Jakarta, Indonesia, 31 January 2017 – A grant agreement was signed to make Australian funding available to launch Indonesia’s Business Coalition for Women’s Empowerment (IBCWE) through Investing in Women Initiative.
The grant agreement was signed by IBCWE Chairwoman Ms. Shinta Kamdani, who is advisor to the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Vice Chair of KADIN (the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Deputy Chair of Indonesian Employers Association APINDO (The Employers’ Association of Indonesia) and CEO of Sintesa Group.
IBCWE will bring together the nation’s leading private sector companies who are united around achieving gender equality goals, such as increasing the proportion of women in management, and committed to taking action and measuring their progress towards achieving those goals.
With support from the government of Australia, IBCWE will support its member companies by providing gender equality tools, running high profile campaigns and partnering with government and NGOs to make the business case for women’s economic empowerment. Members will share their learnings and act as a role model to other companies.
The coalition’s eight founding member companies – Adis Dimension Footwear, Accenture, btpn, Gajah Tunggal, Mitra Adiperkasa (MAP), Pan Bros, Sintesa Group and Unilever Indonesia – represent some of Indonesia’s largest and most innovative employers.
Ms. Kamdani said, “We are proud that the first business coalition to empower women in the workplace has been created in Indonesia. We thank the Australian Government for its support.”
In attendance at the signing were:
From the Australian Embassy in Jakarta: Acting First Secretary Economic, Ms. Alice McKenzie and Investing in Women Program Coordinator Ms. Wahyu Irara.
From IBCWE: Ibu Shinta Kamdani, Managing Director of Sintesa Group and ICWBE Chairwoman; Ibu Neneng Goenadi, Managing Director of PT Accenture Indonesia; Ibu Catharina Widjaja, Director of PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk; Ibu Anne Patricia Soetanto, Vice President of PT Pan Brothers Tbk; Ibu Fetty Kwartati, Corporate Secretary of PT Mitra Adi Perkasa Tbk and Chairwoman of ICWBE’s Executive Board; Ms Maya Juwita, Secretary of ICWBE’s Executive Board and Achmad Fauzan Dirgantara, Corporate Communication Jr. Manager of Sintesa Group.
From Investing in Women: Dr. Julia Newton-Howes, CEO; Stephen Grant, Business Partnership Director; B. James Soukamneuth, PhD; Impact Investment Director and Jane Hodges, Government Partnership Director.