JAKARTA—Five members of the Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (IBCWE) became the first companies in the country to achieve EDGE Certification, a leading global assessment methodology and business certification standard on gender equality.
Mr Allaster Cox, Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, and Mr Ghafur Dharmaputra of the Coordinating Ministry of Human Development and Cultural Affairs awarded EDGE Certification on Thursday, 18 October, to PT Adis Dimension Footwear (Adis), PT Accenture Indonesia, Sintesa Group’s PT Tira Austenite Tbk (Tira), PT Pan Brothers Tbk, and PT Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).
Five members of the Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (IBCWE) receive EDGE Certification from Deputy Head of Mission Allaster Cox and Mr Ghafur Dharmaputra of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs. (Photo courtesy of IBCWE)
“EDGE certification represents a company’s promise to create a workplace that provides space and opportunities for women and men to develop their full potential. We hope the successful companies can demonstrate the importance of EDGE’s values to other companies, not only in Indonesia but also elsewhere in Southeast Asia,” Mr Cox said during the event.
IBCWE members receive grant support for EDGE Certification from Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government. The initiative is supporting 30 companies in Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam work toward EDGE Certification.
EDGE Certification, which stands for Economic Dividends for Gender Equality Certification, is designed to help businesses create and benefit from an optimal workplace for women and men based on an assessment of workforce and pay data; policies and practices; and a staff survey on gender equality.
Adis and Accenture Indonesia received EDGE Move, making them two of only 18 companies globally at this level, which recognises milestones on assessment areas. Tira, Pan Brothers, and JLL achieved EDGE Assess, the first level, awarded to companies that make a public commitment to gender equality.
“The state is not the only party with a duty to prioritise gender equality issues; this should also be done by companies. Gender equality is not only good to do, but many studies have demonstrated that by creating opportunities and a gender friendly working environment for women and men, businesses allow employees to become more productive and the company more advanced,” IBCWE Chair and Sintesa Group CEO Shinta Kamdani said.
Adis, Accenture Indonesia, the Sintesa Group and Pan Brothers are IBCWE founding members, along with PT Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional Tbk, PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk, PT Mitra Adi Perkasa Tbk and PT Unilever Indonesia.
IBCWE will support EDGE-Certified members implement and monitor progress on action plans while encouraging more companies to work toward gender equality, with or without EDGE Certification. Companies who want to assess their own level of workplace gender equality and seek EDGE Certification may contact IBCWE at info@ibcwe.id.
About the Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment
The Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (IBCWE) is a coalition of companies committed to promoting women’s economic empowerment and gender equality. Its mission is to support businesses to play a pivotal role in creating workplaces that enable both women and men to achieve their full potential.
IBCWE members believe that women’s economic empowerment is good for business and the economy. They are committed to:
- Overcoming wage gaps between genders
- Promote women in leadership and governance positions
- Increasing the participation of female workers
- Investing in female-friendly working conditions
- Ensuring leaders and managers apply gender equality
The IBCWE is supported by Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government.
About Investing in Women
Investing in Women was initiated in 2016 by the Australian Government to catalyse inclusive economic growth in Southeast Asia.
The initiative’s goals are to:
- Improve women’s participation in the workforce and as business leaders.
- Enhance women’s voice in decision making and leadership.
- Influence the private and public sectors to recognise and promote the value of gender equality.
Investing in Women is implemented in Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam with the head office in Manila.