Women, equality, and economic power

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Achieving gender equality in all aspects of society isn't just ethically right, it's also economically smart. Numerous studies show that increasing gender equality increases economic growth, making it a win-win situation. Women make up half the global population and half the workforce, meaning that society is missing out on a lot of valuable ideas if they are not properly included.

In this episode, we hear how economic justice and empowerment can drive prosperity for all and how businesses can push these issues to the top of the agenda. We also look at how public and private initiatives from the Nordic countries are accelerating global progress towards gender equality.

This episode comes from an online Nordic Talks event hosted by Mind Your Business, a Danish sustainable business consultancy, and the Danish government’s representation at the UN in New York.

This podcast episode features the following speakers

Girl Be Heard (Global organization)

Girl Be Heard is an organization encouraging young people to start conversations about social justice issues affecting their communities, through theatre-making, storytelling, and performance. Its vision is to build the leaders, changemakers and activists of tomorrow by giving the stage to girls and young women. In this episode, you can hear a performance by Megan Augustine, Gabrielle Galchen, Meera Dasgupta and Jamilah Rosemond.

Thomas Bustrup (Denmark)

Thomas Bustrup is Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Director-General of the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI). He also serves as a board member for State of Green, which promotes Danish sustainable businesses internationally; the independent positive news website “Verdens Bedste Nyheder” (World's Best News); and the UN's Global Compact Network Denmark. Thomas is responsible for DI’s international activities and is the chair of BusinessEurope's US Network, representing the European business community’s interests in the United States.

Ann Linde (Sweden)

Ann Linde, a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, has been Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden since September 2019. Ann previously served as Minister for Foreign Trade and Minister for EU Affairs and Trade. She is also the Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, where she managed to launch a new advisory group of experts to strengthen the organization's work on women, peace, and security.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (South Africa)

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women until August 2021. She has devoted her career to fighting for human rights, equality, and social justice. Phumzile has worked in government, civil society and the private sector, and was actively involved in the struggle to end apartheid in her home country of South Africa. A long-time champion of women's rights, she served as a member of South Africa's parliament and government for over a decade, including as Deputy President of South Africa in 2005-2008.