EIT Climate-KIC unveils new gender-smart handbook for climate entrepreneurs

In The News 26 Jun 2024

In a world of diverse needs and perspectives, women bring distinctive leadership qualities, social change capabilities, and entrepreneurial skills that are essential to innovation. Studies show that women-led firms have higher ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) scores, and businesses with a higher share of women in leadership positions are more likely to adopt environmentally friendly practices. Additionally, women-led ventures generate more revenue. 

Despite this, inequality in climate innovation continues, with men dominating the sector, both in the number of climate start-ups founded by men and the amount of funding given to men-founded companies versus those founded by women.  

To foster stronger ideas and solutions in climate innovation, we must catalyse support for women as agents of change in start-ups and in the development of products that serve women’s communities. 

So, how can climate start-ups become gender-smart? 

The handbook “WeClim Equally: Gender-Smart Handbook for Climate Entrepreneurs” developed in collaboration with Bopinc, supports climate start-ups in embedding gender perspectives across all facets of their operations. 

It features exercises for start-ups to assess the strength of their gender considerations within their organisation and implement interventions across four critical areas:

  • Leadership: Strategies to cultivate gender-balanced leadership and decision-making structures.
  • Organisational culture: Best practices for fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace environment.
  • Marketplace: Approaches to ensure gender considerations are integrated into product development, marketing, and customer engagement.
  • Community: Ideas for supporting gender equality within the broader community and ecosystem. 

By addressing these areas, start-ups can promote gender equality and drive innovation and business success within the climate innovation sector.  

Download the handbook

At EIT Climate-KIC, we are committed to driving systemic change in gender equity across the climate innovation sector. Supported by Irish Aid, CATAL1.5°T, and IDB Lab, our programme helps partners identify gaps in their understanding of gender inequity and implement concrete actions to embed a gender lens into their everyday work. This initiative is part of a campaign launched by EIT Climate-KIC, outlining five actions to address gender inequity in climate entrepreneurship: Action 1: Reflect internally, Action 2: Show them the money, Action 3: Update marketing and communications materials, Action 4: Robust data collection, Action 5: Bringing in men as allies. 

 

 
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