Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)National Foods Limited (NFL), the leading enterprise in Pakistan’s food industry, has become the signatory of Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs). Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are the result of a collaboration between UN Women – a United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women – and the United Nations Global Compact and are adapted from the Calvert Women’s Principles.
NFL believes in giving back to the community and enabling sustainability by generously contributing towards the development of health, education and women empowerment. Hence it has now pledged compliance with the ‘Women Empowerment Principles’. NFL has been warmly welcomed and added to their global list of signatories that include more than 2000 corporate giants worldwide.
Joining this partnership initiative of UN Women and the UN Global Compact Office, NFL has selected WEP #2, out of the 7 WEPs. The WEP #2 inspires the organizations to; treat all women and men fairly at work – respect & support human-rights and nondiscrimination.
National Foods’ Chief Executive Officer, Abrar Hasan stated, “It is a matter of pride for us to be the signatory of this resourceful initiative, which reflects our commitment and continued efforts on social development and women empowerment. National Foods is setting new benchmarks of diversity and equality by elevating the quality of life for our employees. The well-being of our dedicated human-capital is the driving force behind our successful business strategies and ethical policies, while we also ensure regulatory compliance, transparency in business and sustainability for the environment.”
The Deputy Representative of UN Women Pakistan, Ms. Aisha Mukhtar stated, “The Women’s Empowerment Principles are subtitled ‘Equality Means Business’, because the full participation of women benefits the business, and indeed, all of us. Informed by leading businesses’ policies and practices from different sectors and around the world, the Principles offer a practical approach to advance women, and point the way to a future that is both more prosperous and fairer, for everyone.”
UN Women in Pakistan works with a variety of public and private partners to create a conducive environment where women and girls can benefit from equal social and economic development opportunities, live a life free from violence in private and public spaces, and violence survivors can access quality essential services.
It specifically provides technical support to national and provincial counterparts for the adoption and implementation of evidence based, gender-responsive laws, policies and programmes in line with national and international gender equality commitments including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
NFL has always been actively involved in multiple CSR initiatives, based on UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It works on Family Friendly Policies like flexible work timings, telecommuting, work from home options, health & wellness programs at work, paternal leaves, along with an on-site Daycare facility for employees’ children. Over the decades, NFL has deployed revolutionary technologies as it evolved rapidly through extensive research and innovation, as customer-care remains its primary focus.
Women empowerment principles introduced by UN Women and the Global Compact also include establishing high level corporate leadership for gender equality; ensuring health safety & wellbeing of all women & men workers; promoting education, training & professional development; implementing enterprise development, supply chain & marketing practices; promoting equality through community initiatives & advocacy; while also measuring & publicly reporting progress on gender equality.
