To successfully scale their business, entrepreneurs need both capital and access to new market opportunities. Yet many, especially Women SMEs (WSMEs) face challenges in accessing new markets. In this session we look at the most critical challenges and how they can be addressed, how FSPs can leverage their own power and network to support WSMEs overcome market challenges and scale their business and what it takes to create an enabling environment for WSMEs to scale.
This report is based on information gathered in the Alliance’s Female Economy Analytics Survey — the only collection of global banking data measuring the performance of financial institutions serving the female economy, with 7 years of performance data and over 12,000 data points.
Consistent with the trends that have emerged in previous reports, this fourth edition of “Measuring the Value of the Female Economy” report (formally the “Economics of Banking on Women”report) highlights a vast opportunity to better serve the female economy and significant benefits for those FSPs that tap into it.
How-to Guide: Becoming the Employer of Choice for Women – Overview
This brochure offers a selection of insights from the Financial Alliance for Women’s How-to Guide, “Becoming the Employer of Choice for Women” which lays out the process for improving gender diversity and inclusion (D&I) in financial services firms. The information provided is based on the findings from Alliance member working groups, which explored ways to increase women’s representation in the leadership of financial services firms. It incorporates Mercer’s leading-edge research and the real-world experiences of Alliance members. Throughout the guide, emphasis is on developing a holistic women-centered strategy, blending enhanced internal gender D&I with a strong female customer value proposition so that financial institutions are better equipped to tap into the female economy, the world’s fastest growing market. The full guide is available exclusively to members.
Ask the Expert: Female Economy Analytics
In this Ask the Expert session, Alliance experts and Grace Kishek from Bank al Etihad in Jordan answer members’ questions about the Alliance’s Female Economy Analytics platform.
Ask the Expert: Diversity and Inclusion
In our fourth Ask the Expert session, Daniel Sharaiha of Bank al Etihad in Jordan answers member questions about fostering gender diversity and inclusion within an organization.
Ask the Expert: A Life-Moments Strategy
In our third Ask the Expert session, Rachael McKenzie of Westpac in Australia answers member questions about building a life-moments strategy to serve the female economy.
Ask the Expert: Non-
Financial Services
In our second Ask the Expert session, Carine Fersan of BLC Bank in Lebanon answers member questions about critical non-financial services for the female economy.
Ask the Expert: Building a Business Case
In our first Ask the Expert session, Tania Moussallem, former Chair of the Financial Alliance for Women, answers member questions about building a business case for serving the female economy.
Progress Report – March 2020: The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship
One year on, this update finds that NatWest’s “Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship” has already had an impact on women entrepreneurs in the UK, with the Investing in Women Code adopted by 22 financial institutions in the country; NatWest dedicating GBP 1 billion (US$1.2 billion) in ring-fenced debt funding for women-led businesses; and Local Enterprise Partnerships established across the country.
IFC Banking on Women Business Case Update
IFC’s annual survey of its banking clients continues to provide insight into the potential size and financial performance of women-led small and medium enterprises, and why financial institutions should pay greater attention to this segment.
Gender Equality Is Everyone’s Business
This report highlights the importance of engaging men as allies to advance gender equality across the value chain.
Women Entrepreneurs and Effective Banking in Emerging Markets
This case study on BLC Bank in Lebanon from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School showcases how the bank is boosting the country’s economy and the financial inclusion of women while also achieving business success through its We Initiative women’s program.
U.S. Financial Health Pulse: 2019 Trends Report
This report from the Financial Health Network presents findings from the second annual U.S. Financial Health Pulse, which is designed to explore how the financial health of people in America is changing over time. It explores financial health for the nation as a whole, across financial health indicators, among demographic groups, and at the level of individuals.
The Economics of Banking on Women: 2019 Edition
This annual report is based on information gathered in the Alliance’s Women’s Market Analytics Survey — the only collection of global banking data measuring the performance of financial institutions serving the female economy, with 5 years of performance data and over 400 data points per institution. Consistent with the trends that have emerged in previous reports, this third edition of “The Economics of Banking on Women” highlights a vast opportunity to better serve the Women’s Market and a strong business case for solutions tailored for women, with a significant uptick in members providing such solutions.
Diversity and Inclusion Workshop
Presentation given by Robert Baker, Leader of Diversity & Inclusion Consulting, Mercer, during his workshop at the 2019 Summit
Women by Design
Presentation by Amy Neale; Vice President, Start Path Global Lead; Mastercard, at the 2019 Summit
Measuring Progress for Women
Presentation from Kiersten Barnet, Global Head Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Bloomberg, at the 2019 Summit
Gender and Climate
Finance
Presentation by Suzanne Gaboury, Chief Investment Officer, FinDev Canada, at the 2019 Summit
Getting to the Top: Women in the C-Suite
Presentation from Robert Baker, Leader of Diversity & Inclusion Consulting, Mercer, at the 2019 Alliance Summit
Itaú Women Entrepreneurs Program: Female enterprise as part of a sustainable performance strategy
This report from Itaú Unibanco shares the bank’s Women’s Market journey and presents the main findings that guided the creation of their value proposition for the Itaú Women Entrepreneurs Program.
The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship
This report from RBS sets out recommendations to improve female start-up and scale-up rates and contribute £250 billion of new value to the UK economy.
Gender Lens Investing: How Finance Can Accelerate Gender Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean
Gender lens investing has grown exponentially as a way to increase financial returns and gender equality. What can Latin America and the Caribbean learn from it? This report from IDB Invest explores.
From Upstream to Mainstream: ESG at a Tipping Point
A study from InvestmentNews Research and Calvert Research and Management shows ESG is on the rise, and women are significantly more interested in it than men.
Advertising with Impact – Bank of Palestine
In this presentation from the 2018 GBA Summit, Raya Yusuf-Sbitany shared information on Bank of Palestine’s communications and marketing strategy for its Felestiniya Women’s Market program and some of their most successful campaigns.
Gender Lens Investing: Bending the Arc of Finance for Women and Girls
This report is Veris Wealth Partners’ fifth survey of GLI products that are both publicly available (stocks, bonds and certificates of deposit) and explicitly support gender balance and equity.
Own Your Worth
As women’s life expectancies increase and the rate of divorce for individuals over age 50 continues to climb, more women will find themselves solely responsible for their own finances. UBS Wealth Management US embarked on research to explore their thoughts andfeelings, the challenges they faced, lessons they learned and advice they would impart to other women.
Advertising with Impact – Unstereotype Alliance
In a 2018 Summit panel, Ziad Sheikh from UN Women shared the latest research on gender stereotypes in advertising and described some of the work the Unstereotype Alliance is doing to improve the representation of women.
Is Your Company Culture Holding Women Back?
Robert Baker of Mercer provided background on some of the challenges in the representation of women in senior management positions across the industry during a panel at the 2018 GBA Summit.
Advertising with Impact – BLC Bank
Karyl Akilian shared several of BLC Bank’s impactful marketing videos for its We Initiative Women’s Market program at the 2018 GBA Summit.
Platforms to Massify Support to Women with Non-financial Services
At the 2018 Summit, Cristina Shapiro described Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women’s mini-MBA course for women entrepreneurs, currently housed on the Coursera platform. She highlighted some of the opportunities and challenges of digital non-financial services for women.
Islamic Finance with a Gender Lens
Bilal Al Sugheyer of IFC summarized the primary elements of Islamic finance and Islamic banking during a panel at the 2018 Summit.
Digitalization and Personalization – Centenary Bank
Beatrice Lugalambi shared the latest on Centenary Bank’s digital efforts during a panel at the 2018 GBA Summit.
Digitalization and Personalization – Banco BHD León
At the 2018 Summit Daniel Gutierrez discussed how Banco BHD León is developing a model that goes beyond customer centricity, using data to understand what the customer wants and providing options for a more personalized experience.
Digitalization and Personalization – Westpac
Kate Holloway presented an overview of Westpac’s Life Moments strategy during a panel at the 2018 GBA Summit.
Digitalization and Personalization – McKinsey & Company
This presentation from McKinsey & Company’s Munya Muvezwa at the 2018 Summit explored the friction between technology and touch in serving the Women’s Market.
Designing the 2030 Customer Journey Experience
This presentation is from McKinsey & Company design thinking strategist Allison Rowe’s interactive Summit workshop that helped participants visualize and design their Women’s Market customer journey experience of 2030.
Ecosystem Plays to Solve for Lifecycle Needs – IFC
In this 2018 Summit panel, Sharmila Hardi discussed three of IFC’s ecosystem plays focused on childcare, housing and non-financial services that are helping solve for women’s lifecycle needs.
Ecosystem Plays to Solve for Lifecycle Needs – Diamond Bank
At the 2018 Summit, Susan Okoh described Diamond Bank’s partnership with mobile provider MTN to leverage mobile technology and data to increase payments, savings and credit solutions.
Ecosystem Plays to Solve for Lifecycle Needs – Mastercard & KCB Bank
During this 2018 Summit panel, Eva-Maria Baumer from Mastercard and Annastacia Kimtai from KCB Bank presented Jaza Duka, a groundbreaking partnership to extend credit to SMEs based on inventory transaction data.
Ecosystem Plays to Solve for Lifecycle Needs – McKinsey & Company
Paul introduced this 2018 Summit panel by mapping discussants’ plays around the 12 large network economy ecosystems McKinsey & Company sees emerging in the next several years.
Summit Case Study I: Bank al Etihad
In a Case Study presentation at the 2018 GBA Summit, Nadia Al Saeed, CEO of Bank al Etihad, shared the journey that led the bank to its Shorouq proposition and how it has positioned them as the bank of choice for women in Jordan.