KARACHI: Procter & Gamble Pakistan won the OICCI Women Empowerment Award 2022 whereas Nestle Pakistan and Unilever Pakistan were declared the first and second runners-up, respectively.

The awards were organised on Tuesday by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), which represents more than 200 large foreign investors operating in Pakistan.

“There’s a need for gender-inclusive measures to ensure expedited socio-economic growth. Female labour participation in Pakistan, at 21 per cent, remains the lowest among regional peers,” said OICCI President Ghias Khan.

“Bridging the female employment gap will increase employment by up to 19 million and boost Pakistan’s GDP by up to 23pc, according to World Bank estimates,” he said.

State Bank of Pakistan Deputy Governor Sima Kamil was declared the first winner of the Iconic Corporate Women Leaders Award based on nominations received from OICCI members.

This is an award, introduced this year, to recognise corporate female leaders who can serve as an inspiration to the younger female generation for the bars they have set in the corporate world.

On this occasion, OICCI also launched the Diversity and Inclusion Handbook 2022.

The handbook covers policies aimed at building inclusive workplaces that include workplace flexibility, hybrid working models and policies enabling working mothers and parents effectively.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2023