Cambodia Investment Review
EuroCham Cambodia and UN Women, with support from Australia Aid, hosted the “Gender Equality Means Business” event at Raintree Cambodia to mark International Women’s Day. The event gathered business leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss the economic benefits of gender-inclusive policies and explore strategies for businesses to foster workplace equality.
High-Level Discussions on Gender Equality
The event commenced with welcome remarks from Kristy Harris, Development Counsellor at the Australian Embassy, and Sophea Khun, Country Programme Coordinator at UN Women Cambodia. H.E. Borapich Serei, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Commerce, delivered the official opening speech, underscoring the critical role gender equality plays in driving economic growth and business success.
Read More: Opinion – How Can Cambodia Keep Women in the Workforce After its LDC Graduation in 2029?
Providing a regional perspective, Katja Freiwald, UN Women Asia-Pacific’s Lead for Women’s Economic Empowerment, shared insights on gender equality trends and how businesses can accelerate progress in this area.
A key component of the event was the panel discussion titled “Equality Means Business – How to Accelerate Action?” moderated by Julie Keo, EuroCham Board Member and head of the DFDL Cambodia EU Help Desk. The panel featured a diverse group of speakers from the government, private sector, and development organizations, including:
- H.E. Sok Chan Chhorvy, Secretary of State, Ministry of Women’s Affairs
- Emerald Am, Country Manager, IDH, Benelux Chairman
- Frandara Khuon, CEO, TrueMoney Cambodia & Myanmar Cluster
- Luibov Popova, Mekong Project Manager, MAERSK EU
- Sandra Bernklau, Representative, UNFPA
Businesses Commit to Gender Equality
One of the event’s major milestones was the signing of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a global initiative encouraging businesses to implement gender-responsive policies. Ten companies pledged their commitment to advancing gender equality in the workplace during the signing ceremony, which was moderated by Monika Nowaczyk, Consultant to UN Women.
The companies that signed the WEPs pledge included:
- Prudential Cambodia Life Assurance
- J Trust Royal Bank Plc.
- SuDrain
- Growth4Growth, Co., Ltd.
- DFDL Mekong (Cambodia) Co., Ltd.
- TrueMoney (Cambodia) Plc.
- Analytics & Insights Asia Co., Ltd.
- Benelux Cambodia
- Cambrew Ltd. (Carlsberg Group)
Looking Ahead
Closing remarks were delivered by EuroCham Executive Director, Martin Brisson, who reaffirmed EuroCham’s commitment to supporting businesses in integrating gender-inclusive policies. The event concluded with a networking session, allowing attendees to discuss potential collaborations over drinks and canapés.
As businesses increasingly recognize the benefits of gender equality, EuroCham and UN Women continue to provide guidance and resources for companies looking to drive meaningful change. The event underscored that gender equality is not just a matter of corporate responsibility—it is a strategic advantage for long-term business success.
