2024 WEPs Forum: Germany – Accelerating Business Action for Gender Equality is a collaborative effort between UN Women and the German Agency for Business and Economic Development (AWE), in cooperation with the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK).
Taking place from 22-23 May 2024 in Berlin, Germany, the Forum aims to showcase German WEPs signatories’ achievements and to understand their challenges and opportunities in WEPs implementation. It also sets out to explore areas of collaboration to accelerate actions to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community.
DAY 1: Wednesday 22 May 2024
11:30 | Registration | |
12:00 | Welcome & Lunch Elke Ferner, President, UN Women National Committee Germany | |
13:00 | Opening Ceremony | Welcome remarks: Martin Wansleben, Chief Executive, German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) Opening remarks: H.E. Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ Ms. Kirsi Madi, Deputy Executive Director for Resource Management, Sustainability and Partnerships, UN Women |
13:20 | The Women's Empowerment Principles (Keynote) | Anna Fälth, Global Head, WEPs Secretariat, UN Women
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| 13:35 | The German Labour Market - Part 1 (Keynote address) | Trends on gender equality – leadership, STEM and the green economy Lilian Tschan, Permanent State Secretary, The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs |
13:45 | The German Labour Market - Part 2 (Round table) | Trends on gender equality – leadership, STEM and the green economy Moderator: Dagmar Schumacher, UN Women National Committee Germany Speakers: Michaela Streibelt, Advisor, Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights, German Agency for Business and Economic Development (AWE) Kristin Lena Keveloh, Senior Lead Manager, Public Policy & Economic Graph, LinkedIn
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14:15 | CEOs navigating the future (Opening remarks and fireside chat) | Navigating ESG, sustainability and gender equality as cornerstones of corporate leadership Moderator: Anna Fälth, Global Head, WEPs Secretariat, UN Women Opening remarks: Kirsi Madi, Deputy Executive Director for Resource Management, Sustainability and Partnerships, UN Women Speakers: Tilmann Rothhammer, Vice President, Customer Service & Supply Chain, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Germany Kirsten Schoder-Steinmüller, Vice President, DIHK; and CEO, Schoder GmbH |
14:45 | Leadership for gender equality (Fireside chat) | SMEs leading the way to gender equality Moderator: Anna Fälth, Global Head, WEPs Secretariat, UN Women Speakers: Stephan Goericke, CEO, iSQI Gmbh Markus Löning, CEO, Löning Natascha Thomas, Deputy CEO, PMG Presse-Monitor Verwaltungs GmbH |
15:15 | Coffee Break | |
15:45 | Unconscious bias (Interactive training) | Removing bias to advance gender equality Trainers: Robert Baker, Founder and CEO, Potentia Talent Consulting Mihwa Park, WEPs Coordinator, UN Women |
16:45 | Gender equality in the value chain (Interactive panel discussion) | Value and supply chain, and gender responsive marketing practices Moderator: Ursula Sautter, UN Women National Committee Germany Speakers: Christina Keller, Chief Strategy Officer, DDB Germany Group of Companies Wendy Rentschler, Global Head of Corporate Citizenship & Impact, BMC Software |
17:30
| Gender equality in communities (Panel discussion) | Corporate engagement in local communities Moderator: Nora Teuma, UN Women National Committee Germany Confirmed Speakers: Rita Nkuhlu, Executive Director - Business Excellence, Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa |
18:00 | Wrap up of Day 1 | |
18:15 | Reception
| Let's end the evening together in the lounge of the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft with drinks and snacks. |
DAY 2: Thursday 23 May 2024
| 09:00 | Recap of Day 1 and Overview of Day 2 | |
| 09:20 | Gender equality in the workplace
(Panel discussion) | Driving inclusive corporate workplace culture Moderator: Ursula Schäfer-Preuss, UN Women National Committee Germany Speakers: Alexandra Menzel, Manager, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Roland Berger Carolin Boye, Senior Expert HR, Special Projects & Diversity, TK Elevator Katja Ploner, Corporate diversity & inclusion Advisor, Siemens AG |
| 10:00 | Transition to a care economy that works for all (Panel discussion) | Transition to a care economy that works for all Moderator: Ursula Sautter, UN Women National Committee Germany Speakers: Silja Fiedrich, Akademie, Berufundfamilie Service Gmbh |
| 10:40 | Coffee break and transition to breakout sessions | |
| 11:00 | Workshops (Group discussion)
| Workshop I: Corporate sustainability and gender equality: meeting and going beyond regulation Moderator: Renate Bähr, UN Women National Committee Germany |
Workshop II: Women driving success: joint impact for transformation - partnerships between business and development cooperation Moderator: AWE | ||
Workshop III: Role of chambers of commerce & Industry associations in driving gender equality Moderator: DIHK | ||
Workshop IV: Fostering an inclusive work culture (discuss culture across the workplace, marketplace and community) Moderator: UN Women | ||
Workshop V: Collaboration with UN Women – WEPs & beyond Moderator: UN Women Fire starter: Katja Ploner, Siemens | ||
| 12:30 | Report back (Panel of rapporteurs): Concrete Steps & Recommendations | |
| 13:00 | Closing Ceremony: Reflections on next steps | |
| 13:30 | Farewell Lunch | |