October 2019, CCXXVIII

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No. CCXXVIII; October 11, 2019
THIS ISSUE’S HIGHLIGHTS

I. THAILAND TO HOST 2019 GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN
II. MEMORIES OF 30 YEARS OF THE GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN
III. THE CHANGING FACE OF THE U.S. WORKFORCE
IV. EFFECT OF WOMEN IN CORPORATE LEADERSHIP ON COMPANY PERFORMANCE REAFFIRMED

I. THAILAND TO HOST 2019 GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN

Women government leaders, senior executives and entrepreneurs from around the world are arranging their calendars to be in Bangkok, Thailand on April 23-25, 2020 for the 2020 Global Summit of Women in Bangkok, Thailand.  Celebrating its 30th Anniversary as the premier business and economic forum for women, the Global Summit of Women will continue its focus on creative solutions and best practices for increasing women’s economic opportunities in every corner of the world.  Over 1,000 corporate, government, and entrepreneurial leaders from 60+ countries are expected to gather at the annual Summit.

Thailand is far more than its well-known touristic delights.  It is a dynamic growing economy and is a fitting venue for the Global Summit of Women and its focus on promoting women’s economic advancement.  Not known to many, Thai women comprise 47% of the country’s workforce, 40% of chief executives and 34% of chief financial officers within Thai companies.  Ranking #1 globally for enrollment of women in higher education, Thailand is poised to continue its strong economic growth fueled by its women in the business sector.

“I could not be more pleased to celebrate the Summit’s 30th Anniversary in Bangkok,” says Summit President Irene Natividad.  “The hard-working Host Committee includes some of the country’s top women CEOs who lead companies, universities, and business-oriented nonprofit groups.  They want to show another facet of Thailand beyond its beaches and cultural enticements to the world through the Summit.”

Delegates will come together in Bangkok under the theme of “Women Revolutionizing Economies,” which showcases women’s achievements in raising national GDPs as they increase their engagement in the workplace and entrepreneurship, as well as highlights the ways in which women are altering business models and practices in the future for the benefit of all stakeholders.  Throughout the three-day Summit, in-depth sessions will feature the ways women have been changing the face of economic leadership globally while creating innovative enterprises and leading the fight to preserve the planet’s resources for future growth.

Women and men interested in being a part of this engaging, solutions-oriented gathering of high caliber participants are invited to come to Bangkok to take part in the information-sharing, skills-building and global networking which have made the Global Summit of Women the leading forum for women in business globally.

To see a video featuring some of what Thailand has to offer, click below.

Registration for the 2020 Summit is now open. For more information on the 2020 Summit and to reserve your space in this global gathering, go to www.globewomen.org/globalsummit. 

II. MEMORIES OF 30 YEARS OF THE GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN 

      As part of the Global Summit of Women’s 30th Anniversary in 2020, past participants have an opportunity to share their memories of the Summit and what the Summit means to them.  Throughout the year, the Summit will be collecting photos and testimonials from the thousands of women who have joined in this global gathering over the past 30 years.

       “I truly cherish the involvement of all of the women who have made great effort to be a part of this global gathering since the first Summit in 1990,” says Summit President Irene Natividad. “I ask all of you to help us celebrate the Summit’s history by informing others how the Summit has changed your business, your career, your life or the lives of others.”

       To share your Summit experiences with others, please click here.

While the 30th Anniversary Global Summit of Women takes place in Bangkok, Thailand on April 23-25, 2020, another opportunity to mark the momentous occasion is at a special 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC on February 28, 2020.  Special guests joining the event include the Prime Minister of Namibia Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, former President of Malawi Joyce Banda, and former President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga.

To join in the celebration in Washington, DC, register for the Anniversary Dinner by clicking here.

III. THE CHANGING FACE OF THE U.S. WORKFORCE

Changing demographics in the U.S. are re-shaping the workforce and women are leading the way.  For the first time, most new hires of prime working age (25 to 54) are people of color, according to a Washington Post analysis of Labor Department data. Women are predominantly driving this trend, which is so powerful that even many women who weren’t considering working — because they were in school, caring for kids or at home for other reasons — are being lured into employment, according to the Post’s analysis.

These increases began to pour into the labor market in 2015 with an increase in the retirement of many white baby boomers.  Of the 5.2 million more jobs in the U.S. at the end of 2016, 4.5 million of them are held by minorities.  However, these new hires are the most vulnerable to economic downturns or displacement by artificial intelligence and new technologies, and often face negative stereotypes regarding their capabilities.  The challenge is for continued economic expansion enabling more of these new hires to achieve job stability. (Washington Post, Sept 9. 2019)

IV. EFFECT OF WOMEN IN CORPORATE LEADERSHIP ON COMPANY PERFORMANCE REAFFIRMED

A new report by the Credit Suisse Research Institute released this week reaffirms previous findings – a material correlation exists between companies with a higher participation of women in decision-making roles and the company’s stock market and corporate performance. The third edition of the CS Gender 3000 Report “The Changing Face of Companies,” which examined over 3,000 companies in 56 countries, found that companies with more diverse management teams have generated outperformance of 4% annually compared to those with below average levels of diversity.

Since Credit Suisse’s last report in 2016, the percentage of women board directors has increased from 15.3% to 20.6%.  Similar to research by the Corporate Women Directors International (2018 CWDI Report on Women Board Directors of Fortune Global 200 Companies) ), the report found that the countries with the highest percentages of women directors and those with the biggest increases in percentages over the past decade were those with quotas or targets for women on board, such as Norway, France, and Italy.

The report also includes an assessment of the dynamics of the female labor market and the frictions at work that may impact career progression. Among the policies the report cites as needing to be addressed in order to enhance mobility and flexibility is the gender pay gap.  Interestingly, the report found that companies with a lower level of diversity have a higher gender pay gap.

Spotlighting companies which have addressed the gender pay gap aggressively will be one of the topics at the Global Summit of Women’s annual Colloquium on Global Diversity: Creating a Level Playing Field for Women, which will take place in Washington, DC on February 27-28, 2020.  For information on pat Colloquia, visit www.globewomen.org/globaldiversity.

2020 GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN
BANGKOK, THAILAND
APRIL 23-25, 2O20

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