Gender
ISEAL and its members are committed to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment throughout global supply chains, recognising that addressing gender disparities is essential to achieving comprehensive sustainability outcomes.
Women are major producers and consumers of global commodities, yet they face persistent inequalities in global supply chains and bear a disproportionate burden of the adverse impacts of climate change. Studies have shown significant economic benefits linked with increasing gender equality and women's economic empowerment, including improved health and safety, ethical and legal compliance, strengthened staff motivation and improved productivity. A robust body of evidence also supports the link between gender equality and broader positive impacts on the global economy, financial performance at individual corporate level, and societal change across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
ISEAL and its members recognise the importance of supporting gender equality and women’s empowerment objectives, both as a fundamental human right and as a means to achieving other aspects of sustainability.
Like other market-based tools and private sector entities, many sustainability systems recognise the importance of supporting gender equality, both as a fundamental human right and as a means to achieving other aspects of sustainability. As such, sustainability systems are increasing their efforts to advance gender equality. The International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Standards Map demonstrates that a large number of sustainability systems, across sectors, include gender considerations in their standards. As one example, over 150 private verification/certification standards out of the 350 listed have gender-related ‘policies’, defined as a general principle respecting equal rights for men and women and/or policies and initiatives that respect equal opportunities on the basis of gender in the workplace and in interacting with local communities (ITC Standards Map 2024).
Sustainability systems still face challenges to tackle the underlying structural causes of gender inequalities in global supply chains. A 2022 CGIAR-ISEAL scoping study analysing the integration of gender across 14 ISEAL members operating in the agri-food sector identified a range of barriers to translating intentions to action, including difficulty collecting adequate data related to gender equality. ISEAL will continue to facilitate spaces for its members to share best practice to advance on gender equality outcomes.
ISEAL has partnered over multiple years with the CGIAR Initiative on Gender Equality to advance gender equality in supply chains through sustainability systems. Sustainability systems can play an important role in reducing inequalities and improving women's empowerment, including working to ensure women have access to decent work and beneficial livelihood opportunities.
ISEAL and CGIAR have conducted research to understand the current state of gender integration among ISEAL Community Members and the contribution of sustainability systems to gender equality and women's empowerment. We have convened webinars and events to promote learning and exchange and developed resources to support sustainability systems in their efforts.
With support from the CGIAR Initiative on Gender Equality, ISEAL published a Toolkit and Good Practices to support sustainability systems advance their thinking and action on gender equality. The toolkit compiles curated resources and practical case studies, structured around three levels of action: at the organisational level; within standards and certifications; and through programmatic work. The toolkit also addresses data-related considerations needed to make progress on gender equality within and through sustainability systems. The toolkit helps sustainability systems overcome the operational, programmatic or data challenges linked to effective gender-responsive and gender-transformation efforts. In 2025, ISEAL will continue to share resources produced around gender equality within and beyond its community, supporting members in their efforts to drive gender outcomes.