Giving Compass' Take:

• Authors writing for FSG discuss five common challenges that companies can bridge through partnerships with NGOs and nonprofits to strengthen efforts aimed at advancing gender equity. 

• What is the role of philanthropy in developing these types of partnerships? 

• Read about the Giving Compass guide to Gender Equality for donors. 

We believe that participation of the private sector is a key factor in achieving lasting social change at scale for a number of issues. When it comes to advancing gender equity, companies are uniquely positioned to drive change around social norms, expand economic opportunity for women, and create products and services that better serve women because of their resources, reach, and ability to develop innovative solutions.

However, complex social issues like gender equity cannot be solved by a single organization alone. Advancing gender equity requires a concerted effort by multiple actors and “unconventional partnerships” within the company’s ecosystem.

Much has been written about the assets corporations bring to these partnerships. There has been less discussion of the crucial gaps between companies that they can fill through strategic partnerships with NGOs, nonprofits, and government.

Specifically, we see 5 common challenges that companies can bridge through bilateral or multilateral partnerships:

  • Challenge 1: Inadequate gender-specific data
  • Challenge 2: Limited market share and industry-wide workforce challenges in certain geographies
  • Challenge 3: Insufficient knowledge of gender-specific norms, values, and rights
  • Challenge 4: Catalyzing normative change at scale
  • Challenge 5: Difficulty tracking and measuring the impact of investments in women and girls

Read the full article about gender equity by Flynn Lebus, Lolita Castrique and Laura S.L. Herman from FSG