender smart safety and a case study
» TARGET UNITS: Occupational Health and Safety, Human Resources, Medical and Legal
What is Gender Smart Safety: Gender smart safety is a way of assessing and responding
to occupational health and safety risks with a gender lens.
Business Rationale: Gender Smart Safety in a workplace helps ensure all work tasks are
safer for all employees. It helps employers identify specific hazards faced by employees of
all genders who are carrying out specific work tasks.
Recognizing gender differences in the workforce is essential to ensure the safety and
health of all genders. These differences should be considered when developing policies
for addressing occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards in the workplace, including
gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH).64,65 For instance, in the past the effects
of occupational safety and health hazards on women were misjudged, because the
standards and exposure limits to hazardous substances were created based on male
populations and laboratory tests.66 Other examples include the physical demands of
heavy work, the ergonomic design of workplaces, and the impact of the length of the
working day on those with caring responsibilities.67,68,69 Today, there is growing recognition
of sex and gender differences in terms of occupational health and safety hazards in the
workplace, including GBVH.
Gender Smart Safety challenges cultural norms in respect to how different genders
should approach work tasks and focuses on actual exposure to hazards and perceptions
of risk as experienced by all genders. Companies have a unique opportunity to integrate
universal design features in the workplace by building physical, learning, and work
environments that are usable by a wide range of people, regardless of gender, age,
size, or disability status. For example, universal design features at work could include
automated doors, sloped entrances, broad passages, larger fonts for signs, and mitigating
GBVH risk through, for instance, better lighting and security. While universal design
promotes access for individuals with disabilities, it also benefits others in the workplace.
64 European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Summary Annual Report 2014.
65 ILO, Safety and health at work.
66 F. Valentina, Women workers and gender issues on occupational safety and health, 2010.
67 V. Forestieri, Information note on Women Workers and Gender Issues on Occupational Safety and Health. Geneva: ILO,
SafeWork, 2000.
68 C. Peters and P. Demers, Gender Differences in Occupational Exposure Assessment for a National Surveillance Project.
Epidemiology, 2019.
69 E. Sorentino, V. Rosa, D. Montwrosso, and A.M. Giammariolos, Gender issues on occupational safety and health. Annali
dell’Istituto uperior di sanita, 2016.
The result of a focus on Gender Smart Safety is that employers can increase the number
TOOL 4.6
of employees who can carry out specific work tasks safely. They benefit from improved
performance and productivity because they have a physically and emotionally safer
workforce, which can enhance staff retention and a company’s reputation.
BOX 4G | Improving Jobs for Women in Papua New Guinea

The Gender Smart Safety Program helps companies identify risks and improve safety
for women workers in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The program was developed by
the Business Coalition for Women, with the support of IFC. Three companies with
operations in PNG—Oil Search, St Barbara (mining), and New Britain Palm Oil—
participated in the initiative. The main GBVH issues related to women’s safety in the
workplace included the threat of violence, including sexual harassment; workplace
bullying in the form of gossiping causing emotional harm and distracting women
from focusing safely on their tasks; and travel to and from work when waiting for or
travelling on company transport.
Actions taken to address GBVH risks included introducing fixed nightshift signs
enabling female housekeepers identify when rooms were occupied by men;
providing the option to employees to wear trousers instead of skirts at work;
adding trained gender-smart contact officers to provide advice and a secure point
of contact to report harassment; encouraging discussion around harmful gossip as
an interruption to teamwork and productivity; and dedicated seats for females or
families in company transportation to and from work. One company’s response to
its gender-smart safety audit meant that the percentage of women who felt happy
about their safety at work rose by 18 percent. For further support on gender smart
safety, contact IFC’s Gender and Economic Inclusion Group.
TOOL 4.7
Respectful Workplaces Staff Engagement Survey
» GOAL: Includes sample questions that can be included in employee engagement surveys
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources and Unions
Employee Engagement Surveys aim to measure and assess how motivated and engaged
your employees are to perform their best at work. From these surveys, you can gain
insight into employees’ thoughts and attitudes towards their work and the overall
environment, including gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH).
You may want to include a few questions about GBVH to assess the extent of the issue
and to gauge if workplace responses are effective. Do not include detailed questions
about GBVH in your engagement survey, as this may cause employees trauma and/or may
put employees at greater risk. If your company wants to collect more detailed information
about GBVH, see the terms of reference (ToR) to hire an expert to conduct interviews or
survey employees in TOOL 4.8 and additional tips for conducting surveys in Box 4H.
Sample Questions for Engagement Surveys:

1. In the past four weeks, I felt distracted, tired, or unwell at work because of (respond
yes if one or more apply)
A) Workplace bullying which includes jokes, sabotaging a person’s work, and yelling
B) Workplace sexual harassment, which includes staring or leering, unwelcome
touching, patting, or kissing
C) Problems at home
Response: Yes/No
This question will help you to assess the impact of different forms of GBVH on
employees while minimizing the need for disclosure of incident details by survivors.
It’s recommended that all surveys address bullying and sexual harassment and
provide examples as above. Companies that are providing support to employees
affected by domestic violence should also include the question about problems at
home. Note that the question on problems at home has been designed to minimize
retraumatizing survivors by avoiding graphic descriptions and reduce that chances
of retaliation if employees are completing the survey from home. See definitions
of the different forms of GBVH in Box 4A or see the Respectful Workplaces Sample
Policy in TOOL 4.12.
2. If I saw, heard about, or experienced bullying or sexual harassment at this
TOOL 4.7
workplace (and had problems at home), I would feel comfortable asking a company
representative for help.
Response: Yes/No
This question will help you to assess how comfortable employees are seeking help and
how much trust they place in the company’s disclosure management process.
3. Incidents of bullying or sexual harassment at this workplace (and problems at home)

are taken seriously and responded to with sufficient support and in a timely manner.
Response: Yes/No
This question will help you to assess how employees feel about your company’s
commitment to responding to GBVH.
BOX 4H | Tips on Conducting Workplace Staff Engagement Surveys on GBVH

and Respectful Workplaces
Tip: Encourage staff to answer the questions as honestly as they can, as their
responses will help the company to build a respectful and supportive workplace.
Confidentiality: Participants should not provide their names or other identifying
details. Any information that a staff member may provide as part of the survey that
could identify them must be kept confidential. Confidential information should only
be disclosed if there is a risk to a staff member’s safety.
Support services: Service provider details should be provided in case staff filling
out the survey feel like they need GBVH services. For more information on service
providers, see TOOL 4.5.
Communication about the survey and results: You should communicate with
employees to engage them in the staff engagement survey. Use multiple channels,
including CEO messaging, staff e-mails or company’s social media posts, posters,
screensavers, and discussions in staff meetings. Once the survey is complete,
you should share the results of the survey and next steps with employees to
build engagement. An aggregate summary of the results of this survey should be
distributed by the company to all staff.
TOOL 4.8
Terms of Reference for GBVH and Respectful Workplaces Assessment
» GOAL: Provides a sample ToR for independent specialists to conduct employee
interviews and surveys about GBVH
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources and Gender Focal Points
The purpose of the sample terms of reference (ToR) below is to recruit a specialist on
gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) and work to undertake an assessment of
the impact of GBVH on your business, employees, and/or the communities in which your
company operates and to make recommendations so that your company can improve its
responses to GBVH.
It is generally recommended that you start with addressing bullying and sexual
harassment and take steps to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) connected
to the workplace. Once you have made progress on these issues, you will have built the
corporate culture that will allow you to support your employees further by responding to
domestic or sexual violence that may occur outside the workplace. Each company using
this sample ToR should assess what stage they are in terms of responding to GBVH.
This assessment must be carried out by an individual or firm that has demonstrated
experience in GBVH principles, including the survivor-centered approach, best interest of
the child, trauma-informed care, and assets-based approach.70 Individuals or firms that
do not follow these principles could cause harm by retraumatizing survivors or putting
employees and themselves at risk of retaliation.71 An external expert can also help with
impartiality at the company level.
The individual or firm should also have demonstrated experience in workplace issues so
the recommendations align with relevant employment laws and practices. If a company
does not have the resources to hire a GBVH expert, it could consider seeking guidance
from reputable online resources on next steps.
Note: An initial GBVH and respectful workplaces assessment can help companies understand the
different kinds of GBVH affecting employees and impacting community members, employee/community
members’ knowledge and attitudes towards GBVH, and help-seeking behaviors. It usually allows
companies to develop necessary training, support, or referral services for staff and communities. Certain
individuals or firm will be able to offer technical advisory throughout this process and use the data and
information from GBVH and respectful workplaces assessments to advise on company actions beyond
the initial assessment stage.
70 For more information on these principles, see the service provider guidelines in TOOL 4.5.
71 For more information on ensuring that an assessment is conducted safely and ethically, see WHO Guidelines on Conducting
Research on Violence Against Women.
Sample Terms of Reference for External Expert
TOOL 4.8
Overview
GBVH is experienced in workplaces around the world. Global studies have documented
the costs to business due to disrespectful behaviors in workplaces. GBVH occurring on the
job can create a hostile work environment, causing employees stress, anxiety, and fear.
It can also disrupt concentration, which can lower productivity and/or increase turnover.
Violence that occurs away from the worksite such as domestic and family violence can
also affect employee safety and wellbeing and impact job performance. GBVH has
financial consequences for individuals and businesses as it can increase health and
safety risks, reduce employee engagement and productivity, increase absenteeism and
presenteeism72, turnover of employees, and damage companies’ public image, business
reputation, and social license to operate.
Anyone can experience GBVH, regardless of their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation,
or intersex status. While men also experience forms of GBVH such as sexual harassment
in the workplace, it is more often experienced by women and children. Other factors that
increase the risk of experiencing violence include race, income, religion, ethnicity, age,
sexual orientation, or disability.
[Company name] is committed to a respectful workplace free of GBVH and is supportive of

our employees and community members who may have experienced GBVH connected to
the workplace. [Company] is conducting an assessment to understand the different kinds
of GBVH affecting employees and impacting community members, employee/community
members’ knowledge and attitudes towards GBVH, and help-seeking behaviors so that we
can develop necessary training, support, or referral services for staff and communities.
Objective
The aim of this ToR is to better understand:
• The different kinds of GBVH that happen in workplaces in [insert country] and [Company
name] specifically,
• The policies and procedures at the country and company level on GBVH,
• The types of people who may be at risk,
• What managers and workers think about these issues,
• The responses currently available through the company and the community, and
employee and community members’ perceptions about these responses, and
• What else might help the company better manage these issues both internally and at
the community level.
72 Where staff have compromised productivity due to GBVH and Respectful Workplaces issues.
The assessment should inform recommendations that will strengthen [company name]’s
TOOL 4.8
response to GBVH. You may want to consider improvements in:
• Policies
• Raising awareness about GBVH and addressing victim blaming
• Responding to GBVH in a survivor-centered, best interest of the child, trauma-
informed, assets-based way, including how to report/receive disclosures, how to
conduct investigations, survivor support, and proportionate disciplinary action
• Bystander action
• Monitoring and evaluation, including employee feedback through employee
engagement survey73.
Scope of Work
The consultant will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive assessment exploring
(but not limited to) the topics above.74
Consultants will be expected to undertake this assessment through surveys, focus

groups, and key informant interviews, and by reviewing policies, procedures, and data.
Consultants should not ask employees about their personal experiences of GBVH.
Consultants must maintain confidentiality (unless the incident warrants escalation) and ensure
discussions are handled with appropriate concerns for survivors’ rights, needs, and wishes.
All findings should be kept strictly confidential. Individual experiences should not be
included in the findings directly and no individuals should be forced to disclose experiences
of GBVH. If individual cases are disclosed and need to be escalated, there should be a
mechanism in place to handle the disclosure, provide help to the survivor, and protect the
confidentiality of the complainant unless staff wish to publicly report their experience.
Quality of Research
The quality of GBVH research by the consultant and data collection is determined by the
extent to which data collection procedures are put in place and the principles of do no
harm, informed consent, and anonymity are incorporated.75 A range of mechanisms need
to be put in place by the consultant to ensure and assess the quality of data collected.
This includes:
• The use of a standardized and detailed training package for enumerators (if used).
73 See TOOL 4.7 for questions on employee engagement surveys.

74 Depending on the size of the company and resources available, specify the assessment range. Decide whether to survey all
employees or just a sample and define a sampling methodology. Confidentiality is key.
75 M. Ellsberg and L. Heise, Researching Violence Against Women: A Practical Guide for Researchers and Activists. Washington
DC: World Health Organization, 2005.
• Clear explanations of the principles that consultants, interviewers, and enumerators
TOOL 4.8
must follow to ensure the research does no harm.
• Close supervision of interviewers during data collection, including interview
observation, spot checks on data collected, etc.
• Quality control of data input, analysis, and peer review.
• Ensure sufficient self-care and debriefings for consultants, interviewers, and
enumerators.76
Research and data collection processes need to adhere to the following guidelines:
• Be aware that during the research process information may be revealed regarding
personal experiences with GBVH.
• Make it clear to participants that information shared in the context of the assessment
will be kept anonymous and confidential (unless the incident warrants escalation).
• The consultant must know how to identify trauma and have information available to
refer individuals to service providers as needed.
• Include details about service providers to interview participants. At a minimum,
consultants have an ethical obligation to provide a respondent with information or
services that can help their situation.
• Escalation processes must be established prior to the beginning of any research
activities that clearly outlines what should happen if employees, community
members, researchers, or other stakeholders are at imminent risk of serious
harm due to workplace violence and harassment connected to the company. The
processes must respect confidentiality, be survivor-centered/in the best interest of
the child and trauma informed. The guidelines should include who to contact and in
what timeframes.
Escalation procedure for situations where there is imminent risk of serious harm include:
• Researchers will immediately report any serious safety issue to the company key
contact.
• The company key contact will collect any relevant information related to the serious
safety issue and report to the management team (via email).
• The company key contact will convene a virtual meeting of the management team (by
video or phone conference) within 24 hours of receiving the report.
• The virtual meeting with review the case and determine a course of action.
76 USAID, How to Embed Self- and Collective Care in Organizations Addressing Gender-Based Violence, 2022.
• The company key contact will be responsible for implementing the decided course of
TOOL 4.8
action and reporting back to the management team.
• The company key contact will prepare a confidential incident report, including actions
taken and final outcomes, to be shared with the management team and kept on
record.
Deliverables
• Study methodology and questions to be posed to staff, including safety and ethical
considerations that will be applied (see above requirements), and polices and data to
be reviewed.
• Draft report
• Final report with key recommendations for company action.
It is generally recommended that you start with addressing

bullying and sexual harassment and take steps to prevent
sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) connected to the
workplace. Once you have made progress on these issues,
you will have built the corporate culture that will allow you to
support your employees further by responding to domestic or
sexual violence that may occur outside the workplace.

Based on the understanding developed from the ‘Assess’ tools, the ‘Address’ tools
empower companies to take action on gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH)
and build a respectful workplace. To avoid further harm, all activities should be based
on a survivor-centered approach which, in turn, is based on the principles of respect,
confidentiality, and safety (see BOX 4I, below). Here are the steps to follow:
• Ensure Leadership Commitment. Leadership commitment is fundamental
to addressing GBVH in your workplace. It must be gained before moving on to
subsequent steps and actions, or the GBVH efforts will fail. Use the business case to
engage your leadership team and gain commitment (see TOOL 4.2), and then as a first
step publicly commit to address GBVH and role model respectful behavior. See the
checklist in TOOL 4.9.
• Identify and train key staff to be focal points for GBVH: Choose staff that are
respected in the workplace and have a role in employee well-being, along with at least
one senior management sponsor. TOOL 4.10 includes guidance on choosing staff.
Once focal points have been selected, conduct training to strengthen their knowledge,
skills, and attitudes about GBVH. The training should include information on the
business case to address GBVH, definitions and concepts of GBVH, and fundamentals
about preventing GBVH, effectively supporting survivors, and managing perpetrators.
TOOL 4.11 offers more information on training focal points.
• Develop GBVH and respectful workplaces policies and procedures: Review and
update existing policies, procedures, and reporting and investigation mechanisms
(if any), or develop them if they do not exist. TOOL 4.12 includes guidance and a
sample policy.
• Foster employee awareness: Improve employee awareness about the company’s
GBVH commitment and initiatives by providing training and everyday reminders, such
as posters in the workplace. TOOL 4.13 offers more information and materials.
• Support focal points to drive progress and change: Consider debriefing with other
focal points or GBVH service providers or counselors, offering refresher training,
providing acknowledgement and/or rewards, recognizing and celebrating their efforts
and successes, and encouraging self-care. TOOL 4.14 provides information and
materials to support focal points.
ADDRESS
BOX 4I | Key Principles to the Survivor-Centered Approach
One important way you can create a respectful workplace culture and remove
barriers to disclosure is to apply a survivor-centered approach to managing
disclosures when they arise. A survivor-centered approach seeks to empower the
employee by prioritizing their rights, needs, and wishes.77
This approach encourages employees to come forward and seek support because
they know they can expect the company to take their incident seriously and
respond to it ethically and fairly.
There are three key principles to the survivor-centered approach:
The first principle is respect—appreciating and valuing the complainant’s
experiences, decisions, and actions. It is about active listening, being non-
judgmental, and showing respect. It means the employee feels more trusting of
the support from you. It encourages a complainant to tap into their strengths and
resilience—and accept that they know what is best for them.
The second principle is confidentiality. The employee’s confidentiality should be
respected and protected. Their informed consent is important to this process—
this means making sure they understand your obligations if they proceed with a
complaint. In certain contexts and circumstances, it may be a legal requirement to
break confidentiality. TOOL 4.12 provides further guidance on this issue.
The third principle is safety. This is important to ensure employees feel safe to seek
help or make complaints, but also to maintain their safety and dignity once they do.
77 Learn more about the survivor-centered approach at UN Women.
TOOL 4.9
Checklist for Publicly Committing to Address GBVH and Model
Respectful Behavior
» GOAL: Outlines steps leadership teams can take to demonstrate commitment to
addressing GBVH
» TARGET UNITS: Executive Board, Senior Management, and Human Resources
Model Behavior and Speak Out

Commitment to address gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) by a company’s
board of directors and senior management helps drive changes in company culture.
It is important for leaders to model positive behavior and publicly demonstrate their
company’s commitment to preventing GBVH to build confidence that complaints will be
taken seriously.
Steps a company can take include:

• Board and CEO messaging and behavior to raise awareness that GBVH is not tolerated
and that workers who witness, hear about, or experience GBVH should raise concerns.
• Recognition of workers who make efforts to address GBVH and have adopted good
practices. Company reward or praise in meetings, for example, can help encourage
others to reflect on and change their behavior.
• Establishing a senior manager tasked with driving change, as well as other
individuals who can play an important role in preventing and responding to GBVH.
Focal points should demonstrate an interest in addressing GBVH (and have the right
values), and the role should be included in their work program, with realistic time
allocated to the role. Regular performance reviews should focus on role, tasks, and
results. Regular reporting to the board can be explored to enhance accountability.
• Agree how to communicate clear and consistent messages about GBVH, both
internally and externally with communities and service users. Simple, culturally
sensitive messages about the behavior that is expected of employees are most
effective (for example, “we support a safe and respectful workplace for all”).
Encourage Workers to Think about Respectful Behavior on a Spectrum

Respectful workplaces operate in the GREEN, where a company’s values are lived out,
conflict is resolved respectfully, employees treat each other with respect, and when
people make mistakes, they are reflective and hold themselves accountable. Any behavior
that is not in the green zone of respectful behavior requires a response—but what
those responses look like varies depending on the context and level of the behavior and
TOOL 4.9
possibility for harm. Employees can shift across the spectrum in different contexts, so
while they might appear to be in the green in some contexts, they may not be in others.
Encourage workers to reflect on their conduct and strengthen respectful behavior.
FIGURE 4A | Workplace Behavior Spectrum
RESPECTFUL INAPPROPRIATE DISRESPECTFUL VIOLENT

• Socially aware • Unaware of how • Often frequent • Often illegal e.g. sexual
• Respectful behavior impacts • Discrimination exploitation & abuse
others • Negatively affects
• Considerate • Bullying, sexual
• Reflective • Not always their harassment coworkers
best self • Negatively impact • Makes workplace toxic
• Accountable
employees and
workplace
Treat Employees as Allies

Treat your employees as allies when addressing GBVH. Employees will respond better
if you ask them to help you prevent and respond to GBVH than if you treat them as
potential perpetrators. Link your GBVH initiatives to company values.
Allyship in the workplace unites employees by increasing engagement and activating

company values. Being an ally means contributing towards company action on GBVH and
supporting survivors. Companies should encourage allyship as it can help destigmatize
GBVH and protect survivors.
Encourage Bystander Action

Being an active bystander means being aware of when someone’s behavior is inappropriate
or threatening and choosing to oppose it. A bystander is somebody that is not directly
involved in the abuse as a perpetrator or survivor but witnesses or hears about the GBVH.
Bystander action can include diffusing a situation to protect someone from harm,
TOOL 4.9
supporting someone affected by GBVH by checking in on their wellbeing, speaking up and
challenging a perpetrator of GBVH, or reporting the incident. It should be acknowledged
that bystander action by staff can be more challenging if senior staff or management are
the perpetrators. It is crucial that company leadership are role models of bystander action.
Different situations may require different responses, and it’s important that employees
prioritize safety when taking action. For further guidance on company policies and
associated actions, see TOOL 4.12.
Key steps a company can take to promote bystander action include:

• Introduce the idea of active bystanding and link it to company values (i.e., everyone in
an organization has a responsibility to uphold company values).
• Emphasize that different situations will require different responses as an active
bystander (e.g., report, speak up, support, and defuse).
• Stress to employees that active bystanding is not a step-by-step process. The response
depends on the context, but if a situation is causing serious harm, then you should
report it.
Support Employees
When issues are raised, employees should be encouraged to access support services
(see TOOL 4.5), and complaints should be taken seriously and acted upon. If issues are
not addressed, employees will lose trust in the company and will stop raising issues,
impacting staff morale and wellbeing
and the company bottom line. It is Complaints should be taken
key that details of support services seriously and acted upon. If issues
are kept up to date and shared with
employees and community members.
are not addressed, employees will
See guidelines on service providers lose trust in the company and will
in TOOL 4.5. Bystanders who report stop raising issues, impacting staff
incidents should be protected by
similar principles applied to survivor morale and wellbeing and the
care, including confidentiality. company bottom line.
Important Things to Remember

Move Beyond Individual Action: Move away from messaging that overemphasizes
individual action and focus instead on messaging that is inclusive (i.e., everyone in an
organization has a responsibility to intervene when they witness or become aware of
workplace violence taking place inside and outside the physical workplace).
Relying on singular employees or champions is inadvisable as it can undermine the long-
TOOL 4.9
term sustainability of GBVH actions that need to be embedded at a company level and
upheld by employees collectively in order to have an impact. Overreliance on individual
champions also threatens sustainability of actions against GBVH if certain staff rotate, leave
a company, etc. Given that GBVH is rooted in gender inequality and unequal power which
can leave people, especially women and girls, vulnerable to violence and harassment, it is
key that female employees do not shoulder the responsibility of prevention and response.
Long Timeframes and Continued Action: Communicate that addressing GBVH is a long-
term endeavor and that changes take time. Tell employees and community members
what activities you plan to implement and when, and how these activities work together
to address GBVH. This will help manage expectations on what can be achieved through
each individual GBVH intervention. It is also critical to ensure that sufficient resources are
allocated for GBVH actions to ensure continued improvement and sustained progress.
Companies should note that it is normal if complaints increase in the short to medium
term—this is a helpful indication that the actions taken are working. Companies
should also steer away from zero tolerance approaches (see Box 4J).
Don’t Perpetuate Stereotypes: It is important that we do not perpetuate stereotypes

when we address GBVH. GBVH is a cause and consequence of gender inequality, and
we should not reinforce norms that perpetuate gender inequality. Steer away from
language, images, or actions that suggest that men are stronger than women or need
to protect women.
Some people can be more vulnerable to violence based on race, income, religion,
ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, or disability. Any communication or action to address
GBVH should not exacerbate vulnerabilities. For instance, GBVH communications should
not describe one racial group as ‘worse’ than another. Stick with simple culturally sensitive
messages about the behavior that is expected of employees.
Training is Not a Silver Bullet: Training can be a powerful medium to increase people’s
knowledge or skills or to improve attitudes. However, many GBVH issues may need to
be addressed by structural changes such as improving procedures, changing company
culture that is not aligned with company values, or changing work practices that may
expose employees to risk (e.g., not providing safe transportation to and from night shifts).
Stay Curious and Humble: Addressing GBVH in the workplace is a relatively new field.
No one knows all the answers, and we need to learn together. Expect that while some
initiatives may go better than expected, there will be some challenges. It’s important
to continuously learn from our actions. For more information, see the monitoring and
evaluation guidance in TOOL 4.15.
TOOL 4.9
BOX 4J | Guidance on Zero Tolerance Approaches
A zero-tolerance approach to workplace violence and harassment may have
unintended effects. Zero tolerance messaging often is interpreted to mean that only
very serious incidents can be reported and acted upon. For instance, many people
may not report sexually explicit jokes if they believe someone will be terminated.
This can lead to underreporting and escalation, as employees may wait until they
believe the situation is serious enough to report. Perpetrators of violence may
also retaliate if they believe their employment may be terminated. In instances
where the terminated employee is the sole family breadwinner, the family may be
significantly adversely impacted by the company’s action.
It may also be challenging to implement zero tolerance policies, especially in
countries where there are high levels of GBVH, as it may lead to a large proportion
of workers being terminated. It may be more useful to implement proportionate
disciplinary action and limit termination of employment to the most serious cases.
TOOL 4.10
Identify Key Staff for GBVH Focal Points and Contact Team
» GOAL: Offers guidance on selecting staff to serve as focal points
» TARGET UNITS: Senior Management and Human Resources
Gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) focal points are designated company
representatives who can act as the first point of contact for workplace GBVH issues. Ask
focal points to work as a team (contact team) so that they can support each other in this
role and to prevent overreliance on individuals.
Choose staff that are respected in the workplace. Include staff who have a role in employee
and community wellbeing (e.g., community outreach, employee assistance programs,
internal communications, HR, legal, medical, OHS, gender focal points, security, and unions).
The GBVH Focal Points/Contact Team can:

• Raise general awareness about workplace GBVH
• Respond to disclosures of violence and harassment in a survivor-centered way
• Support and coordinate employee access to available workplace and community
support from the first point of contact to when they no longer require assistance
• Encourage and accept notification from employees about perpetrators in the
workplace and appropriately escalate these allegations so that they can be investigated
• Identify, through participation in monitoring and evaluation activities, any barriers to
accessing GBVH policies that employees may face, and address the barriers identified.
Diversity matters. Remember to include focal points of all genders so employees can
be comfortable speaking about issues that they might not want to disclose to people of
the same or other genders. Try to include employees that reflect the ethnic and religious
diversity of the workforce. It may also be important to consider other elements of
diversity and inclusion (e.g., diverse age, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.).
Does seniority matter when choosing focal points? Levels of seniority are not
important if the staff you choose are supported to fulfil their role. It is however important
to include one senior management sponsor to help ensure management engagement
and oversight of respectful workplaces initiatives. This sponsor should be a person with
oversight of focal points and who can support them to undertake their duties in line with
company GBVH commitments.
TOOL 4.10
How many focal points should be on a contact team? It is important to have an
adequate number of employees on the contact team so that all employees have access
to a team member when required. The number of focal points needed will depend on the
size of the company and its geographic spread78. There should ideally be a focal point that
can be accessed face to face by any employee at any time. The company should consider
having focal points at each location and focal point on all shifts.
How do we choose our focal points? Management can nominate focal points (as long as
staff can choose not to participate), call for expressions of interest, or hold elections.
Participation must be voluntary. Do not force staff to lead GBVH initiatives, as many
people are affected by GBVH and may not want to be on the contact team. Do not ask
people for reasons if they do not want to be on the contact team.
Key considerations:
1. It is important that the contact team is resourced to do its job well. Ensure that its
members have paid time to undertake their focal point role, that their work program
reflects their responsibilities, and that their responsibilities are also discussed and
acknowledged in performance reviews.
2. Provide training and support so focal points feel confident in performing their
duties. TOOL 4.11 offers guidance on training GBVH focal points. Training should be
led by experts (possibly external), and it should cover definitions and dynamics of
workplace violence and harassment and build the focal points’ skills to undertake their
responsibilities (see above). Training must be based in a survivor-centered approach,
as training that is not survivor-centered is likely to cause harm. Consider forming
relationships with service providers such as counselors so that focal points have
immediate access to support if needed. See TOOL 4.5 for further guidance on selecting
service providers.
78 In small businesses, the functions of the contact team may be performed by a single focal point.
TOOL 4.11
Guidelines for GBVH Focal Point Training
» GOAL: Provides guidance on training focal points
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources, Training and Development, and Union
Gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) focal points are designated company
representatives who can act as the first point of contact for workplace GBVH issues. Ask
focal points to work as a team (referred to as the contact team) so that they can support
each other in this role. It is important that they receive training to build their knowledge and
skills on workplace responses to GBVH so that they can undertake their roles effectively.
Untrained focal points may cause serious harm because they may reinforce unhelpful
norms, give incorrect advice, retraumatize survivors, or burn out due to a lack of boundaries.
The contact team training should:
1. Improve focal points’ knowledge of:

› GBVH, including definitions and examples. Training may focus on issues such as
bullying and harassment, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation and abuse—with
the specific content varying depending on the scope of your company’s GBVH policy.
› Drivers, dynamics, and impact of GBVH on the individual, business, and community.
› Overview of context-specific issues around race, income, religion, ethnicity, age,
sexual orientation, or disability that can increase the risk of experiencing violence.
› Survivor-centered approaches (see BOX 4I).
› Laws relevant to GBVH in your jurisdiction.
› Support and protective services available in the community for survivors and
perpetrators of GBVH. See TOOL 4.5 for more information on service providers.
› The company’s GBVH policy and practices (see TOOL 4.12).
› Any mandatory reporting requirements.
› Self-care (see guidelines for self-care in TOOL 4.14).
2. Improve focal points’ attitudes about:

› Gender stereotypes
› Nondiscrimination
› Minimization of violence
› Victim-blaming attitudes
› Pressure on survivors to disclose and/or formally report perpetrators79
79 For more information about why this is not good practice, see the survivor-centered approach guidance in BOX 4I.
TOOL 4.11
3. Improve focal points’ skills to:
› Communicate effectively about respectful workplaces
› Respond to disclosures of GBVH in a survivor-centered way, including discussing
options for the survivor and referring them to GBVH service providers
› Investigate allegations of GBVH and to make recommendations to management (if
focal points are also involved in investigations)80
› Establish appropriate boundaries and self-care (see TOOL 4.14)
› Undertake monitoring and evaluation activities (see TOOL 4.15)
In any training focused on adults, it is important to recognize that adults benefit most
from learning experiences that are problem-based and collaborative rather than just the
provision of information. Embedding elements of these principles into training content
(e.g., breakout groups, role play, question and answer sessions, and practical homework
exercises) is key to ensuring the learning experiences are effective.
Consider engaging employees in short scenario-based training regularly to help them

to develop the skills to raise issues if they witness, hear about, or experience workplace
violence and harassment. All training should be led by experts and engagements should
include meetings with relevant service providers.
It is recommended to conduct a pre-and post-training questionnaire capturing

participants’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards addressing GBVH as a workplace
issue. Companies may want to consider adding a follow-up survey six months later to
track longer-term outcomes of training and identify any follow-up training needs.
80 Training in investigating GBVH in a survivor-centered way should be provided to any focal points involved in investigations.
All focal points may not need to receive this training.
TOOL 4.12
GBVH and Respectful Workplaces Guidelines and Sample Policy
» GOAL: Offers guidance and examples of workplace policies, procedures, and reporting
and investigation mechanisms
» TARGET UNITS: Executive Board, Senior Management, and Human Resources
This Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH) and Respectful Workplaces

Guidelines and Policy Sample can be used by businesses to create or revise policies to
address workplace violence and harassment. The purpose of the sample policy below is
to help companies make changes to existing policies or adopt a new policy to recognize
the impact of GBVH on your business, employees, and/or the communities in which your
company operates and to ensure company policy helps improves the responses to GBVH.
At a minimum, businesses need to ensure that they are meeting their obligations to
provide a safe workplace. This means businesses will need to address workplace bullying
and sexual harassment and take steps to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA)
connected to the workplace. Once the business has made progress on these issues, it
will have built the corporate culture that will allow it to support employees further by
responding to domestic or sexual violence (DSV) that may occur outside the workplace.
TIPS:
• Treat employees as allies when addressing workplace violence and harassment. Employees will
respond better if they are asked to help prevent and respond to workplace violence and harassment
than if they are treated as potential perpetrators.
• Link GBVH and respectful workplaces initiatives to company values.
This document contains a suggested structure for your GBVH and respectful workplaces
policy, sample text, and tips.
A GBVH and Respectful Workplaces policy can be a standalone document or incorporated

into existing policies, such as a HR Handbook. This sample policy should be customized to
ensure that the workplace strategies suit the size and needs of each business. The tips in
this document will help you to customize your policy.
Many companies already have codes of conduct, polices, or procedures in place to

address workplace violence and harassment. Companies may have specific obligations
around workplace violence and harassment under national law or to investors, buyers, or
other stakeholders. This guidance should not displace existing company approaches, but
can be used to review and revise them as needed. It is also important to raise awareness
of these policies and procedures (see TOOL 4.13).
TOOL 4.12
Purpose
The purpose of the GBVH and Respectful Workplaces policy is to ensure a respectful and
safe working environment, free from all forms of workplace violence and harassment
including workplace bullying and sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse
(SEA) connected to the workplace. [add if the policy covers domestic and sexual violence: and
to develop a supportive workplace in which survivors of domestic and sexual violence (DSV) feel
safe to come forward and seek support.]
Workplace violence and harassment are unacceptable and will not be tolerated under
any circumstances by anyone employed by or associated with the company. Cases will be
analyzed on a case-by-case basis and according to the principle of proportionality.
The company is committed to maintaining a work environment that demands respect for
the dignity of individuals, and where everyone feels comfortable raising issues or concerns
regardless of who the offender may be or what position they may hold in the company.
TIP: Update this section to reference company values and relevant existing workplace policies such as
those addressing health, safety, and environment, and anti-discrimination.
Scope
This policy covers all employees, including:
• Full time, part time, casual, temporary, or permanent employees
• Executives and management
• Contract or consultant workers, and
• Volunteers, vocational and work experience placements, and apprentices.
This policy is not limited to the workplace or work hours and includes virtual work environments
and interactions. This policy extends to all places and functions that are work related, including:
• Whenever or wherever employees may be because of their work duties, including
during and after business hours, on-site or offsite, such as at conferences or work-
related social functions, and employer-provided transportation
• Employee treatment of other employees, clients, and all people encountered during
their work duties.
Employees who are harassed by third parties during their work, such as customers or
clients, can also be supported by this policy.
TIPS:
• Update the scope of who is covered to reflect the company structure
• Add any other company obligations in relation to workplace violence. For instance, does the company
have obligations to ensure that workplace violence and harassment are addressed in its contracting or
supply chain?
TOOL 4.12
Employee rights and responsibilities
All employees are entitled to:
• Work free from workplace violence and harassment
• The right to make an enquiry or complaint under this policy in a reasonable and
respectful manner without being victimized
• [Add if the policy covers DSV: The right to seek support if they are affected by DSV.]
All employees must:

• Complete relevant training on this policy
• Follow the standards of behavior outlined in this policy
• Offer support to people who experience workplace violence and harassment, including
providing information about how to make a complaint
• Avoid gossip and respect the confidentiality of complaint resolution procedures
• Treat others with dignity, courtesy, and respect.
Managers and supervisors must also:

• Model appropriate standards of behavior
• Take steps to educate and make staff aware of their obligations under this policy
• Intervene quickly and appropriately when they become aware of inappropriate behavior
• Act fairly to resolve issues and implement workplace behavioral standards, making
sure relevant parties are heard
• Help resolve complaints informally if this is the preference of the survivor
• Refer formal complaints about breaches of this policy to HR management for
investigation
• Ensure those who raise an issue or make a complaint are not victimized; extend
similar protection to alleged perpetrator(s)
TIPS:
• It is important that anyone who hears about, witnesses, or experiences workplace violence and
harassment is encouraged to raise the issue. Consider bystander training for all employees and
community members in the business’ area of operation (see TOOL 4.9).
• All incidents of workplace violence and harassment, no matter how large or small or who is involved,
require managers and supervisors to respond rapidly and appropriately.
TOOL 4.12
Definitions
Workplace Bullying
Workplace bullying is unreasonable, and often repeated, behavior that undermines a
person’s health, safety, confidence, or dignity.
Examples of behaviors, whether intentional or unintentional, that may be workplace

bullying include81:
• Abusive, insulting, or offensive language or comments that may reference, among
other characteristics, race, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual
orientation, language, or class
• Unjustiﬁed criticism or complaints
• Aggressive and intimidating conduct
• Repeated threats of dismissal or other severe punishment that are unfair, unjust, and/
or unreasonable
• Ridiculing, humiliating, or belittling a person
• Practical jokes or initiation
• Making fun of a person by referencing, among other attributes, a perceived or real
disability, a physical or mental characteristic, their race or the color of their skin, their
religion or a symbolic representation of their religion they are wearing, ethnicity, age,
gender identity or sexual orientation, or class.
• Spreading gossip or malicious rumors about a person
• Deliberately excluding a person from work-related activities and social events
• Setting unreasonable timelines or constantly changing deadlines without reasonable
explanation
• Setting tasks that are unreasonably below or beyond a person’s skill level
• Deliberately changing work arrangements to inconvenience a person
• Sabotaging a person’s work by, for example:
› Denying access to supervision, consultation, or resources
› Withholding information or supplying incorrect information
› Hiding or destroying documents or equipment
› Not passing on messages, or
› Purposely doing something to get a person into trouble in other ways
• Interfering with a person’s personal property.
81 From WorkSafe.qld.gov.au. For a definition of bullying, see WorkSafe Queensland’s definition and National Health and
Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Respect in the Workplace Policy (Bullying and Harassment).
TOOL 4.12
Not all behavior that makes a person feel upset or undervalued at work is workplace
bullying. Differences of opinion and disagreements are generally not workplace bullying,
however; in some cases, conflict that is not managed may escalate to the point where it
becomes workplace bullying.
Workplace bullying does not include reasonable management action taken in a

reasonable way by the person’s employer in connection with the person’s employment.
Reasonable management actions include, but are not limited to:

• Setting realistic and achievable performance goals, standards, and deadlines
• Fair and appropriate rostering and allocation of working hours
• Transferring a worker to another area or role for operational reasons
• Deciding not to select a worker for a promotion where a fair and transparent process
is followed
• Informing a worker about unsatisfactory work performance in an honest, fair, and
constructive way
• Informing a worker about unreasonable behavior in an objective and confidential way
• Implementing organizational change or restructuring, and
• Taking disciplinary action including suspension or termination of employment where
appropriate or justified in the circumstances.
TIP: When training or raising awareness about the policy, it is important to provide examples of
workplace bullying (and other forms of workplace violence and harassment) so employees understand
what kinds of behaviors are unacceptable and should be reported.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which is offensive,
humiliating, and intimidating.
Sexual harassment can take various forms. It can involve conduct such as:
• Staring or leering
• Sexually suggestive comments or jokes
• Insults or taunts of a sexual nature
• Unwanted invitations for sex
• Persistent requests or forcing a person to go on a date
• Intrusive questions about a person’s sexuality or body
• Unwanted sexual advances or requests via social networking sites
TOOL 4.12
• Sending or making a person view sexually explicit content such as pictures, posters,
screensavers, emails, internet sites, and social media messages
• Intrusive contact or conduct of a sexually suggestive nature, including outside of
working hours, either in-person or via other means such as SMS or social media
• Unnecessary familiarity, such as deliberately brushing up against someone
• Unwelcome touching, hugging, patting, or kissing
• Sexual assault82 A single incident is
A single incident is enough to constitute sexual enough to constitute
harassment—it does not have to be repeated.
sexual harassment—
Both men and women can experience sexual it does not have to
harassment at work, however, it is most commonly
experienced by women. be repeated.
There are two types of sexual harassment in the workplace:83
• Quid pro quo sexual harassment
• Intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment sexual harassment.
Quid pro quo sexual harassment reflects inappropriate use of power and occurs when
some type of employment benefit is made (or perceived to be) contingent on sexual favors
in some capacity. It includes requests for sexual favors, unwelcome advances, or other
verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when either of the following conditions is met:
• Agreeing to such request or conduct is made or perceived to be a term or condition of
an individual’s employment; or
• The request or conduct is explicitly or implicitly used as the basis for employment
decisions affecting that individual.
Usually, quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs between someone in a position of power
and a subordinate.
Intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment sexual harassment occurs when there

are frequent or pervasive unwanted sexual comments, advances, requests for sexual
favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or
effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an
intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.
82 Defined as sexual activity with another person who does not consent. It is a violation of bodily integrity and sexual autonomy
and is broader than narrower conceptions of “rape,” especially because (a) it may be committed by other means than force or
violence, and (b) it does not necessarily entail penetration.
83 For more information, see U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Policy Guidance on Current Issues of Sexual
Harassment.
TOOL 4.12
It is not usually deemed an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment if the activity
in question was a single attempt at initiating a sexual or romantic relationship that was
neither reciprocated nor repeated.
TIP: It is important to differentiate quid pro quo sexual harassment from other forms of sexual harassment,
as those that engage in this form of harassment are breaching the duty of care that they have towards their
subordinates. Any proven cases of quid pro quo harassment warrant strong disciplinary action.
Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Sexual exploitation is any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability,
differential power, or trust for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting
monetarily, socially, or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.84
Sexual abuse is actual or threatened unwelcome physical contact of a sexual nature,
whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. It also includes sexual relations
with a child, in any context, defined as a human being below the age of 18 years.
Add if the policy covers domestic and sexual violence:

Domestic and Sexual Violence (DSV)
Domestic violence is conduct, or the threat of such conduct, committed by a person
against another person with whom the offender is in a domestic relationship that
constitutes physical, sexual, psychological, or economic abuse. It may consist of a single
act or a number of acts that form part of a pattern of behavior, even though some or all of
those acts when viewed in isolation appear to be minor or trivial.
A person is in a domestic relationship with another person if:
• they are or have been family members; or
• they are the parents of a child or are persons who have or have had parental
responsibility together for a child; or
• they are or were in an engagement, courtship, or customary relationship, including an
actual or perceived intimate or sexual relationship of any duration; or
• one person is a domestic worker in another person’s household.
Family member includes all members of a person’s family, whether related by blood,
adoption, marriage, or custom.
Sexual violence is any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual
comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality
using coercion by any person regardless of their relationship to the survivor, in any setting,
including but not limited to home and work.
84 UNHCR, What is sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment?
TOOL 4.12
Survivor means the person or persons adversely affected by DSV. Anyone can experience
DSV, regardless of their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or intersex status.
Perpetrator means the person or persons who commit, or threaten to commit, an act or
acts of DSV.
TIP: Update the definition of domestic violence, domestic relationship, and family in accordance with
the laws of the country. Note that you do not need to update the definitions of sexual violence, survivor,
or perpetrator. If no law exists in your country, use the sample text.
Workplace violence and harassment complaints procedure

An employee who believes they or someone else may be experiencing workplace violence
and harassment (including workplace bullying, harassment, sexual exploitation, or abuse
connected to the workplace) should contact their supervisor, a designated company
contact person [insert title—e.g., GBVH and Respectful Workplaces Contact Team or HR/
contact details], or raise the issue though the anonymous reporting system [insert online
portal/web address/suggestion box].
If an employee does not feel comfortable approaching their supervisor, for example
because their supervisor is the alleged perpetrator or is related to the alleged perpetrator,
the employee should report the incident to a contact person (who has been designated by
the employer and equipped with the training and resources to respond appropriately) or
through the anonymous reporting system.
The supervisor, designated contact person, and company are obliged to act upon the
information in accordance with the procedures described in this policy.
TIPS:
• Reporting mechanisms should include multiple channels, informal, formal and/or online, and at least
one anonymous way to report.
• Anonymous complaints may be more difficult to investigate and resolve if the complainant can’t be
interviewed. Accordingly, the company should encourage employees to report workplace violence and
harassment to their supervisor or to a designated contact person to ensure an effective investigation.
• The business should publicize the policy and how to report workplace violence and harassment
extensively (e.g., through team meetings, posters, on the intranet, etc.)
• Update this section with any external reporting mechanisms.
Workplace violence and harassment resolution procedure

The employee can request an informal resolution or formal investigation to resolve the
complaint.
More severe forms of workplace violence and harassment such as quid pro quo harassment
and physical or sexual assault may require a formal investigation and/or reporting to police.
TOOL 4.12
Informal resolution
If the employee choses to resolve the complaint informally, they will be given the opportunity
to tell the person responsible that they find their behavior offensive and ask them to stop.
The complainant may wish to ask a colleague, supervisor, or designated contact person to be
present. If the complainant does not feel comfortable confronting the perpetrator, or if the
matter cannot be resolved informally, a formal investigation should be undertaken.
TIPS:
• Informal resolutions can be encouraged for less severe conduct, but employees should always be given
the option of a formal investigation.
• Disciplinary action cannot be taken without a formal investigation.
Formal investigation
A formal investigation will be undertaken by a gender-balanced panel whose members
have been trained to conduct investigations in a survivor-centered way. Larger
organizations can hire a specialist or a firm.
Investigations should be conducted in a confidential manner and will protect the privacy
of persons involved to the utmost extent possible (if consent has been obtained by the
complainant).
This should include the following:

• Interview with the complainant as to the alleged event(s)
• The complainant should be given an opportunity to express their preferred outcome
from complainant process, with the understanding that an alternative outcome may
be deemed more suitable by the investigative team
• Interview with the respondent as to the alleged event(s)
• Interview with the respondent as to the alleged event(s)
• Interview with any witnesses or anyone else who may have any information
regarding the complaint
• Review any evidence—for example, the complainant may have text messages
that show evidence of bullying or sexual harassment, e-mails, social media,
screenshots, CCTV.
Confidentiality must be fully maintained throughout the investigation process. To the

greatest extent possible, no information regarding the complaint or the parties involved
shall be provided to anyone outside of the investigation process without the approval of
all parties involved.
TOOL 4.12
If the complaint is about a criminal allegation or covered by a mandatory reporting
requirement, the company may support the complainant and/or directly report the issue
to the police or mandatory reporting body.
TIP: Update this section with any requirements from national labor codes, enterprise agreements, or
other obligations, and with applicable criminal and mandatory reporting requirements.
Determining the outcome of a formal investigation

The investigative team should recommend the outcome of the formal investigation based on
whether workplace violence and harassment occurred and the severity of the harassment.
The following factors can help determine whether the workplace violence and
harassment occurred:
• Whether the conduct included any of the actions listed in the policy
• Whether the conduct was patently offensive
• Whether the conduct would have breached the dignity or respect of a reasonable
person in the circumstances
• Whether the conduct is a criminal act such as physical assault, rape, or sexual
contact with a minor.
The following factors can help determine the severity of the harassment:
• Whether the conduct was verbal, physical, or both
• How frequently the conduct was repeated
• Whether the alleged perpetrator was a coworker, a client, third party, or supervisor
• Whether others joined in perpetrating the violence or harassment
• Whether the violence or harassment was directed at more than one individual, and
• Whether the violence or harassment was directed towards a minor.
Whether or not any given behavior qualifies as workplace violence and harassment
will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In addition to the impact on an individual,
consideration will also be given to whether the conduct created an intimidating, hostile,
or offensive environment for coworkers of the survivor or members of the community.
In relation to sexual harassment, the intent of the perpetrator is not relevant. Statements
like “I didn’t mean to harass” will not be considered. It is the impact of the behavior which
is considered. When considering conflicting evidence as to whether conduct was welcome
or unwelcome, the company will look at the totality of the circumstances, noting that just
because someone does not object to inappropriate behavior at the time does not mean
that they are consenting to the behavior.
TOOL 4.12
The recommendations of the investigative team should be reviewed and a final outcome
determined by the CEO or their nominee.
TIP: Some jurisdictions and/or enterprise agreements require external review if an employee is to
be terminated for misconduct. Check local laws and company obligations and update this section
accordingly.
Communicating the outcome of the investigation

Upon completing the investigation of a workplace violence and harassment complaint,
the company will communicate its findings and intended actions to the complainant and
alleged perpetrator.
Workplace violence and harassment is found to have occurred

Where workplace violence and harassment has been found to have occurred,
the appropriate outcome will be focused on getting the perpetrator to cease the
harassing behavior, taking proportionate disciplinary action and providing support
to the complainant.
Outcomes include:
• Remediation between the complainant and the perpetrator and support for their
reintegration into their respective roles within the workplace
• Disciplinary procedures as deemed appropriate given the severity of the behavior,
which may include referral to counseling or training, reassignment, withholding
of a promotion, temporary suspension without pay, final warning, termination, or
other actions.85
In all cases where harassment has been found to have occurred, support services or
counseling will be made available to the complainant.
TIPS:
• Disciplinary action should be proportionate to the impact of the harassment.
• The finding of any quid pro quo sexual harassment generally should automatically result in
termination of the perpetrator, suspension without pay, or final warning.
Workplace violence and harassment not determined/has not occurred

If the investigation cannot determine that workplace violence and harassment has
occurred or determines that it did not occur, this finding will be communicated to the
complainant in an appropriately sensitive manner.
85 Some jurisdictions these measures may only be applicable with a formal investigation and a judicial decision.
TOOL 4.12
If, after the investigation, it is found that the complainant has maliciously or recklessly
made a false accusation, the complainant will be subject to sanctions. In such an event,
the company will also take appropriate action to restore the reputation of the accused.
TIP: The complainant should be provided with support services or counseling if needed, even if there
was no finding of workplace violence and harassment. Support should also be provided to an alleged
perpetrator who has been wrongly accused.
Recordkeeping
In all cases and whatever the outcome following a formal investigation, a record of
the complaint and the outcome will be recorded and stored in a secure centralized
filing system. These files will be kept separate from employee files, however where any
employee has been found to have committed workplace violence and harassment and
breached this policy, a notation of that finding will be included in their personnel file.
TIPS:
• The business may want to consider creating a procedure for recordkeeping that complies with any
privacy obligations and details how online and hard copy records will be kept confidential.
• Some countries have national laws about recordkeeping in relation to sexual harassment. Update
this section accordingly.
Add if the policy covers DSV:
Support for employees affected by DSV

The company encourages any employee affected by DSV to seek support by disclosing
the DSV to a member of the contact team [insert title/contact details]. These staff
members have received training and will support you by referring you to support
services within the community and accessing support under this policy.
Referral to support services

The company will assist employees affected by DSV to access available and appropriate
support and protective services in the community, including medical and psychosocial
support, counseling, emergency accommodation, police protection, and welfare services
by facilitating contact with these services.
TIPS:
• Companies may, if feasible, directly provide support and protective services.
• Update this section with names and contact details of internal and external support and
protective services.
TOOL 4.12
Safety planning
To ensure the safety of employees and the workplace in general, the company, in
consultation with the employee, will assess the risk of DSV to the employee and
the workplace and make reasonable adjustments to the work schedule and work
environment. In consultation with the employee, the company may undertake safety
measures to avoid harassing contact, including but not limited to:
• Changing the employee’s span of hours or pattern of hours and/or shift patterns
• Redesigning or changing the employee’s duties
• Changing the employee’s telephone number or email address
• Relocating the employee to another work site/ alternative premises
• Providing safe transportation to and from work for a specified period
• Supporting the employee to apply for a Protection Order or referring them to
appropriate support; and
• Taking any other appropriate measure including those available under existing
provisions for family friendly and flexible work arrangements.
TIP: Update this section to only include safety planning measures that the company can provide.
The sample text above is only an indicative list.
Leave
An employee experiencing DSV can request paid special leave to attend medical or
counseling appointments, legal proceedings, relocation to safe accommodation, and
other activities related to DSV.
An employee who supports a person experiencing DSV may take sick leave, including
but not limited to accompanying them to court or hospital, or to care for children or
other dependents.
Employees who are employed in a casual capacity may request unpaid special leave or
unpaid sick leave to undertake the activities described above.
The amount of leave provided will be determined by the individual’s situation through
consultation with the employee and the DSV contact team, and management where
appropriate.
TIPS:
• Consider updating this section with details of how much leave the business will grant without requiring
senior management signoff.
• Create a procedure for escalating leave requests in excess of standard provisions to management.
TOOL 4.12
Other support
The company may, where feasible, provide financial and other support to survivors of
DSV to access medical and psychosocial support, counseling, emergency accommodation,
security, and welfare. These may include but are not limited to:
• No/low interest loans
• Salary advances
• Direct payment of medical costs
• Upfront payments for medical costs to be recouped from the employee’s health insurance
• Providing or facilitating access to childcare
• Providing security upgrades to the employee’s home, and
• Providing safe transportation to access support services or to and from
accommodation.
TIP: Only include any supports that the company may provide in this section.
Evidentiary requirements
If the company requires proof of DSV, this may be provided in the form of a document—
as agreed upon by the company and employee, and issued by the police, a court, doctor,
district nurse, maternal and child health care nurse, family support center, counselor,
member of the clergy, or lawyer—or a statutory declaration.
TIP: Providing evidence of DSV may create a barrier to disclosing DSV and asking for help. Keep
evidentiary requirements to a minimum and update this section accordingly.
Perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence

If an employee is concerned that they will perpetrate DSV and voluntarily comes forward to
seek assistance, the company will, if feasible, provide or facilitate counseling for the employee.
Provision of counseling will not prejudice the company’s right to peruse disciplinary action
against employees who commit DSV.
Any allegation of employees perpetrating DSV will be dealt with in accordance with the
workplace violence and harassment complaints and resolution procedures described above.
TIPS:
• If the employee affected by violence and alleged perpetrator are both employees at the business,
the company will need to take steps to support the survivor of violence and manage the alleged
perpetrator (providing or facilitating counseling and/or investigating and resolving the complaint and/
or referral to police in consultation with the survivor). Undertake a risk analysis in consultation with
the survivor and separate the survivor and the alleged perpetrator, if needed. Ensure that different
contact team members support each employee to minimize the risk of bias.
TOOL 4.12
• The company may not have jurisdiction to undertake investigations that do not have a connection to
work. Seek legal advice if you are unsure.
• You may report criminal allegations to the police or other relevant statutory body but ensure that
you consider the wishes of the survivor, regardless of whether he/she is an employee, to minimize the
potential for further harm. Seek advice from a GBVH service provider if you are unsure.
• Always provide the contact details of support services and/or police to any complainant who alleges
that an employee is perpetrating DSV.
Confidentiality
The company is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of complaints and
investigations about workplace violence and harassment [add if the policy covers DSV: and
disclosures about DSV].
Information about workplace violence and harassment will only be shared with the
consent of the complainant [add if the policy covers DSV: or the employee who discloses DSV],
unless a breach of confidentiality is necessary to protect the employee or another person
or company from serious harm, or where required by law.
The company will take disciplinary action, including and up to dismissal, against those who
breach confidentiality.
TIPS:
• Train the contact team to maintain confidentiality, including consequences for breaching confidentiality.
• Mark all documents about workplace violence and harassment as strictly confidential with a warning
that a breach of confidentiality will result in disciplinary action.
• Store all documents about workplace violence and harassment securely.
Protection against reprisals

An employee will not be discriminated against on the basis of reporting or disclosing
workplace violence and harassment, or experience or perceived experience of workplace
violence and harassment.
Reporting of any alleged workplace violence and harassment will not have any impact
on employees’ employment or promotion prospects with the company. Employees who
make a complaint under this policy will be protected against any retaliation by the alleged
perpetrator or any other representative of the company.
The company will take all appropriate measures to minimize the risk of any victimization
or reprisals against the complainant or the alleged perpetrator and shall ensure all staff,
including management and supervisory staff, are informed that the company will not
tolerate victimization or reprisals.
TOOL 4.12
In the event management is made aware of any victimization or reprisal or threat of any
victimization or reprisal taking place as a result of a complaint of workplace violence and
harassment being lodged, appropriate support services shall be made available to the
complainant and disciplinary action shall be taken against the perpetrator in accordance
with the company procedures for breach of a company policy.
In the event management is made aware of any victimization or reprisal or threat of

any victimization or reprisal taking place outside of the workplace, appropriate support
services shall be made available to the complainant and, where appropriate, the act or
threat may be reported to the police.
Escalation processes
If you are unsatisfied with the reporting processes under this policy, for example due to
the unavailability or non-responsiveness of designated contact team members, or if you
believe your confidentiality has been breached, or if your concern is not resolved, you
can raise the issue through the company’s grievance resolution process.
TIP: Update this section with details of the grievance process, including where to find the process and
who to contact.
False accusations
False accusations of workplace violence and harassment can have serious effects
on innocent persons. If, after the investigation, it is found that the complainant has
maliciously or recklessly made a false accusation, the complainant will be subject to
sanctions. In such an event, the company will also take appropriate action to restore the
reputation of the accused.
Monitoring and evaluation

It is good practice to undertake regular and at least annual monitoring and evaluation of
the implementation and outcomes of the policy to identify the uptake of provisions of this
policy, any barriers to access, and any positive and negative impacts on individuals and
the business. Possible monitoring indicators include:
• Number of focal points/contact team members by gender
• Number of focal points/contact team members who received training on Respectful
Workplaces by gender
• Number of managers/supervisors who received training on Respectful Workplaces
by gender
• Number of employees/consultants/contractors who received training on Respectful
Workplaces by gender
TOOL 4.12
• Number of disclosures/complaints received by type of workplace violence and
harassment (workplace bullying, sexual harassment, DSV, SEA) by gender
• Number of and type of support provided by gender
• Number of complaints investigated by type of workplace violence and harassment
(workplace bullying, sexual harassment, DSV, SEA) by gender
• Number of disclosures/complaints resolved by type of workplace violence and
harassment (workplace bullying, sexual harassment, DSV, SEA) by gender
The monitoring and evaluation data should be used as a learning tool that consolidates
the strengths of the implementation of this policy and identifies any challenges.
TIPS:
• Some countries mandate certain data to be collected in relation to workplace violence and
harassment, especially workplace sexual harassment. Update this section accordingly.
• If the company has implemented an effective Respectful Workplaces program, the number of
disclosures/complaints should rise in the short to medium term and then reduce in the longer term
when company culture has improved.
TOOL 4.13
Raising Awareness and Communication of GBVH Commitments
and Approaches
» GOAL: Provides information on how to improve employee awareness through training
and everyday reminders
» TARGET UNITS: Executive Board, Senior Management, Communications and Public
Relations, Human Resources, and Unions
It is important that employees are aware of what action they can take if they witness,
hear about, or experience workplace violence and harassment. To support this,
companies must clearly communicate to employees and communities about the
actions they have taken around gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH).
However, raising awareness and communicating about GBVH will also create
expectations about a company’s response, so GBVH-awareness raising initiatives
should start only when the company is ready to accept disclosures and support
survivors by completing the actions associated with TOOLS 4.9–4.12 in this Tool Suite.
In particular, it is important that the company has policies and procedures in place and
the Respectful Workplaces focal points/contact team are well-trained and resourced.
Awareness-raising materials should be co-designed with select employees to ensure

that they are appropriate, meaningful, and effective. Ultimately, communication
activities should not only raise awareness, but also enhance company accountability for
addressing GBVH.
In developing communication materials, consider including information about the

following:
• Definitions and examples of workplace bullying and harassment, sexual exploitation
and abuse (SEA), and domestic and sexual violence (DSV)
• The Workplace Behavior Spectrum, which demonstrates how behavior falls on a
spectrum and that self-reflection and action can move the company culture to be
more respectful (see Figure 4A in TOOL 4.9)
• Impact of GBVH on the individual, business, and community
• Laws relevant to workplace bullying and harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse,
and domestic and sexual violence
• Support and protective services available in the community for survivors and
perpetrators of workplace violence and harassment
TOOL 4.13
› When raising awareness about support services and protective services for sexual
exploitation and abuse and domestic and sexual violence, consider including
information about medical and psychosocial support, counseling, emergency
accommodation, police and legal protection, and welfare services
› Some of these services may also apply for more severe forms of sexual harassment,
and counseling may also apply for bullying
• The company’s Respectful Workplaces policy and procedures (see the guidelines and
sample policy in TOOL 4.12), including the names and contact details for the contact
team, and
• Any mandatory reporting requirements.
It is important that all genders86 are included in awareness-raising activities, as workplace

violence and harassment can adversely affect women, men, children, and those who do
not identify as male or female. Certain forms of violence, such as sexual harassment, SEA,
and DSV, are often gender-based and predominantly affect women and girls and those
who do not conform to gender norms.
• Ensure that communications materials are written in a language which employees
understand. In addition, consider providing information in various formats including
online and offline, written materials, and visual and verbal explanations.
• Provide regular policy reminders and updates. For example, provide reminders of
expected behaviors, policies, and any updates at the commencement of employment
or during induction and at least annually during professional development, staff
training days, or any other suitable occasion.
• Regularly engage employees in short scenario-based training to help them develop
the skills to raise issues if they witness, hear about, or experience workplace violence
and harassment.
• Invite external specialists to give presentations.
There are a few golden rules when it comes to raising awareness for respectful
workplaces:
• Treat your employees as allies. Employees will respond better if you ask them to
help you to prevent and respond to workplace violence and harassment than if you
treat them as potential perpetrators.
• Link your initiatives to company values. Having company values that link to the
work on GBVH and Respectful Workplaces will help your employees understand what
the company stands for, as well as their responsibilities and rights.
86 A person’s gender identity may be the same as or different from their birth-assigned sex beyond the binary framework of
male and female.
TOOL 4.13
FIGURE 4B | Example of Respectful Workplaces Awareness Raising Campaign
Source: IFC Respectful Workplaces Program
GBVH communications strategy

A communication strategy on GBVH needs to outline the target audience, the context
of the issue, the intended outcomes, the key messages, the preferred medium (some
options are outlined below), and the preferred messenger(s) for the communication
activities. It is also important to allocate sufficient resources and staff time or experts to
the rollout of the communication strategy.
Approaches to raise awareness and enhance communications can include (but are not
limited to):
A series of micro-trainings to be delivered through 10-minute Toolbox Talks: A

key to communicating around issues of GBVH is breaking the issue into key topics and
discussion points so that supervisors and staff can talk about the issue at events such
as Toolbox Talks87. Topics could include, for example, key definitions and terms of GBVH,
highlights of policies, ways to disclose incidents, support available to survivors, etc.
87 A Toolbox Talk is an informal group discussion that focuses on a particular safety issue at the workplace. For more
information, see: Harvard University’s Toolbox Talks.
TOOL 4.13
Onboarding video for new employees: An onboarding video can be used as a training
and communication tool which explains the company commitments on GBVH and walks
the new employee through the policies and procedures in place. It is critical that this
video focuses on the company values and also incorporates key elements of company
culture to orient the employee. It can feature leadership and staff interviews, document
the company journey, and highlight progress made on GBVH at the workplace, such as
changes in awareness, employee wellbeing, etc.
Posters or informational pamphlets at the workplace: One way for companies to

enhance communication is to put up posters or distribute pamphlets at the workplace
and regional offices. The messaging should be easy to understand (e.g., minimize use
of jargon), meaningful to the person receiving it, seen by the intended audience, and
memorable. Materials used to raise awareness on GBVH initiatives at the company must
not use images that could be upsetting to employees, especially survivors.
Social media campaigns: Social media is an effective tool to mobilize action, create
dialogue, and foster discussions. Companies can leverage social media by developing
content (e.g., WhatsApp images or cartoons, Twitter and other social media content) that
can be shared by and with senior leadership and employees in the organization (see an
example in Figure 4B, above). Companies need to realize that social media campaigns
are most effective when they are embedded in other activities such as face-to-face and
on-the-ground activities. An overreliance on social media will not be effective beyond
some initial public relations88. With all communication activities, and especially larger
campaigns, it is recommended to test the content and messaging with a smaller sub-
group before launch.
GBVH webinar or in-person all staff trainings: There may be an identified need to
roll out webinars and further coaching to take a deeper dive into issues and update
the understanding of key GBVH concepts and company procedures. If an external
expert is hired for this engagement, collaboration with the company’s HR department
will be essential.
88 Partners for Prevention, “Using social media for the prevention of violence against women,” Bangkok, Thailand: Partners for
Prevention, 2013.
TOOL 4.14
Guidelines for Self-Care for Respectful Workplaces Focal Points/
Contact Team
» GOAL: Outlines resources to support focal points and the contact team
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources and Focal Points/Contact Team
Encouraging self-care is a vital part of supporting employees to fulfil their role as

a Respectful Workplaces focal point, given the potential exposure to disclosures of
distressing events. Self-care is the process of looking after one’s own health and
wellbeing using the knowledge and information available to them. Not practicing good
self-care can negatively impact physical and psychological health.
Consider reminding focal points to:

• Maintain boundaries by not getting personally involved in gender-based violence and
harassment (GBVH) cases and referring survivors to service providers for support.
Remember that focal points are not counselors, and that counseling should be
undertaken by a professional.
• Debrief with other focal points or GBVH service providers or counselors. The company
can provide paid time to do this.
• Use positive coping mechanisms to practice self-care regularly and proactively.
Positive coping mechanisms help maintain a balance between private and
professional life, as well as help overcome, as positively as possible, stressful periods
or situations. Coping mechanisms can include regular exercise, getting enough sleep,
laughing, socializing, religious prayer, or seeking counseling. Everyone has different
things that work for them, so they should be encouraged to find approaches that suit
their preferences, interests, and abilities.
• Reflect on negative coping mechanisms. Sometimes focal points use coping
mechanisms like excessive drinking or social isolation to cope with stressful situations,
but these strategies often aren’t sustainable, and can result in dangerous or unhealthy
consequences when used consistently over time.
The company can consider:

• Subsidizing self-care activities
• Providing paid time for self-care activities.
• Encouraging peer support opportunities (e.g., regular debriefs).
MONITOR AND SUSTAIN: TOOL 4.15

The journey to create a safer and more respectful workplace by addressing gender-
based violence and harassment (GBVH) issues at the workplace takes time and continued
efforts. Developing systems to monitor progress and adjust activities based on lessons
learned will drive ongoing changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. TOOL 4.15
provides examples on how to monitor these aspects at your company through a theory
of change (ToC) that can help build a stronger company culture, while TOOL 4.7 can be
revisited to collect data through employee engagement mechanisms.
TOOL 4.15
Developing a Theory of Change for Interventions Involving GBVH
» GOAL: Examples of how to monitor progress through a theory of change
» TARGET UNITS: Human Resources, Training and Development, and Focal Points/
Contact Team
When companies commit to addressing gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH),

it is useful to define a theory of change for how these goals will be reached. A theory of
change (ToC) is a document that explicitly outlines how the company intends to achieve
the expected outcome, and how actions taken will support reaching that outcome.
A theory of change (ToC) can be used as a strategic planning tool and can help capture
your company’s approach to addressing GBVH issues. It can help your company plan
interventions and track how change has happened in the short, medium, and long term. It
can be used to measure if the interventions have had the intended impact at the company
level. ToCs should be developed in consultation with key staff involved in the GBVH project
or intervention. A sample ToC for GBVH interventions is outlined below in Table 4A.
When developing a ToC for a GBVH intervention, key steps can include, but are not
limited to, the following:
• Using TOOL 4.2 for guidance, develop a strong business case and use this to secure the
leadership team’s commitment to specific actions and targets in the short, medium, and
long term. Draw from GBVH data specific to a country and research the GBVH laws in
the country context before shaping your ToC (See TOOL 4.3 for guidance).
• It is important to understand GBVH issues in your sector and how they relate to a
company’s workforce to understand the impact on your business, its employees, and
the communities in which it operates.
• Articulate outcomes—the different areas in which you would like to see change occur,
such as increasing staff knowledge and skills or attitudes towards GBVH issues.
• For each desired outcome, identify specific interventions and the related outputs,
such as the number of trainings delivered or policies developed on GBVH, and
clarify the link between each activity, its outputs, and the intended outcomes—the
envisioned change in the company. Ensure that the link between activities, the related
deliverables, and the intended change is clear and achievable.
• Identify any assumptions, risks, or variables that need to be addressed or controlled to
ensure success.
• Determine how successful implementation of the ToC will be measured—what will
count as a success. How often will achievements be assessed, and how will course
corrections take place?
TOOL 4.15
Definitions
• Impact: Should capture the broader social change that is occurring at the company
level due to a project or set of actions on GBVH.
• Outcome: Outcomes measure the changes that result from what a project or action
does at the company level.
• Output: Products, services, or facilities that result from an organization or project’s
activities. These are often expressed quantitatively (for example, the number of
participants at a GBVH training or a percentage of participants form a target group
such as middle management).
• Activity: The activity of an organization or project, the way the organization chooses to
deliver a project, or day-to-day actions on GBVH. Activities are within an organization
or project’s control.
Clarify assumptions
It is important to clarify assumptions in any ToC, as they will inform outcomes and impact
at the company level. For example, one assumption that is often made is that training
staff increases awareness on GBVH and ultimately may change behavior. It is important to
measure behavior change if this is the intended impact of training.
Another assumption that is often made in GBVH interventions is that incidents will
decrease—this is often not the case, especially in the short-term because underreporting
is so common and increased awareness of GBVH among staff should lead to greater
reporting. Discuss your assumptions with key staff and GBVH experts to ensure that they
are realistic.
Establish timelines and allocate resources

• You should associate timelines with key activities so there is an understanding of when
the activities and outputs will occur and when you will measure outcomes and impact.
A timeline will help manage stakeholder expectations on what activities will take place
and will remind you to monitor for outcomes and impact.
• It is also critical to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated for activities and
personnel to ensure sustained progress in addressing GBVH.
• Companies should ensure that incidences of GBVH and the responses to it are
sufficiently monitored and evaluated, and that lessons learned are incorporated into
the company’s GBVH strategies.
TIP: Keeping confidential records of complaints can help your company track trends and highlight
recurring problems (e.g., whether certain departments are more prone to complaints than others).
TOOL 4.15
TABLE 4A | Example Theory of Change for GBVH Interventions
INDICATORS AND TOOLS TO

AREAS TO TRACK EVALUATE
ACTIONS
Activities: The interventions undertaken

• Conduct GBVH research by date • Research conducted (yes/no) • Research
• Review policies by date • Policies reviewed (yes/no) document
• Train GBVH focal points • Number of GBVH focal points • Policy documents
• Review training by date training conducted • Training

• Trainings reviewed or updated materials
• Deliver [names and titles]
trainings to staff and (yes/no) • Communication
community members by date • Number of trainings delivered documents
• Develop communications • Number of communication • Metric on

material by date materials developed communications
disseminated
• Disseminate communications • Number of communications
material by date materials disseminated
Timeline: Assign a timeline for each activity and ensure monitoring of outputs (see below)
Assumptions: GBVH polices, training and communication materials will increase staff and
community members awareness on GBVH and support them to raise issues and access support
Outputs: The immediate result of the activities

• Research conducted • Amount of research finalized • Finalized
• Policies reviewed • Numbers/names of policies research reports
• Focal points trained revised and adopted • Finalized policies
• Trainings conducted • Number of GBVH focal points • Attendance list

trained (disaggregated by gender) • Evaluation forms
• Communication materials
• Number of staff who participate in • Metrics on
training (disaggregated by gender) communications
• Number of people reached disseminated
(disaggregated by gender) with
communication materials
continued on next page
TOOL 4.15
continued from previous page
INDICATORS AND TOOLS TO

AREAS TO TRACK EVALUATE
ACTIONS
Outcomes: The medium-term changes that result from the activities.

• Increased knowledge, skills, • Number of participants in training • Pre and
and attitude to address GBVH who report increased knowledge, post training
• Increased confidence in skills, and attitude to address questionnaire
company’s GBVH policies GBVH (disaggregated by gender) • Employee
• Increased use of GBVH polices • Number of staff reporting that engagement
they would feel comfortable surveys
raising GBVH issues with
a company representative
(disaggregated by gender)
• Number of staff reporting
that they believe that the
company takes GBVH seriously
• Number and type of grievances
raised under the company
GBVH policies
Impact: The broader social change that results from the activities.
• Better support for survivors of • Number and type of issues • Complaints and
GBVH resolved (disaggregated by gender) resolution data
• Increased business benefits • Number and type of supports • Employee
provided under the company GBVH engagement
policy (disaggregated by gender) surveys
• Number of staff reporting
workplace impacts of GBVH

Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment
• Australian Human Rights Commission, “Effectively preventing and responding to
sexual harassment: A Code of Practice for Employers,” 2008.
• Australian Human Rights Commission, “Effectively preventing and responding to
sexual harassment: A Quick Guide,” 2008.
• Ellsberg, M., and Heise, L., Researching Violence Against Women: A Practical Guide for
Researchers and Activists, Washington DC: World Health Organization and PATH, 2005.
• Jewkes, R., Dartnall, E., and Sikweyiya, Y., “Ethical and Safety Recommendations for
Research on Perpetration of Sexual Violence,” Paper for the Sexual Violence Research
Initiative, Pretoria, South Africa: Medical Research Council, 2012.
• UK Equality and Human Rights Commission, “Sexual Harassment and the Law;
guidance for employers,” 2017.
• UN Women/ILO, “Handbook: Addressing Violence and Harassment Against Women
in the World of Work,” 2019.
• Workplaces Respond to Domestic and Sexual Violence: A National Resource Center,
“New Workplace Toolkit,” 2016.
• World Bank Group, Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response in World Bank
Operations: Taking Stock After a Decade of Engagement (2012-2022), Washington, DC:
World Bank, 2023.
• World Bank Group, “Violence against women resource guide,” 2014.
• World Health Organization, “Putting women first: Ethical and safety
recommendations for research on domestic violence against women,” Geneva:
World Health Organization, 2001.
Costing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment

• Ashe et al., “Methodological Approaches for Estimating the Economic Costs of Violence
against Women and Girls,” WhatWorks and UK Aid.
• IFC, “Case Study: Assessing Gender-Based Violence with Companies in PNG,”
Washington, DC: IFC.
• International Labour Organization, “Sexual Harassment at Work Factsheet,” Geneva:
ILO, 2016.
• Santos, Cristina, “Costs of Domestic Violence: A Life Satisfaction Approach,” Fiscal
Studies 34 (3): 391–409, 2013.
• Sen, A., Gender and Cooperative Conflicts, Persistent Inequalities. New York: Oxford
RESOURCES
University Press, 1990.
• Seppälä, Emma, and Cameron, Kim, “Proof That Positive Work Cultures Are More
Productive,” Harvard Business Review, 2015.
Defining Sexual Harassment

• Australian Human Rights Commission, “Recognizing and responding to sexual
harassment in the workplace: Information for employees,” Sydney: AHRC, 2014,
Communications Materials on Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based

Violence
• Communications x-Change, hosted by the Global Women’s Institute at the George
Washington University.
• Partners for Prevention, “Using social media for the prevention of violence against
women,” Bangkok, Thailand: Partners for Prevention, 2013.
IPV/Domestic Violence
• Business in the Community, “Domestic Abuse: A Toolkit for Employers,” 2018.
Gender-Based Violence and Harassment and Private Sector Interventions

• IFC’s Respectful Workplaces Program.
• EBRD, IFC and CDC Group, “Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment:
Emerging Good Practice for the Private Sector,” 2020.
• IFC, “The Impact of Domestic and Sexual Violence on the Workplace in Solomon
Islands,” 2019.
• IFC, “The Business Case for Workplace Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence in
Fiji,” 2019.
• IFC, “Gender-Smart Business Solutions Case Study: Addressing Gender Based Violence
with Companies in Papua New Guinea,” 2017.
• Infrastructure and Cities for Economic Development’s (ICED), “Sexual Exploitation,
Abuse and Harassment in Infrastructure Tool,” 2019.
• International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO), “Gender-based violence in global
supply chains: Resource Kit,” 2016.
• Netherlands Enterprise Agency and CNV, “Violence @ work: A guide for SMEs to
prevent violence in the workplace,” 2020.
• UN Women, “A Global Women’s Safety Framework in Rural Spaces,” 2018.
Energy, Cities, Water, and Transport
RESOURCES
• Dominguez Gonzalez, Karla; Arango, Diana Jimena; Mccleary-Sills, Jennifer Diane; Bianchi
Alves, Bianca, “Violence Against Women and Girls Resource Guide: Transport Brief.”
• Infrastructure and Cities for Economic Development’s (ICED), “Violence against Women
and Girls, Infrastructure and Cities,” 2017.
Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations (FCS) and Gender-Based Violence

and Harassment
• UNFPA, “Gender-based Violence: Donor Advocacy Brief on Critical Services during
COVID-19,” 2020.
• World Bank, “Addressing the Needs of Women and Girls in Contexts of Forced
Displacement: Experiences from Operations,” 2019.
• IOM, “Institutional Framework for Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Crises,” 2018.
• Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNHCR,
“Interagency Gender-Based Violence Case Management Guidelines-Providing Care
and Case Handling Management Services to Gender-Based Violence Survivors in
Humanitarian Settings,” 2017.
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), “Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based
Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action,” 2015.
• World Bank, IADB, GWU, and ICRW, “Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)
Resource Guide,” 2015.
• UNFPA, “Guidelines on Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Settings,” 2015.
• UNFPA, “Minimum Package of Essential Services (MISP) for providing reproductive
and maternal health services and gender-based violence prevention/management in
humanitarian settings,” 2015.
• World Health Organization, “WHO Ethical and safety recommendations for researching,
documenting and monitoring sexual violence in emergencies,” 2007.
• UNHCR, “Guidelines for Gender-based Violence in Humanitarian Settings: Focusing on
Prevention and Response to Sexual Violence in Emergencies,” 2005.
COVID and Gender-Based Violence and Harassment

• IFC, COVID-19 and Gender-Based Violence Workplace Risks and Responses, 2020.
• Ruxton, S., & Burrell, S. R, “Masculinities and COVID-19: Making the Connections,” 2020.
(kheller@ifc.org) or find out more at commdev.org or commdev.org/infra-gender-toolkit.
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TOOL SUITE 1 | INCREASING GENDER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FROM THE WORKFORCE TO THE BOARDROOM

OVERVIEW: Tools to Increase Gender Diversity and

Female participation in the The IEA estimates female participation in the

Benefits of Increased Gender Diversity and Inclusion on Boards

Increased attractiveness of the sector to women: There is a positive correlation

Increased investor interest and growing requirements for gender-diverse boards:

The Value of More Gender Diversity in Senior Management

The Value of a More Gender-Diverse Infrastructure and

Deeper and wider talent pool: While the

Improved innovation, performance, and organizational culture: According to the

Safer operating environments: Numerous studies have demonstrated a positive

Improved community relations: Gender diversity in the workforce is also correlated

conducting community consultations

Reasons for Lack of Female Representation in the Infrastructure

BOX 1A | Connecting with Women in Brazil

27 Internal IFC report.

Bias in recruitment: Given longstanding male dominance in many infrastructure and

Inhospitable workplaces: Predominantly single-sex work environments can breed

Lack of professional development opportunities for women: With male-dominated

Lack of support for flexible work arrangements

Inappropriate uniforms and ergonomics: Lack of consideration of women as employees

Strategies to Address Gender Gaps

• Develop an organized gender equity strategy, including targets, monitoring, and

BOX 1C | Gender Equity Policies Lead to Less Sick Leave in Valencia

• Create a more inclusive, gender-supportive worksite culture: To attract and retain

such as “foreman/forewoman” can be more appealing than gender-neutral language

Realizing Gender Diversity Gains Takes Effort and Commitment

TOOL SUITE 1: Tools to Increase Gender Diversity and

TOOL TARGET UNIT GOAL

↓ TOOL 1.2: Develop a Executive Board, Builds support for gender-

↓ TOOL 1.3: Gender Audit: Executive Board, Provides a baseline on gender

↓ TOOL 1.4: Terms of Executive Board, Provides a pro forma terms

↓ TOOL 1.5: Employee Executive Board, Outlines process for

↓ TOOL 1.7: Gender Diversity Executive Board, Assesses board gender

↓ TOOL 1.8: Guidance and Executive Board, Provides guidance and a

↓ TOOL 1.9: Establish a Executive Board, Sets corporate goals and

↓ TOOL 1.11: Develop Human Resources Provides guidance to develop

↓ TOOL 1.13: Checklist for Executive Board Provides a checklist on actions

↓ TOOL 1.14: Checklist for Senior Management Offers a checklist to assess

↓ TOOL 1.16: Supporting Human Resources Provides guidance on

↓ TOOL 1.17: Reducing Human Resources and Offers guidance on how to

↓ TOOL 1.18: Guidelines Human Resources and Offers guidance on how to

↓ TOOL 1.19: Job Description Human Resources Provides a template for HR

↓ TOOL 1.20: Sample Human Resources Offers guidance and a draft

↓ TOOL 1.21: Developing Training Offers guidance on supporting

↓ TOOL 1.23: Monitor and Training Offers guidance on monitoring

and shareholders have a common understanding of expectations. A Gender Equity

ASSESS & 1.3 Gender Audit: Introduction, Process, and Tools

1.5 Employee Scorecard

1.8 Guidance and Sample Gender Policy

1.11 Develop Human Resources Policies

1.18 Guidelines for Building a Gender-

1.22 Monitoring and Accountability

ASSESS AND PREPARE: TOOLS 1.2–1.7

Companies may develop business cases at different stages of engagement on gender

Step 1. Identify the drivers for gender diversity and equality.

Step 2. Develop a business case. 40

40 The information in Step 2 draws on IFC, Investing in Women’s Employment, 49-58.

Of note: Demonstrating the value of women’s participation should not be about

To develop an effective business case focused around a specific intervention or suite of

information, such as gender disaggregation of jobs at various levels—or whether

“Companies with the best record of promoting women to high

• Develop an evaluation methodology and conduct analysis: Determine how costs