7 July 2020 – COVID-19 has changed how we work and the progress that has been made for business and women. Women represent 90% of workers in the hardest-hit sectors such as care and apparel. To address these issues, MBC, UN Women, WeEmpowerAsia and the European Union organized an online series, “Gender Responsive COVID 19 Recovery Plans for Businesses.” In the first installment, targeted at Luzon executives, Pilipinas Shell CEO Cesar Romero shared their best practices in achieving gender balance, which were continued during the pandemic.

Mr. Romero discussed three key areas – balanced team composition, creating a work environment that is conducive for a diverse workforce, and ensuring inclusive leadership. UN Women introduced the Women Empowerment Principles, which provided guidance on how gender-inclusive measures can be done in response and recovery, and disseminated a corresponding self-assessment and action planning tool that companies can freely download and use.

Finally, MBC and UN Women launched the Gender Diversity in Philippine C-Suite study and invited companies based in Luzon to participate in the research. The project aims to capture the state of gender diversity in companies and businesses across the country and identify the factors that support or hinder women to rise to top leadership positions.