Tackling Gender-Based Violence

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How can companies support survivors of domestic violence and abuse through the workplace?

This session launched a new Business Fights Poverty toolkit, developed with the expertise of Dr. Jane Pillinger, offering companies tools and strategies for supporting survivors. Learn from a decade of insights and practical guidance to build supportive, safe work environments for all. Discover how your company can be a key player in preventing domestic violence, empowering survivors, and enhancing workplace safety and well-being.

Opening Speakers:

Christel Adamou, Director, Office of Professional Ethics and Conduct, Asian Development Bank

Susan Bright, CEO, Employers Initiative Against Domestic Abuse

Natalie Deacon, Director Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Avon International

Katie O’Brien, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Anglo American

Pamela Zaballa, CEO, NO MORE

Claudine McMahon, Head of Culture and Inclusion, Vodafone

Shabnam Hameed, Gender Based Violence Specialist, IFC

Moderator:

Jane Pillinger, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Department of Social Policy and Criminology, Open University

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Katie O’Brien , Anglo American:

“As a mining company, we always have to start with safety. We very clearly have a responsibility to make sure that people come home safe every day and to keep them free from harm if we can.”

Katie O’Brien , Anglo American:

“Those two things — inclusion and safety — are quite neat bedfellows when it comes to tackling domestic violence and abuse”

Pamela Zaballa, NO MORE:

“I want you to see this from the perspective of a survivor. If I have an employer that is reminding us that #DomesticAbuse exists, that there is a policy — one day I might be more tempted to look and call for that support.”

Natalie Deacon, Avon International:

“This is an issue that still hides behind closed doors and is shrouded in silence. Having dialogue and raising awareness is absolutely crucial”

Natalie Deacon, Avon International:

“The next frontier is going to be looking at how to do this throughout our supply chain … to make sure that we’re safeguarding women’s rights? In some places, that starts with training to challenge accepted gender norms, flexing right up to gender-based protocols”

Claudine McMahon, Vodafone UK:

“Recognising domestic abuse as a workplace issue that employers support was critically important when there was no recognition of domestic abuse in a particular country.”

Claudine McMahon, Vodafone UK:

“Manager and leadership awareness — raising this as an issue on a constant basis — helps to shine a light on a topic that thrives when it’s hidden and not talked about. So, reducing the stigma and normalising the discussion about #DomesticAbuse as a work issue.”

Christel Adamou:

“To my knowledge, there are not many organisations that tackle the issue of domestic violence within the workplace or in the world of work”

Susan Bright, Employers Initiative Against Domestic Abuse:

“On workplaces future free from #GBV: “A lot of people come to us and say, “We’re doing lots of work in our community, but what about our own people?”

Susan Bright, Employers Initiative Against Domestic Abuse:

“The first thing you need is senior leadership buy-in. Getting that commitment from the organisation — that this is something that’s going to happen — and getting a senior sponsor for the project, somebody who can snowplough problems out of the way.”

Pamela Zaballa, NO MORE:

“We are getting gender awareness training, thinking about #gender equality, and signing a code of conduct. All of that is happening in places where it was almost impossible to get to before because of a company commitment to do this.”

Shabnam Hameed, IFC:

“We learn from business case research and working with companies. We share our knowledge and expertise. Most importantly, we bring companies together so they can learn from each other.”

Shabnam Hameed, IFC:

“We’ve done business case research on a country-by-country basis… In everything that we do, we try to adapt to the local context — because solutions need to be homegrown”

Tackling Gender-Based Violence

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