In observance of International Women’s Day, Procter & Gamble (P&G) hosted the second edition of its Women Entrepreneurs Academy 2023, as part of its ongoing commitment to equality and inclusion. The event brought together P&G’s senior leadership, 18 women-owned and led businesses as well as leading industry figures including Cara Nazari, Managing Director, AmCham Dubai, Racha Makarem, Regional CEO of Starcom (a part of Publicis Groupe) and Tahany Taher, Head of Digital for the Middle East Turkey cluster and Head of Mid Corporates – UAE, Citibank. The day-long workshop, which was held at P&G’s Innovation Center (I-Dubai), invites UAE women business-owners to participate in competitive training opportunities, further cementing the brand’s efforts to create an inclusive, gender-equal environment.
According to the Ministry of Economy, half of all small and medium enterprises in the UAE are women-owned, while 48% of women business owners are also the sole owners of their companies. In alignment with the UAE’s efforts towards gender equality and P&G’s people-first culture, the Women Entrepreneurs Academy featured a series of panel discussions and training opportunities for female business-owners.
Rohini Venkateswaran, Vice President – Country Manager East Gulf & Sales Strategy & Planning Gulf, P&G, said: “At P&G, we believe that we can be a Force for Good and a Force for Growth in the world around us every day. International Women’s Day presents a vital opportunity to explore how diversity and inclusion is a key cornerstone in the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy aims to create a strong foundation that positively impacts women-owned businesses and fosters collaborative acceptance of diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy offered a total of six business modules and two training sessions on topics including procurement, digitization, business strategy, and enabling long-term business growth as well as a panel discussion titled “Women in Leadership: Breaking the Glass Ceiling”. The day concluded with a graduation ceremony and networking session for all women entrepreneurs. With a concerted effort required to strengthen persistence, proactiveness, and innovation to increase women-owned businesses’ profits across multiple contexts, participants at the Academy had the opportunity to identify practical approaches to address these challenges.
Venkateswaran added: “P&G has implemented several initiatives to create a more equitable world for our employees, with our brands, through our partners, and in our communities both internally and externally, by investing in programs that support women-owned businesses. The P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy provides a platform for women to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to start and grow their businesses. We are proud to be part of this movement towards empowering women, creating positive social impact, and promoting economic growth in the UAE.”
P&G is set to spend a cumulative total of USD 300 million with women-owned and women-led businesses across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa region between 2021 to 2025. The P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy 2023 and other P&G initiatives such as the #WeSeeEqual Summit are crucial opportunities to accelerate progress towards achieving gender equality and discuss strategic actions to address gender inequality – a core focus of the UN Sustainable Development Goal #5.
