At the World Economic Forum, UNFPA and Partners Raise the Alarm on Women’s Health in the Workplace

DAVOS, 16 January 2024 — UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, and the biopharmaceutical company Ferring co-hosted an event titled “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights at Work — The New Frontier for ESG” to stress the importance of private sector investments in women’s health at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. The event aimed to showcase the work of the Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business, led by UNFPA and its partners. Panellists announced a groundbreaking initiative focused on enhancing a crucial aspect of employee well-being: reproductive health.

The initiative introduces a comprehensive scorecard that measures key gender equity indicators, such as the prevention of workplace gender-based violence, support for employees' family planning goals, and the protection of sexual and reproductive health and wellness. These indicators are being developed in collaboration with Accenture.

"As businesses encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work, they cannot ignore their workers’ identities as sexual and reproductive being," said Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, in her opening remark.

Addressing gaps in sexual and reproductive health services is vital to unlocking the full potential of individuals, particularly women, in the workplace. Issues such as sexual harassment and inadequate support for childcare and parental leave have profound impacts on both employee health and overall organizational performance. Prioritizing employees' reproductive rights, on the other hand, is not only socially responsible but also lucrative, with data showing a 62 per cent increase in workplace attendance, up to 23 per cent reduction in attrition, and up to 22 per cent enhancement in overall productivity.

The distinguished panellists at the event included: Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR; Shannon Cohn, Executive Producer of Below the Belt; Sahil Tesfu, SVP of Global Strategy & Business Development at Essity; Per Falk, President of Ferring Pharmaceuticals; Lorenzo Bertelli, Executive Director at Prada Group; Dr. Roopa Dhatt, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Women in Global Health; Natasha Sunderji, Global Health Lead at Accenture; Peter Paul van de Wijs, Chief External Affairs Officer of the Global Reporting Initiative; Khushbakht Shah Jillan, WEF Global Shaper at the Karachi Hub; Marijn Wiersma, Director of Community & Innovation of 2X Global; and Jan-Willem Scheijgrond, Vice President Government and Public Affairs at Royal Philips.

The Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business aims to propel organizations towards a new frontier of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG). This initiative underscores the significance of prioritizing employee sexual and reproductive health and rights, extending these standards not only within organizations but also to vendors and suppliers in the supply chain.