The latest news on investing in equality and diversity

Preliminary findings from Equileap’s new Emerging Markets Dataset reveal positive trends 

Asset owners and asset managers can now create truly global ESG and gender-lens products, and directly engage with wide-ranging portfolio companies to improve their performance on crucial human capital and equality issues. 

Since January 2023, Equileap’s researchers have been hard at work collecting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) data on companies based in emerging markets, from India to Brazil, and from South Africa to China. Our team is ahead of the curve in providing this unique social data for responsible investors worldwide. 

Our new Emerging Markets Gender Equality Dataset includes raw data and company scores, covering 1,600+ companies across 29 markets. The dataset covers all emerging market companies in the MSCI ACWI. Complementing our Developed Markets Dataset, this brings the total number of companies investors can licence from Equileap to over 5,600. Benefitting from the same rigorous methodology and scoring criteria, investors can now compare intricate issues such as gender balance in management teams, gender pay gap analysis, living wage commitments, or gender equality in the supply chain, across the world.

Here are some of the findings investors can expect when licensing this new dataset:

• 37% of emerging market companies disclose gender pay gap data, significantly higher than 22% of companies in developed markets.
• The countries with the highest gender equality scores are: the Philippines, South Africa, and Chile.
• There is transparency on 73% of metrics for our Emerging Markets Dataset, compared to 81% for our Developed Markets Dataset. Data is available for the vast majority of topics. 

Note: The gender pay data compares Equileap's 2023 Emerging Markets Dataset with the 2022 Developed Markets Dataset, as preliminary findings.

Women's Representation in Emerging Markets

Would you like more information or are you interested in a free trial of this new dataset? Email us. Follow Equileap on LinkedIn and X to be the first to read our public reports including rankings and analysis of standout trends.

Equal Pay Day: Are companies willing to walk the talk?

In the autumn of 2023, Equal Pay Day was marked around the world. Or more accurately, Equal Pay Days, since the date on which women’s average annual earnings symbolically freeze, and men’s average earnings continue to grow exponentially until 31st December, varies. It ranges from 18th September globally, to 14th November in the Netherlands, 15th November across the EU, and 22nd November in the UK. 

What all these dates have in common is that women earn on average at least one month less than men. One month of earnings can make the difference in being able to afford warm winter clothing for your children who have outgrown last year’s clothes, or being able to cover your elderly parents’ medical bills. Over the years, losing one month of potential savings every year can make the difference between a safe retirement and a retirement filled with tough choices. Equal Pay Day statistics are not frivolous or inconsequential. 

Companies can play a key role in fixing this problem (in partnership with governmental initiatives and broader socio-cultural shifts). The first step is to collect and publish gender pay gap data, as both average unadjusted pay gaps and adjusted equal pay for equal work figures. The second step is to publicly commit to a strategy to work towards closing the gap. You can read details on companies’ gender pay gap disclosures by country, and promising upcoming legislation, in this recent article published by Equileap on LinkedIn: EU Equal Pay Day: are companies set to walk the talk or will they tiptoe around forthcoming changes?

Bespoke Benchmark Reports to kick start diversity initiatives in 2024  

This year, Equileap’s Benchmark Reports have enabled companies from banking to energy energy sectors to delve into their performance gaps and make real improvements.  

With 2023 coming to a close, let’s start thinking ahead to 2024: now is the time to set clear intentions to reach those ambitious DEI goals.

Armed with insights from Equileap’s 2023 dataset based on our comprehensive Gender Equality Scorecard, companies can find out how they compare to five peer companies of their choice, as well as to their sector, country and global averages. These reports allow companies to step up to the mark or maintain their lead when it comes to gender equality.

Find out how to order and see a sample Benchmark Report. 

Our top picks from the news

/ World’s largest asset owner has a successful ESG engagement strategy - November 28 2023 - Principles for Responsible Investment

The Japanese Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) has successfully used ESG data (including Equileap’s data since 2020) to enhance the ESG performance of Japanese-listed entities. 

/ We need more gender-disaggregated data in supply chains - October 17 2023 - Sweef Capital

Supply chains are often a blind spot in diversity data. Businesses need to intentionally gather more of this data in order to address workplace issues such as unequal pay and harassment.

/ Berkeley Debunks The ‘Women Don’t Ask’ Stereotype - September 13 2023 - Yahoo! Finance

The stereotype that women don’t negotiate salaries or ask for raises is no longer true, and yet they are still less likely to get raises than men. It’s time to shift the blame away from women “not advocating” for themselves, and onto the biased systems that perpetuate inequalities. 

/ Pensions: Women get 35% less than men due to care responsibilities - September 12 2023 - BBC News

Research in the UK has shown that women's private pension funds are significantly lower than men’s. This gap often arises from time taken for unpaid labour such as childcare, but also from cases of divorce or bereavement where a husband had more financial literacy. 

/ Growing Demand for LGBTQ+ Investment Options - June 20 2023 - Morgan Stanley

There is increasing interest among younger investors for products or strategies with an LGBTQ+ lens. Similar to gender-lens investing, capital could speed up addressing inequities experienced by this community.

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