Progress Towards an Inclusive Jamaican Workforce

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Friday, July 26, 2019: The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the United Nations Win-Win: Gender Equality Means Good Business Programme, a partnership among UN Women, the European Union and the International Labour Organization, joined forces with the objective: Progress Towards an Inclusive Jamaican Workforce. The entities partnered in hosting the launch of the PSOJ’s Gender and Disabilities Affairs Committee and to further the Win-Win programme; to increase women’s economic empowerment and leadership as the basis for sustainable, inclusive and equitable growth and promote the business case for gender equality – through the private sector.

With the objective of gender equality and inclusion in the workplace at the fore, the Gender and Disabilities Affair Committee, saw the need to activate this push for enhancing gender equality and improving the status of women, as not only a matter of women’s human rights, but also a contribution to overall business growth and economic development. In his address to the gathering on Friday afternoon at Alhambra Inn- President of the PSOJ, Howard Mitchell, emphasized that although there is an increase in the rate at which females are being employed, they are not being selected for C-suite positions. He highlighted that globally women are paid less than their male counterparts and are rarely integrated as CEO’s or Political Leaders. Mitchell said, “more men need to be a part of the integration process to ensure its success.” Her Excellency Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska- Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica in delivering her remarks, spoke to the differing mindsets between men and women when applying for top level executive positions. She said, “women may ask the question am I ready for this whereas men assert- I deserve this.”

Several female CEO’s attended the luncheon and aligned with the mandate, including the PSOJ’S Makeba Bennett-Easy, Island Grill’s Thalia Lyn, Pro Comm’s Jean Lowrie-Chin and Totally Males Sandra Williams and others.  Attendees were introduced to the Women’s Empowerment Principles- WEP and pledged their support by signing the mandate, which expresses support for advancing equality between men and women to bring the broadest pool of talent to corporations.  National Private Sector Specialist- Jamaica UN Women Win-Win Programme, Dr. Denise Chevannes-Vogel, during her presentation delved into the principles of WEP and expressed that she was looking forward to the ongoing working relationship with the PSOJ. Bennett-Easy in delivering the closing remarks, highlighted that this initiative is special to her as a human capital development specialist- and one she will be personally overseeing; she is anticipating the integration of the WEP principles in more Jamaican organizations.

31 companies have already signed the WEP pledge including: