UN Women, LeadWomen, and TalentCorp Launch First Malaysia Women’s Empowerment Principles Corporate Action Lab to Advance Gender Equality in Business
Date:
[Press release]
[For immediate release]
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — UN Women, LeadWomen, and TalentCorp today launched the inaugural Malaysia Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Corporate Action Lab at the Majestic Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. This flagship initiative is a signature programme under the UN Women Gender Action Lab: Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in Asia-Pacific platform, supported by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Malaysia is the first among four participating countries to launch a WEPs Corporate Action Lab.
The WEPs Corporate Action Lab (WEPsCAL) is a dynamic, cohort-based programme designed to support companies in assessing current progress and utilizing data, tailored tools and targeted support to co-create and implement actionable gender equality strategies aligned with specific WEPs focus areas. The WEPs provide a globally recognized framework for companies of all sizes and sectors to adopt gender-responsive policies and practices across their value chains. UN Women leverages the WEPs to engage the private sector in delivering transformative change for gender equality in business.
In Malaysia, the first WEPs Corporate Action Lab focuses on the theme Innovating the Future of Family-Friendly Workplaces. The launch event introduced the first Malaysian cohort of WEPs Changemakers—11 companies spanning diverse industries and organizational sizes:
- AirAsia Aviation Management Services Sdn. Bhd.
- FGV Holdings Berhad
- Grant Thornton Malaysia PLT
- HAYS Malaysia
- Kiddocare Sdn. Bhd.
- Mastrak Sdn. Bhd.
- Micron Memory Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
- PEOPLElogy Development Sdn. Bhd.
- QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd
- Sagemaker Asia PLT
- Wipro Unza Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Katja Freiwald, Regional Lead for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Migration, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said: “Transforming businesses and workplaces is essential to increasing women’s labour force participation and building more inclusive, resilient economies. It’s inspiring to see Malaysia leading the way with the WEPs Corporate Action Lab’s inaugural theme, Innovating the Future of Family-Friendly Workplaces, a significant step that holds promise for scalable solutions across Asia and the Pacific”.
The launch also featured a panel discussion with YB Wong Shu Qi, TalentCorp Chairperson, Amy Baum, Programme Specialist, Women's Economic Empowerment and Private Sector Engagement, UN Women Asia-Pacific, Shakira Teh Sharifuddin, Senior Economist, The World Bank Group and Dr. John Loh, Chairman of Sustainability and Circular Economy, Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) Malaysia on the importance of public-private collaboration in creating family-friendly workplaces to support the return, retention and success of women in the workplace.
Clare Gatehouse, Political and Economic Counsellor, Australian High Commission to Malaysia, added: “Gender equality benefits everyone. It drives economic growth, enhances social cohesion, and increases the wellbeing of all members of society. Australia is proud to champion this innovative programme supporting practical, private sector-led solutions for boosting women’s economic participation”.
Speaking at the event, YB Ms. Wong Shu Qi, TalentCorp Board of Directors Chairperson committed to empower women through TalentCorp, saying TalentCorp is proud to champion this initiative, working with partners to break down barriers and build pathways that enable women to balance careers and caregiving responsibilities, unlocking their full potential and shaping a future where gender equality drives national prosperity.
"This partnership marks a pivotal milestone in our collective commitment to empower women across Malaysia. By fostering strong public-private collaboration, we aim to accelerate progress towards achieving a 60 per cent female labour participation rate, creating family-friendly workplaces that support women’s return, retention, and advancement, and ensuring equal opportunities for women to contribute and thrive in the workforce." she added.
The launch of the Malaysia WEPs Corporate Action Lab marks a significant step in fostering gender equality in the business sector. LeadWomen, UN Women and TalentCorp are confident that this initiative will support companies in building inclusive, equitable workplaces and contribute to a thriving economy where women can fully participate and lead. Moving forward, the partners aim to expand the programme’s reach and catalyse systemic change to advance women's empowerment across Malaysia’s private sector.
Aligning strongly with Malaysia’s Chair of ASEAN 2025 and its theme of ‘Sustainability and Inclusivity, the WEPs Corporate Action Lab’s focus on family-friendly workplaces, further bolstered by UN Women’s new partnership with the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council Malaysia in support of the ASEAN Inclusivity Collective, is poised to garner business support to ignite a regional movement advancing inclusive economic growth throughout ASEAN.
For mare information contact:
Roberta Camera
Communications, Advocacy, and Partnerships, Women’s Economic Empowerment
UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Email: [ Click to reveal ]
About UN Women and the Gender Action Lab
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress in meeting their needs worldwide.
The UN Women Gender Action Lab: Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in Asia-Pacific, powered by the WEPs, is a dynamic action platform launched by DFAT and UN Women in Asia and the Pacific. The UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL) is envisioned to evolve into a long-term, multi-stakeholder and multi-donor platform across Asia and the Pacific, aiming to galvanize efforts for gender-transformative action and impact in the private sector. By leveraging its innovation capabilities, GAL seeks to advance gender equality, women’s empowerment and sustainable development to build more inclusive economies in the region. GAL will be launched for an initial period of four years, with a particular focus on Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, and will include activities for the broader ASEAN region.
About the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
The Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is responsible for foreign policy, trade and development assistance. DFAT is committed to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment globally.
About LeadWomen
Founded in 2011, LeadWomen Sdn Bhd is committed to increasing women's representation in senior leadership and on corporate boards in Malaysia. Through advocacy, training, and board placements, we drive gender diversity forward. Recognising the need for sustained progress, we focus on workplace inclusion strategies to ensure women's retention and advancement.
As a thought leader in DEI, LeadWomen fosters commitment through courageous conversations and impactful content. Aligning with UN SDGs, particularly Goals 5, 8, 10, 16, and 17, we break down DEI concepts and establish sustainable action plans. Our mission is to embed DEI into organisational culture, emphasising its role in human and social capital development.
About Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp)
Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp) is a Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) agency that drives Malaysia’s talent strategy towards becoming a dynamic talent hub. To support the growth and well-being of all Malaysians, we partner with the public and private sectors on initiatives that attract, nurture, and retain the right expertise needed to meet current and future talent demands.
In March 2024, TalentCorp was mandated as the strategic think tank for KESUMA, working with departments and agencies under the ministry to address the evolving challenges within the Malaysian workforce. For information on TalentCorp, visit www.talentcorp.com.my or follow @TalentCorpMsia on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.