Accelerating Systemic Change: The Case for Gender Equality Leadership for Sustainable Recovery

UN Global Compact Network Canada received funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada through the Feminist Response and Recovery Fund to execute a project designed to increase women’s participation and opportunities in the labour market while addressing discriminatory legislation, policies, and/or practices that prevent women from fully participating in the social, political, and economic life in Canada.

By employing a GBA+ framework to guide the project, “Accelerating Systemic Change: The Case for Gender Equality Leadership for Sustainable Recovery” will amplify the voices of women and others who have been systemically marginalized in the private sector in conversations related to post-pandemic recovery and organizational resiliency in order to build more diverse and inclusive workspaces that can better adapt and respond during periods of crisis. UN Global Compact Network Canada will also engage with private sector partners, professional networks, and industry associations to identify gender-based barriers, develop and test gender responsive solutions, and launch a gender equality, diversity, and inclusion toolkit for private sector companies.

This project builds upon findings and momentum from a previous three-year project, Gender Equality Leadership in the Canadian Private Sector, funded by the Department for Women and Gender Equality.

Launched in September 2021, the “Accelerating Systemic Change: The Case for Gender Equality Leadership for Sustainable Recovery” project will run until March 2024, when the final project deliverables and resources will be made publicly available.

Phase I: Challenges and solutions consultations with stakeholders (January 2022 – September 2022)
Phase II: Development of company case studies (January 2023 – September 2023)

This phase will focus on developing a series of case studies that highlight best practices that support women and gender-diverse workers in the Canadian private sector. The case studies will highlight real examples of progressive and gender-responsive actions to demonstrate to businesses the benefits for recovery or growth when inclusion is prioritized.

Is your organization a strong candidate for a case study? please contact our Social Sustainability Manager, Brittany Gataveckas (she/ her) at brittany@unglobalcompact.ca.

Stay tuned for the launch of a publicly available and accessible Toolkit based on project activities in early 2024!

Please contact Brittany Gataveckas, Manager, Social Sustainability, for more information including how to participate at brittany@unglobalcompact.ca.