Executive summary

Corporations in certain developed economies, such as the United States, have actively engaged womenowned businesses and other diverse suppliers as part of their overall business strategies or corporate social responsibility for decades. As corporate supply chains become increasingly more global, so too must these practices. This Guide provides corporations and their suppliers with a deeper understanding of the barriers and challenges preventing women-owned businesses from accessing and fully participating in local and global value chains. It is intended to support signatories of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, which UN Women and UN Global Compact jointly promulgate, to take action on Principle 5: Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women. The Guide provides the tools and techniques for reducing or eliminating these barriers and challenges, and for leveraging the vast untapped economic potential represented by women as suppliers. And, it outlines the essential components of a comprehensive plan for genderresponsive procurement.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Gender Equality

Partnerships for the Goals