From Commitment to Action in Advancing Gender Equality

Acting VWEC Chairwoman Mai Thi Dieu Huyen addresses the forum on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment

At the business forum themed “Balancing the Scales in Business: From Policies to Actions,” recently organized in Ho Chi Minh City by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC) under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Caroline Nyamayemombe, Country Representative of UN Women Vietnam, said that countries are stepping up efforts toward the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality. This is both a goal and a key driver of progress across all aspects of sustainable development.

This is evident in practice: economies grow stronger, businesses perform better, and societies become more resilient when women have equal access to opportunities and resources. A Morgan Stanley study of 1,875 global companies found that firms with greater gender diversity outperformed their peers by an average of 1.6% annually in stock price performance, highlighting the business value of gender equality.

Mai Thi Dieu Huyen, Acting Vice Chairwoman of VWEC, said that balancing the scales in business not only promotes gender equality but also represents an investment in long term business competitiveness. As the global economy increasingly shifts toward ESG and sustainable development, businesses that support women’s empowerment will have greater opportunities to innovate, expand markets, and participate more deeply in global value chains.

According to McKinsey research, advancing gender equality could contribute an additional US$12 trillion to global GDP.

According to Caroline Nyamayemombe, many gender equality commitments remain at the policy level without measurable action. The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) help businesses turn commitments into practice by integrating gender equality across leadership, workplaces, supply chains, and communities.

The WEPs consist of seven principles developed by UN Women and the UN Global Compact to support businesses in advancing gender equality in the workplace, marketplace, and community under the message “Equality Means Business.” More than 12,000 CEOs worldwide have signed commitments to implement the WEPs, showing that gender equality is increasingly becoming a standard in modern corporate governance and sustainable development.

In Vietnam, VWEC serves as UN Women’s national partner in promoting WEPs practices within the business community. In recent years, more Vietnamese businesses have proactively adopted policies promoting gender equality, diversity, and inclusion as part of their ESG and sustainable development strategies. Companies that have signed the WEPs are successfully transforming their workplaces and supply chains while increasing market share through three attributes: leadership, accountability, and implementation.

On this occasion, under the message “From Commitment to Action: Businesses Implementing WEPs for a Sustainable Future,” 10 Vietnamese enterprises joined the commitment to advance gender equality and women’s economic empowerment through the implementation of the WEPs.

From 2023 to 2025, 558 companies joined the program, strengthening capacities in gender responsive procurement, supplier diversity, and workplace equality. Among them, 261 women owned businesses enhanced their ability to build sustainable, gender inclusive business models, resulting in 19 sales contracts and 110 business connections.

“Becoming a WEPs signatory is not simply a symbolic commitment. It is a public promise to take concrete action, track progress, and be accountable for results,” said Caroline Nyamayemombe.

Within the framework of the forum, the Organizing Committee also officially launched the UN Women WEPs Awards Asia-Pacific 2026. Organized in Vietnam for the fifth time, the awards recognize and honor pioneering businesses advancing gender equality in the workplace, community, and marketplace. The national UN Women WEPs Awards 2026 ceremony is expected to take place in October or November 2026 in Vietnam, while the regional awards ceremony is scheduled for December 2026.