Manama, March 8 (BNA) Bahrain Bourse joined 188 global stock exchanges in the annual United Nations initiative “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality”, which was held in conjunction with the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8.
This initiative is in line with Bahrain Bourse’s active role in promoting gender equality and empowering women in the capital markets sector.
The initiative featured key female executives in leadership positions from several listed companies as well as other key stakeholders, and demonstrated how key stakeholder participants are actively pursuing their efforts to advance gender equality within their organizations.
Chief Operating Officer of Bahrain Bourse and Chairman of the Gender Equality Committee: “At Bahrain Bourse, we are determined to continue supporting the integration of Bahraini women and providing them with the opportunity to pursue their rightful status as a vibrant and active member of the economy.” Nargis Jamal said.
“We believe that diversity and inclusion promote a healthy work environment and ensure a more inclusive decision-making process.”
She added that evidence from global stock exchanges reveals that listed companies that have women on their boards outperform companies that do not, and this gives us great pride to be part of this initiative and take advantage of the opportunity to bridge the global gender gap.
“The percentage of women working in the Bahrain Stock Exchange is 42%, which is a very strong representation of females in the workplace,” she said.
The virtual event is being held for the eighth year in a row globally. This year, UN International Women’s Day: “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow,” recognizes the contribution of women around the world, who are leading the mission of climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to building a more sustainable future for all.
The “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” virtual event is a collaboration between the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Initiative for Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE), the United Nations Global Compact, UN Women, Women in ETFs, and the World Equity Confederation. An exchange to raise awareness about the opportunities available to the private sector to advance gender equality and sustainable development.
The global bell-ringing events aim to emphasize the pivotal role that the private sector can play in promoting gender equality to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to raise awareness about Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs).
In 2019, BHB announced its voluntary commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Financial Markets Initiative (SSE) in promoting sustainable and transparent capital markets. The SSE initiative focuses on sustainable disclosure of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors.
MI