Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards Puts the Spotlight on Indonesian Businesses in Advancing Gender Equality

[Press release]

Jakarta, Indonesia – UN Women announced today the winners from Indonesia for UN Women 2020 Asia-Pacific Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards. The National WEPs Awards, supported by the European Union, are presented to Indonesian business leaders and companies for their contribution to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in their businesses. The Awards are part of the 2020 UN Women Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards, the first awards initiative in Asia-Pacific, to recognize exemplary business practice for gender equality and inspire others to take action.

Over 60 applications were received for the Awards – in the six categories: Leadership, Youth Leadership (for leaders aged 30 or below), Gender-Inclusive Workplace, Gender-Responsive Marketplace, Community and Industry Engagement, and COVID-19 Action. The COVID-19 pandemic is exposing women’s vulnerabilities to economic shocks and deepening the pre-existing inequalities in Indonesia. The Awards is timely because it is an opportunity to highlight and share business practices, as well as inspire other leaders to advance gender equality across their entire value chain, especially during this challenging time, as a key to build back better.

“Gender equality and women’s empowerment are crucial in strengthening the national economy. The role of women is key in the quest to promote shared prosperity for all. However, there are still challenges to overcome,” said Dr. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, in her opening remarks. “I would like to encourage and congratulate for the business leaders and players who believe in promoting gender equality; not only because it is the right thing to do, but also it is contributing to the economy and global prosperity.”

The winners for the National WEPs Awards announced today, were:

• For Leadership Commitment: DR. Noni S.A. Purnomo, B.Eng, MBA., Presiden Direktur PT Blue Bird Tbk.
• For Youth Leadership Commitment: Vania Santoso, Co-Founder of heySTARTIC.
• For Gender-Inclusive Workplace: Telkomtelstra.
• For Gender-Responsive Marketplace: Bukalapak.
• For Community and Industry Engagement: Gojek.
• For COVID-19 Action: Indosat Ooredoo.

“The WEPs Awards is a landmark moment to celebrate the gains for women’s empowerment, but there is still a long way to go. This is not a road where we can travel alone. The call is for all of us to take a stand and act wherever we are. That includes the offices where we work as we ensure decent working conditions for both women and men, and equal pay for equal work regardless of sector or industry,“ said Jamshed M. Kazi, UN Women Indonesia Representative and Liaison to ASEAN.

Vincent Piket, Ambassador of the European Union to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, highlighted the importance of private sector engagement in advancing gender equality in the workplace: “Today, the European Union joins in celebrating champion and defenders of equality in the business world. I salute the chief executives who have acted to ensure gender inclusion and diversity is a lived reality for the employees, suppliers, and communities they support. Ensuring women's equal opportunity and economic justice and rights is an arduous task, but we believe in the ability of businesses to drive immediate progress.” 

The UN Women 2020 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards, which is organized through the European Union-funded WeEmpowerAsia program, recognized private sector initiatives in Indonesia for the first time for their outstanding approach to address gender imbalances and reach ambitious corporate targets for women’s representation. The Indonesian national winners will qualify for the regional competition in December held by UN Women for the first time in the Asia-Pacific.

The winners of the national trophies in the six awards categories include:

1. Leadership Commitment category

This category recognizes leaders in corporations who have been instrumental in setting strong corporate commitments inclusive of progressive policies, regulations or practices that aim to promote gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and/or community.

• First Winner: DR. Noni S.A. Purnomo, B.Eng, MBA, CEO of PT Blue Bird Tbk
• Second Winner: Sari Safianti, CEO of PT Rhenus Project Logistics
• Third Winner: Elim Sritaba, Chief Sustainability Officer of PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper Tbk
• Honorable Mention: Noryawati Mulyono, Co-Founder & Director of PT Seaweedtama Biopac Indonesia

2. Youth Leadership Commitment category

This category recognizes young people (under the age of 30) who have made significant contributions to promoting gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and/or community.

• First Winner: Vania Santoso, Co-Founder of heySTARTIC
• Second Winner: Catherine Halim, Co Founder and Managing Director of PT Kisaku Mulai Disini

3. Gender-Inclusive Workplace category

This award recognizes achievements that corporations have demonstrated in adopting all relevant measures in the workplace, including innovative approaches to equal recruitment, support to provide flexible work arrangements, and decreasing the gender pay gap.

• First Winner: Telkomtelstra - PT Teltranet Aplikasi Solusi
• Second Winner: PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk
• Third Winner: Grab Indonesia
• Honorable Mention: Bank OCBC NISP Tbk

4. Gender-Responsive Marketplace category

This category recognizes corporations for championing supplier diversity and gender responsive marketing and advertising.

• First Winner: Bukalapak
• Second Winner: Amartha
• Third Winner: PT Martina Berto Tbk (Martha Tilaar Group)
• Honorable Mention: Ecofrenli

5. Community and Industry Engagement category

This category recognizes corporate champions that promote gender equality through community and industry engagement, including integrating gender equality into their CSR programmes, as well as supporting NGOs and international organizations committed to promoting gender equality.

• First Winner: Gojek
• Second Winner: Grab Indonesia
• Third Winner: Telkomtelstra - PT Teltranet Aplikasi Solusi
• Honorable Mention: PT XL Axiata Tbk

6. COVID-19 Action category

COVID-19 Action award specifically recognizes companies which have made significant contributions to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the context of COVID-19.

• First Winner: Indosat Ooredoo
• Second Winner: PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk
• Third Winner: Rumah Mode Miranda