UN Women China & UNGC Host CEO Roundtable in Shanghai

• UN Women China and UN Global Compact organized a CEO Roundtable in Shanghai on March 3
• The occasion was 50 years of International Women's Day and 30 years of the Beijing Declaration
• Roundtable advocated Beijing+30 Action Agenda for empowering women

In preparation for the 50th anniversary of International Women's Day, the UN Women China Office and the UN Global Compact Liaison Office jointly hosted a CEO Roundtable on March 3 in Shanghai. The event also commemorated 30 years since the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+30) as a strong call to action on the part of the private sector to intensify efforts, make concrete commitments, and increase investments to advance gender equality and empower women in accordance with the Beijing+30 Action Agenda.

The UN Women China Office and the UN Global Compact Liaison Office Shanghai held the CEO Roundtable, bringing together over 80 Chinese and global business leaders to mobilize action for lasting change toward gender equality. Structured in the run-up to International Women's Day's 50th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the event concentrated on women's leadership, expanding access to opportunity, and incorporating inclusive practices into business.

Despite representing 43.2 percent of China's workers, or nearly 320 million, women occupy just 10–15 percent of the commanding leadership positions. Having a foundation for the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) from a collaborative effort of UN Women and UNGC, the roundtable promised companies a place to share experiences and learn from each other. "We need action and leadership now," Smriti Aryal, UN Women China Country Representative said emphasizing this generation needs to close the gender gap.

She urged companies to publicly pledge gender inclusion, set goals, encourage allyship and mentoring, and create innovation and equity cultures. UN Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee also made the same point, pointing out that inclusive practice businesses are suited for long-term development, talent retention, and market expansion.

UN Women also provided perspectives on important trends—such as AI, sustainability, and China's transition to a consumer-led economy—explaining their gender equality implications. Evidence presented indicated that more diverse leadership results in improved financial performance, with businesses experiencing 36 percent greater profitability and improved share price growth when women are highly represented on boards. With over 420 CEOs in China making commitments to the WEPs, the country is one of the leading gender equality commitment nations globally.

Caitlyn Chen, Tencent Vice President, called for collective action, urging more businesses to join hands to advance women's health, education and economic empowerment. In the coming years, UN Women and UNGC will further advocate for more inclusive business to allow all girls and women to thrive.