Beijing+30 business leaders call on China’s enterprises to advance gender equality through technology and sustainable innovation
Date:
Author: Louise Dang
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 15th anniversary of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), UN Women convened a Beijing+30 Business Leaders Summit on 5 December. Amassing more than 670,000 online viewers and with over 100 delegates attending in person in Beijing, participants spanned WEPs signatories, leading domestic and international enterprises, business associations and philanthropic organizations.
“The private sector plays a critical role in translating global commitments into local actions and in expanding opportunities for women in the digital and green sectors,” emphasized Chu Q. Wang, Head of Office (a.i.) for UN Women China. “We look forward to working with the private sector to drive more inclusive innovation and growth, ensuring that women truly become leaders, participants and beneficiaries of a sustainable future.”
Globally, women account for only about 32 per cent of full-time jobs in the renewable-energy sector, and 19 per cent of leadership positions, with even lower representation in STEM-related technical positions. In China, despite notable progress in education and talent cultivation, gaps remain in empowering more women in scientific research, engineering and tech leadership.
In her opening speech, Sarwat Adnan, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in China, noted: “Gender equality is not only a fundamental human rights requirement but also a key driver for sustainable development and corporate resilience. In the context of global progress still lagging, the leadership, innovation and resource mobilization capacity of businesses are more important than ever.”
Kui Dong, Vice Chair and Secretary-General of the China Women’s Development Foundation, shared the latest progress on women’s empowerment in China while emphasizing that women’s representation in leadership positions and key technical fields still has room for improvement. “Corporate social investments generate truly systemic and sustainable impact when they are aligned with national policies, women’s needs and corporate strategies,” she emphasized.
“Inclusive corporate strategies not only attract diverse talent and unlock innovation, but also strengthen resilience and competitiveness during the digital and green transitions,” said Liang Xu, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Chamber of International Commerce, which will deepen its partnership with UN Women to help more Chinese companies advance gender equality and support the full development of women.
The Summit underscored the WEPs as a globally recognized, practical and measurable framework for advancing gender equality across the workplace, marketplace and community. Participants emphasized that embedding gender equality into core business priorities – including digital transformation, AI, climate action and community investment – drives social value, innovation and talent diversity. Leaders further highlighted technology-driven innovation as a key frontier for advancing gender-inclusive corporate policies.
During the panel discussions, CEOs and senior executives discussed concrete measures to strengthen women’s representation in technology and sustainability-related roles. These included reassessing recruitment and promotion criteria, expanding investment in women’s digital and technical skills, and strengthening workplace policies and support systems to enhance women’s career security.
UN Women will continue working with the private sector to deepen WEPs implementation and foster an ecosystem where women – as employees, innovators and leaders – can fully contribute to China’s sustainable future.