Business fights Poverty

Gender Summit

2023 Post Event Summary

Online | Nairobi | London

Coinciding with International Women's Day,
the Business Fights Poverty Gender Summit was the perfect opportunity to come together to share the latest thinking and action around gender equity.
Over the course of the two days, we put on a series of highly interactive webinars and hybrid workshops, featuring world-leading thinkers and practitioners. Together, we explored how to enhance the lives and livelihoods of women around the world, and empower them to thrive.

This is your chance to gain access to the latest insights, with voices from across the globe.

We tackled tough questions like...

How can we create a more equitable world for female entrepreneurs?

How can we ensure gender equity is at the heart of decarbonization efforts?

How can we drive health equity by empowering women?

How can companies collaborate to tackle gender-based violence in the workplace?

Session by session resources

WEDNESDAY 8th March

Watch our panel-led workshop to discover the latest trends and lessons on how to support female entrepreneurs.

PANEL-LED DISCUSSION: ENTERPRISE

Watch our panel-led workshop to discover the latest trends and lessons on how to support female entrepreneurs. Our opening speakers will ignite your creativity, encouraging you to tackle the areas that need addressing. You'll then dive deeper into small breakout rooms with lead table discussants, exploring key questions on how to unlock the potential of female entrepreneurs. With Business Fights Poverty facilitators moderating the session, we'll come back together to share our newest thinking and actions. Don't miss out on discovering how to overcome the hurdles holding female entrepreneurs back!

Opening Speakers: Beatriz Tumoine, Global Social Impact Director, Cemex Maggie Rarieya, Global Partnerships Director, Amref Health Africa Natasha Kwakwa, Global Impact, Global Head, Standard Chartered Bank Jaylan ElShazly, Disruptive Technology acting Lead, Gender and Economic Inclusion Group, IFC Antony Karanja, Co-Founder, OYE Elsie Wandera, Operations Manager, Brands on a Mission

Lead Table Discussants: Sherifatu Mustapha, GESI and Design Coordinator, Ghana, iDE Abigail Musinga, GESI Manager, Zambia, iDE Natalie Vergara, Head Platforms, Mercy Corps Ventures Kathy Tan, Founder & CEO, Amalu Coaching, LLC & partner to Fundación Paraguaya Leanne Melnyk, Head of Impact and Partnerships, Quizrr

Moderator: Zahid Torres-Rahman, CEO, Business Fights Poverty

A Fireside Chat with two social impact pioneers as they share their insights on what it takes to be a successful female entrepreneur.

FIRESIDE CHAT: YOUTH ENTREPRENEURS

Join a Fireside Chat with two social impact pioneers as they share their insights on what it takes to be a successful female entrepreneur. Discover how to get started, build a business, and receive valuable endorsements from other organizations. Get practical advice on how to succeed as an entrepreneur and make a difference in your community. Hear stories about affordable healthcare in Kenya and the positive impact of a global initiative to tackle inequality. Don't miss out on this inspiring discussion about female entrepreneurship and social impact.

Speakers:
Natasha Kwakwa, Global Head of Impact, Standard Chartered Bank

Naom Monari, Founder, Bena Care Lt

Interviewer:
Katie Hyson, Director, Thought Leadership and COO, Business Fights Poverty

A workshop to learn how to manage Scope 3 emissions and integrate a gender lens into your decarbonisation plans.

PANEL-LED DISCUSSION: CLIMATE JUSTICE

Join our workshop to learn how to manage Scope 3 emissions and integrate a gender lens into your decarbonisation plans. Discover what other companies are trialling in this space, and share your own tips and lessons. As part of the co-creation process, your input will help shape a framework that's fit for purpose and truly useful. Don't miss this chance to be part of some truly innovative work and contribute to early thinking around the design of the framework.

Opening Speakers: Emma Cox, Global Climate Leader, PwC Justin White, Manager, Human Rights & Gender Equality, Global Sustainability, Mars Inc Jacqui Machin, Ethics & Sustainability Manager - Climate, John Lewis Partnership Katharine Teague, Head of Advocacy, AB Sugar Ian Michell, Group Technical and Procurement Director, Flamingo Horticulture Investments

Lead Table Discussants: Rachel Cracknell, Climate Change and Environment Lead, Ethical Tea Partnership Hernan Zunino, Social Impact Manager, Latin America, Twinings Peris Ochieng, Ethical Sourcing Manager for Africa, Twinings Franziska Deininger, Gender & Climate Consultant, IFC Alexandra Lockyer, Programme Manager, Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW) Hester Le Roux, Senior Business Advisor, Private Sector Engagement, Care International UK

Moderator:
Zahid Torres-Rahman, Co-Founder and CEO, Business Fights Poverty

THURSDAY 9th March

Discover how businesses can help champion female-led enterprises in this Twitter Space session.

TWITTER SPACE: ENTERPRISE

Discover how businesses can help champion female-led enterprises in this Twitter Space session. Although women-led businesses are increasing, they still only make up 25-35% of all organisations globally due to challenges such as limited access to financing and the inability to own assets. Join us as we examine how global agriculture and other sectors can offer women more opportunities, why it's harmful to exclude men from gender conversations, and how innovation can create a happier and more equal world.

Speakers: Jean Claude Niyomugabo, Co-Founder, Speke Farms Daniele Fiandaca, Co-Founder, Token Man Tashmia Ismail-Saville, Chief Business Development Officer, Mitacs Ajaita Shah, Founder & CEO, Frontier Markets

Moderator:
Katie Hyson, Director, Thought Leadership and COO, Business Fights Poverty

A thought-provoking Fireside Chat on the critical role of women in vaccination uptake.

FIRESIDE CHAT: VACCINATION EQUITY

Join us for a thought-provoking Fireside Chat on the critical role of women in vaccination uptake. With rates of preventable diseases falling globally, women are essential in ensuring the health and wellbeing of communities. Learn how greater vaccination uptake by women can lead to greater equality and participation in the labour force. We'll discuss how socio-economic factors such as income and education can impact vaccination outcomes, and explore challenges to ensuring gender equity in vaccination. Don't miss this opportunity to explore how we can better support marginalised women to increase vaccination uptake.

Speakers: Rachel Eagan, Researcher, The Vaccine Confidence Project, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Roopa Dhatt, Executive Director, Women in Global Health

Interviewer:
Ciara O’Rourke, Global Public Policy Director – Vaccination Confidence & Equity, MSD

A workshop on developing workplace policies to address gender-based violence (GBV) across multiple markets.

WEBINAR: GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

A workshop on developing workplace policies to address gender-based violence (GBV) across multiple markets. Learn from real-life examples and explore the importance of collaborating with external networks and campaigns. With one in three women experiencing physical or sexual violence during their lifetimes, GBV is a prevalent problem that impacts both employees and businesses. Discover how the workplace can offer unique opportunities to address different forms of GBV and create a safe space for those affected by domestic violence. Don't miss out on this important discussion.

Opening Speakers: Arné Rust, Brand Director, Carling Black Label, Hansa and Lion, Anheuser-Busch InBev Pamela Zaballa, Chief Executive Officer, NO MORE Foundation Ana Inés Alvarez, Executive Director, Avon Foundation, AVON Carly Newman, Project Manager, The Kering Foundation

Moderator:
Jane Pillinger, Visiting senior research fellow at Dept. Social Policy and Criminology, The Open University

MEET SOME OF OUR amazing speakers...

Katie Hyson

Director, Community Insights

Business Fights Poverty

Jane Pillinger

Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Department of Social Policy and Criminology

Open University

Elsie Wandera

Chief Executive Officer

Heroes for Change

Ian Michell

Group Technical and Procurement Director

Flamingo Horticulture Investments

Ajaita Shah

Founder & CEO

Frontier Markets

Katharine Teague

Group ESG Director

AB Sugar

Tashmia Ismail-Saville

Chief Business Development Officer

Mitacs

Franziska Deininger

Gender & Climate Consultant

IFC

Hernan Zunino

Social Impact Manager, Latin America

Twinings

Rachel Cracknell

Climate Change and Environment Lead

Ethical Tea Partnership

Jacqui Machin

Ethics & Sustainability Manager - Climate

John Lewis Partnership

Justin White

Manager, Human Rights & Gender Equality, Global Sustainability

Mars Inc

Abigail Musinga

Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI), Zambia

iDE

Sherifatu Mustapha

GESI and Design Coordinator, Ghana

iDE

Alexandra Lockyer

Programme Manager

Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW)

Hester Le Roux

Business Engagement Lead

Work and Opportunities for Women Programme (WOW)

Emma Cox

Global Climate leader

PwC

Kathy Tan

Founder & CEO

Amalu Coaching, LLC

Jean Claude Niyomugabo

Co-Founder

Speke Farms

Leanne Melnyk

Head of Impact and Partnerships

Quizrr

Natalie Vergara

Head Platforms

Mercy Corps Ventures

Jaylan ElShazly

Disruptive Technology acting Lead, Gender and Economic Inclusion Group

IFC

Roopa Dhatt

Executive Director

Women in Global Health

Antony Karanja

Co-Founder & Head of Operations

OYE

Daniele Fiandaca

Co-Founder

Token Man

Rachel Eagan

Researcher, The Vaccine Confidence Project

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Carly Newman

Project Manager

The Kering Foundation

Ana Inés Alvarez

Executive Director, Avon Foundation

AVON

Pamela Zaballa

CEO,

NO MORE

Arné Rust

Brand Director, Carling Black Label, Hansa and Lion

Anheuser-Busch InBev

Naom Monari

Founder

Bena Care Ltd

Beatriz Tumoine

Member

Business Fights Poverty, Global Expert Network

Ciara O’Rourke

Director - Global Vaccines Public Policy - Vaccination Confidence & Equity

MSD

Maggie Rarieya

Member

Business Fights Poverty, Global Expert Network

Zahid Torres-Rahman OBE

Co-Founder and CEO

Business Fights Poverty

More Gender Resources

Why Women Farmers Hold the Key to Fixing Our Broken Food Systems

Women farmers are central to fixing broken food systems, yet they remain excluded from the technologies, financing and markets needed to scale solutions. New research from CARE shows that reducing food loss and waste requires gender-responsive design, investment and partnerships. Empowering women farmers can strengthen food security, resilience and climate outcomes globally.

Agriculture, Climate & Environment, Food and Nutrition, Gender, Livelihoods and Jobs

May 12, 2026

Partnering for Impact: Five Lessons for Organisations Ready to Champion Women Farmers

Strong partnerships are essential to building resilient, climate-smart supply chains. Drawing on ofi and GIZ’s multi-year collaboration, this article shares five practical lessons for empowering women farmers at scale. From aligning around shared challenges to designing inclusive, long-term programmes, it shows how partnership can unlock livelihoods, strengthen value chains and drive measurable impact.

Agriculture, Corporate Impact, Gender, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Partnerships, Sustainable Development

April 17, 2026

Supply Chain Resilience Starts with Household Resilience: What Other Sectors can Learn from Cocoa

Supply chain resilience begins at the household level. Drawing lessons from the cocoa sector in West Africa, this article explores how strengthening women’s financial inclusion, decision-making power and access to savings groups can stabilise farming families and reduce risks across global supply chains. When households become more resilient, companies gain stronger, more reliable and sustainable supply systems.

Agriculture, Business, Corporate Impact, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Equity, Equity and Inclusion, Financial Inclusion, Gender, Livelihoods and Jobs, Responsible Business, Social Welfare, Sustainable Development

April 2, 2026

AI is Working for Women Entrepreneurs — But Only at the Edges. For Real Benefits, We Need Targeted Action.

AI is helping women entrepreneurs save time, but not yet unlock the full growth potential of their businesses. Drawing on research across 3,000 women entrepreneurs in 66 countries, this article explores why AI adoption remains concentrated in marketing and communications, and what targeted action is needed to turn AI from a helpful tool into a genuine driver of resilience, productivity and growth.

Business, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Economic Development, Equity, Equity and Inclusion, Gender, Learning and Skills, Livelihoods and Jobs, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Small and Medium Enterprises, Sustainable Development

March 17, 2026

The Missing Link in Water Stewardship: Why Gender Equity is Not an Add-On

As water scarcity intensifies, businesses must rethink not only how much water they use but who is most affected by its depletion. This article explores why gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) are essential to effective corporate water stewardship, helping companies reduce operational risks, strengthen community trust and build more resilient, equitable water management strategies.

Business, Business Purpose, Corporate Impact, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Equity, Equity and Inclusion, Gender, Responsible Business, Sustainable Development, Water and Sanitation

March 8, 2026

Good Intentions Don’t Transform Supply Chains. Better Design Could.

Despite growing commitments to gender equality, many supply chain programmes struggle to deliver real outcomes for women. This article argues the problem is not motivation but design. By rethinking how gender initiatives are structured—embedding context, capability, and evidence from the start—companies can move beyond participation metrics and create meaningful, lasting change in global supply chains.

Business, Business Purpose, Corporate Impact, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Equity, Equity and Inclusion, Gender, Livelihoods and Jobs, Responsible Business, Sustainable Development

March 8, 2026

Beauty with Purpose: How Avon is Empowering Women and Driving Sustainability

Avon is redefining beauty through purpose-driven sustainability. From empowering millions of Representatives to innovative cruelty-free and refillable products, Avon’s strategy integrates climate action, ethical sourcing and gender equity. This article explores how Avon’s inclusive business model and ESG commitments are creating lasting social impact across communities and supply chains.

Business, Corporate Impact, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Economic Development, Gender, Partnerships, Responsible Business

November 28, 2025

Women Entrepreneurs: The Untapped Engine of Global Economic Growth

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day highlights a critical truth: empowering women entrepreneurs is essential for global economic growth. Despite driving innovation and community resilience, women still face systemic barriers to finance, digital access, networks, and safety. Closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship is not only a moral imperative—it is a powerful economic strategy with transformative potential.

Business Purpose, Corporate Impact, Diversity, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Economic Development, Equity and Inclusion, Gender

November 18, 2025

Strengthening Supply Chains by Tackling Gender Inequality and the Climate Crisis

As world leaders gather at COP, Amanda Smith, Global Head of Social at Diageo, shares insights into Diageo and CARE’s shared ambition to build resilient supply chains by tackling gender inequality and climate vulnerability together.

Agriculture, Climate & Environment, Climate Action, Climate Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Gender

November 11, 2025