UN Women, TalentCorp and LeadWomen have joined forces to launch the first Malaysia Women’s Empowerment Principles Corporate Action Lab, an initiative supporting companies to develop innovative solutions and take action to promote gender equality with the support of like-minded organizations.
The Corporate Action Lab will run over a period of 6-9 months and each lab centre around a specific challenge based on the thematic areas of the Women’s Empowerment Principles. It is a key initiative of the UN Women Gender Action Lab: Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in the Asia-Pacific, implemented in partnership with the Government of Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
In line with the Malaysia MADANI Economic Framework to increase the female labour participation rate in Malaysia to 60 per cent by 2033, this Corporate Action Lab brings together a cohort of businesses to develop and pilot-test new solutions to increase women’s participation and retention in the workforce by implementing family-friendly workplace policies and practices.
To launch the first-ever Corporate Action Lab in Malaysia, we are seeking a committed group of pioneering corporate changemakers ready to take action and shape the future of the Malaysian workforce.
How does the Corporate Action Lab work?
The lab aims to encourage a fresh approach to addressing systemic challenges through tools like design thinking, cross-cohort sharing and multi-stakeholder support through a selected thematic area. The lab provides companies with the opportunity to experiment and develop new solutions to fit their own unique needs and gender equality goals, ultimately contributing to increased business productivity and innovation, brand recognition and talent acquisition and retention, as well as broader, inclusive economic growth in Malaysia. It is entirely free to participate in the lab, though companies will be expected to commit resources to implement their proposed actions.
The programme aims to:
- Address persistent challenges to gender equality in the world of work by leveraging peer learning and technical expertise provided by UN Women and partners, leveraging the globally recognized Women’s Empowerment Principles as well as tailored innovation methodologies
- Support companies to co-create, pilot and track learnings and progress on innovative solutions tailored to address specific business needs
- Build a pool of Women’s Empowerment Principles change-makers and champions to document and share via national, regional and global multi-stakeholder platforms what works for advancing gender equality in the world of work and inspire others to take action
By participating in the lab, your company will not only contribute to a more equitable society but also strengthen its business performance and long-term sustainability via solutions of your own making.