Unlocking Potential: The Business Case for Gender and Inclusive Finance

Date: 27th May 2025, Time: 2pm-5pm

Background and Rationale

In recent years, financial institutions have increasingly recognized the importance of gender-inclusive strategies to improve organizational performance, drive innovation, and better serve diverse customer bases. The Global Gender Smart Fund (GGSF) is at the forefront of this movement. By providing targeted financing support and technical assistance, the GGSF supports financial institutions in unlocking their potential through gender-inclusive finance. The workshop will be a great opportunity for participants to hear insights and lessons learned from GGSF’s experience of driving gender equality by providing targeted financial support and advisory services to financial institutions that prioritize gender inclusion. By promoting products and services tailored to women, GGSF empowers financial institutions to expand their market share and increase profitability while fostering social impact.

Workshop Overview

The workshop will be structured in several sections with the goal to be as interactive as possible. Through several discussions in sub-groups and sharing of concrete experiences, participants will be able to be able to dive into key topics including:

• Gender-responsive product design
• Leadership and decision-making
• Gender data utilisation
• Overcoming barriers

The workshop aims to highlight the transformative impact of integrating gender considerations and making a compelling business case for women-focused financial services.

Workshop Objectives

• Demonstrate the link between gender inclusion and improved financial performance.
• Provide participants with actionable insights and strategies for gender-sensitive financial services.
• Foster peer learning through interactive discussions on specific gender-related topics.
• Encourage financial institutions to leverage gender data for decision-making and innovation.