Private sector companies support International Women’s Day and amplify UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign

Throughout the month of March, a variety of private sector companies are partnering with UN Women to support International Women’s Day and further amplify the Generation Equality campaign. In response to annual calls from the private sector as to how they can do more for women and girls, these companies will be sharing their expertise, platforms and audiences to spread the message of gender equality and how we can all do our part.

Click here to donate much needed funds for women and girls around the world.

Fast Retailing will be activating throughout the month of March and is backing partner engagement efforts to support UN Women in building back better for women and girls. Fast Retailing will also support women in Bangladesh affected by COVID-19 in their recovery from the adversities that they have faced.

Viasat, a global communications company believes everyone and everything can be connected. The Company will bring the messages of Generation Equality to the skies using the Viasat in-flight entertainment and connectivity system to showcase a variety of content and videos on six of its international airline partners’ portals, which can be accessed on passengers’ personal digital devices. The content will be available during the month of March, with some participating airlines offering free in-flight Wi-Fi when passengers watch the UN Women’s content.

Through their My Story Matters campaign, Avon is collecting and celebrating stories of women’s empowerment whilst signposting the Generation Equality campaign. In addition, Avon is activating their 5 million global representatives to amplify the Generation Equality campaign across the world.

For the seventh consecutive year, a global collaboration across 105 stock exchanges around the world plan to ring opening or closing bells to celebrate International Women’s Day 2021 (Monday, 8 March). The bell-ringing events began on Monday, 1 March at Nasdaq and will continue to ring for gender equality over the next two weeks.

The Ring the Bell for Gender Equality is a collaborate partnership between UN Women and IFC, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, the World Federation of Exchanges and Women in ETFs, to raise awareness about how women’s economic empowerment is good for business, and the opportunities for the private sector to advance gender equality and sustainable development.

Companies interested to become part of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, sign on here.

Unstereotype Alliance and Getty Images have partnered to create a curated gallery of images depicting women in leadership. A pre-defined collection of women leaders in a range of leadership scenarios are available for brands and agencies all over the world to populate their International Women’s Day campaigns. The stereotype defying collection can be accessed here in anticipation of International Women’s Day.

Google.org has launched a global Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls, calling for ideas from nonprofits and social organizations around the world that are working to advance economic empowerment of women and girls and create pathways to prosperity. Google.org will provide USD 25 million in overall funding and Impact Challenge grantees will receive mentoring from Googlers, Ad Grants and additional support to bring their ideas to life. UN Women's Executive Director will join the expert panel of women leaders from more than 15 countries with a deep expertise in global public policy, advocacy, research, business, technology and more. Google is also providing USD 6 million in Ad Grants this year to UN Women to help raise awareness about the outsized impact COVID-19 has on women and girls and to drive urgent action to mitigate the short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic with women at the centre of recovery efforts. Since the onset of the pandemic, a team of Googler volunteers have been working alongside UN Women to highlight these critical messages across more than 200 countries and territories.

To learn more about how your company can support UN Women’s mission in 2022, please contact privatesectorteam[at]unwomen.org

Check out UN Women’s editorial content on this year’s theme: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day

Follow the online conversation using #GenerationEquality and #IWD2021. You can download slogans, fun GIFs and more in our social media package here: https://trello.com/b/pD8AFd1o