In This Issue
Spotlight On: Gender Is Good Business
We’re delighted to share the latest annual aggregate performance of Alliance members in our “Measuring the Value of the Female Economy” report. Forty-three members reported—our largest sample to-date.
The report shows robust performance through the first year of the pandemic (2020), which is a testament to the collaboration across stakeholders to support women through the crisis.
Data is a topic that we talk about a lot—and for good reason. Numbers matter. Performance cannot be effectively measured without data and cannot be managed without analysis.
Collecting data to understand the value of the female economy and gender diversity in leadership is fundamental if we are to build inclusive financial sectors and sustainable economies. Aggregating that data at the national level, as is being done in the UK, is an important part of getting all stakeholders mobilized around supporting underserved segments. We’re considering this in all six countries where, in collaboration with Data2X’s Women’s Financial Inclusion Data (WFID) partnership, we’ve just completed national-level research into the availability and use of financial-sector gender data. We’ll publish the findings and recommendations in April.
What’s clear now is that financial services providers need more support on the “how” of getting the data, and all stakeholders—policy makers and FSPs alike—need more support on using the data. We aim to fulfill that need by launching an e-learning series on data in Q2, rich with use cases and practical know-how that’s the hallmark of the Alliance.
Demand-side data is also important, of course, and catalytic when used strategically. That was the case the week before last when Alliance member ABN AMRO published its nationwide research into four key women’s markets segments in the Netherlands. This groundbreaking study is modeled on the Rose Review study of female entrepreneurs in the UK, but it also looks at unbanked women, young women and women of wealth.
Her majesty, Queen Maxima, addressed the launch event, which included many ecosystem stakeholders sharing their reflections on the findings and their implications for closing gender gaps in financial and economic inclusion in the Netherlands. We’re excited to support ABN AMRO in developing its women-centered strategy going forward.
Meanwhile, our 2022 All Stars Academy is in full swing with 130+ students from 55+ financial services providers taught by 22 experts from our member base. It’s a fantastic turnout that signals the kind of traction the women’s market is gaining in the sector globally.
I also encourage you to check out this year’s roster of topics in our Fintech Fridays Series, which is open to the public. It’s kicking off with the cracking topic of crypto and blockchain’s promise for financial inclusion of women.
This month, we extend a warm welcome to Mahila Money, a fintech providing finance to mass market women in India, built out of Sheroes, a community platform with 25 million women as members. Please watch our video interview with founder Sairee Chahal, who shares her vision for how Mahila Money will solve the financing gap for women.
We also give a shout out to our members who shared their news in this month’s network member round-up. We encourage all members to share information that they think others will learn from.
And finally, we thank all our members for their extraordinary generosity in the many ways they participate in our Alliance.
In community,
