18 Thai businesses honoured at Women's Empowerment Principles Awards
Eighteen Thai businesses have been recognised for their commitment to advancing gender equality across their value chains at the bi-annual Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards ceremony in Thailand.
The honoured companies were selected from a pool of 64 applicants nationwide, ranging from major corporations to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
UN Women organised the 2024 Thailand WEPs Awards with support from the Australian government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and local partners including Advantage Austria Bangkok, Thai E-Commerce Association, Thai Listed Companies Association, the Office of SMEs Promotion, the Securities and Exchange Commission Thailand, the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the UN Global Compact Network Thailand.
At the award ceremony on Friday, Christine Arab, regional director of UN Women Asia and the Pacific and UN Women representative to the Kingdom of Thailand, emphasised the awards' importance.
She pointed out that the WEPs Awards are not just recognition – they are a catalyst, inspiring business partners, suppliers, employees, customers, and future entrepreneurs to drive innovation and resilience, fuelling sustainable economic growth for Thailand and beyond.
"Thailand's level of women in management and women CEOs exceeds the global and national averages and this is reflective of the commitment of the government of the Kingdom of Thailand and private-sector leaders to advance gender equality and women's empowerment," she said.
The Thai government's support was acknowledged with WEPs Exemplary Ally Recognition tokens presented to several government departments for their leadership and commitment to the WEPs.
Michaela Friberg-Storey, the UN resident coordinator, noted in her speech that "gender equality is the engine room for sustainable development". She also highlighted Thailand's leadership in workplace gender equity, with 41% of chief executive officers and 43% of chief financial officers in the country being women.
The ceremony celebrated business leaders championing gender equality in their organisations and communities. Awards recognised businesses pioneering gender-inclusive policies, integrating gender perspectives into their products, services, and value chains.
Community programmes, transparency in gender reporting, and innovative financing promoting equality were also honoured. The SME Champion Award applauded small and medium-sized enterprises expanding into gender-inclusive practices.
The seven category winners will represent Thailand at the Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards, scheduled for December 3 and to be broadcast on the UN Women Asia-Pacific Channel.
Dr Angela Macdonald, Australian ambassador to Thailand, said: "Women's economic empowerment is critical to the economic resilience of the Mekong subregion. Enabling women-owned businesses and gender-responsive enterprises to flourish is key to economic inclusivity and a thriving private sector."
The Women's Empowerment Principles have guided more than 10,000 companies globally on empowering women in the workplace, marketplace and community. More than 150 companies in Thailand have joined this network, fostering equal opportunities and driving progress in gender equality, corporate responsibility, and sustainable socio-economic growth across Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region.
The bi-annual WEPs Awards, initiated by the 2019-2022 UN Women programme WeEmpowerAsia, aim to recognise private companies' efforts in promoting gender equality in business in the Asia-Pacific region.
The 2024 WEPs Awards are part of UN Women's new initiative “Gender Action Lab: Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in Asia-Pacific”, supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
