Seminar on ‘Opportunities and Prospects for Gender Lens Investing in Bangladesh’ hosted by Truvalu Bangladesh

On March 2nd, 2023, at the Six Seasons Hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka, Truvalu Bangladesh hosted a seminar on "Opportunities and Prospects for Gender Lens Investing in Bangladesh." in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh and was attended by various dignitaries from banks, financial institutions, development organizations, INGOs, startups, SMEs, and stakeholders across the industry.

Ms. Corinne Henchoz Pignani, Deputy Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, opened the event and emphasized the importance of gender diversity in investment portfolios. She stated, "Switzerland has been supporting impact investing in Bangladesh since 2019. In 2021, we conducted a gender analysis, which helped us to better understand the gender dimensions in impact investing. An obvious follow-up was to deep dive into gender lens investing. We understand GLI to be an investing strategy that takes into consideration gender-based factors across the investment process, advances gender equality, and better informs investment decisions. This is fully aligned with Switzerland's ambition to leave no one behind."

Ms. Machteld Sandra Ooijens, Director Programs & Partnerships at Truvalu, in her keynote speech, highlighted the business case of investing in gender diversity for companies, the financial sector, and society at large. She emphasized the need to address gender-specific barriers that women face in the workplace and as entrepreneurs, in accessing finance, market, and technologies.

Entrepreneurs from various sectors were also present at the event and spoke about issues and challenges of operating in a gender-focused organization. Mr. Md. Tauhid Bin Abdus Salam, Managing Director of Classical Handmade Products BD Ltd; Ms. Sadia Haque, Founder and CEO of ShareTrip; and Ms. Syeda Sharmin Ahmed, CEO of Clay Station, shared their viewpoints and experiences.

Ms. Sana Kapadia, Director of Strategy of 2X Global and an international expert on gender lens investing, spoke about the role of impact measurement and evaluation in promoting gender inclusion in businesses and investments, stating, "We need to evaluate the impact of our investments on gender inclusion and ensure that we are promoting diversity and inclusion at all levels of business."

The seminar featured a panel discussion with a diverse range of participants, including Ms. Humaira Azam, Managing Director & CEO of Trust Bank Limited; Mr. Syed Javed Noor, Partner of IDLC VC Fund, and Deputy Managing Director of IDLC Finance Limited; Mr. Bijon Islam, CEO of LightCastle Partners; Ms. Maxime Cheng, Impact Intelligence and Education Lead at Roots of Impact. Ms. Sharawwat Islam, Managing Director of Truvalu Bangladesh moderated the panel. The panelists highlighted various challenges and opportunities of gender lens investing in Bangladesh, such as the need to engage with women entrepreneurs and investors, and promote gender diversity in investment portfolios.

Ms. Humaira Azam highlighted the role of financial institutions in promoting gender inclusion. She said, "Financial Institutions should take necessary risks to bolster the women entrepreneurs, who have the capability to upscale their business but require finance in the initial stage of their business. We need to ensure that women have equal access to financial services and products."

Mr. Syed Javed Noor highlighted the importance of gender diversity in the workplace and the benefits it can bring to businesses. He said, "Investors prioritize the quality of the Management Team and the growth potential of a business more than anything else. So women founders should develop the skills of successful entrepreneurs to attract investments."

Ms. Maxime Cheng shared some of the innovative approaches that Roots of Impact is implementing to measure and evaluate the impact of gender lens investments. She said, "Companies need to focus on the impact data as to how men and women are reacting to their products. The inclusion of women, how they are served, and their experiences are very important which allow the world to be more creative and business to grow."

Mr. Bijon Islam emphasized the need to develop a gender-sensitive investment strategy and to engage with women entrepreneurs and investors. He said, "The one thing that sets Bangladesh apart from its peers is the female participation in the workforce, which is 35% greater compared to the neighboring countries. It is evident that women are playing a great role behind the country's overall development."

The seminar aimed to provide a platform for entrepreneurs, financiers, development partners, and stakeholders from various industries to come together and discuss the opportunities and prospects of gender lens investing in Bangladesh. The key takeaways from the seminar include the need to promote gender diversity in the workplace, the importance of investing in women-owned businesses, the role of financial institutions in promoting gender inclusion in the financial sector, and the need to develop a robust impact measurement framework that takes into account the gender-specific outcomes of investments.

Disclaimer: The article was sponsored by Truvalu Bangladesh