• El-Khazindar: Empowering women in the workplace has an economic return, as it improves corporate performance, creativity, crisis management, and investment. We empower governmental and international efforts and initiatives and implement further action to achieve equality and bridge the gender gap.
  • Hammouda: Joining the WEPs initiative and applying its seven principles stem from Qalaa’s commitment to "leading by example" to improve women’s status and role in the economy and unleash the full potential as a major partner in the workforce, enhance the society and achieve Egyptian economic growth through the application of an existing sustainable business model and a comprehensive institutional vision based on the following four areas:
  • Applying the principle of equal opportunities and equality, appointing qualified Egyptian women, and creating a supportive work environment to empower women and help them to be creative, with their representation in leadership and management positions.
  • Launching major inclusive community development programs and initiatives to train, prepare and empower women and youth.
  • Encouraging and honoring women’s competencies in the public scene, through highlighting their vital role across various sectors, and contributing to changing stereotypes, ideas, and beliefs about the role of women in the Egyptian and international business community.
  • Actively participating in the initiatives of the local and international institutions and support for governmental and international efforts that would enhance the status of women and achieve equality and equal opportunities for both sexes.

Cairo:  Qalaa Holdings, a leader in energy and infrastructure (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Exchange), joins the Women's Empowerment Principles Initiative WEPs, launched by the United Nations in cooperation with the UN Global Compact and UN Women, aiming to emphasize the support and achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace. This initiative has been endorsed by more than 2,600 companies on the Global level. The agreement reflects Qalaa Holdings’ efforts in empowering women economically and achieving gender equality, in addition to confirming its commitment to implement the seven principles of the Declaration, emphasizing the creation of an institutional approach to achieve gender equality, treat women and men equitably at work, while respecting and supporting human rights and non-discrimination. It also focuses on ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all women and men, promoting education, training, and professional development of women, adopting practices that promote women's empowerment, and equality through community initiatives, encouraging participation, and working to measure progress in achieving gender equality and reporting it publicly.

This agreement is part of Qalaa Holdings’ constant belief in the importance of women's empowerment, through the implementation of a sustainable business model based on equal opportunities and equality, as well as the launching of numerous community development programs and initiatives and participation in local and international initiatives to enhance the status of women in society. The efforts of Qalaa Holdings fall under a globally agreed scope for women's economic empowerment and their essential role in advancing society and accelerating the Egyptian economy, along with the 2030 Vision for Sustainable Development, and with United Nations efforts in women's economic empowerment, as one of the pillars of sustainable development.

Hisham El-Khazindar, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Qalaa Holdings and Co-Chair and Representative of Qalaa holdings in the Gender Gap Catalyst, emphasized, "Empowering women in the workplace has an economic return, as it improves corporate performance, creativity, crisis management, and investment. I call on all companies, institutions, and stakeholders to join forces with the countries’ efforts to achieve equality and women's economic empowerment to realize sustainable development, especially since Egypt is among the countries that have taken positive measures to enhance the role of the women in leadership by stimulating their participation in all aspects of life and eliminating practices that prevent them from obtaining their rights.”

El-Khazindar also added: "The signing of the Declaration of the UN Women Empowerment Principles is an affirmation of the commitment of Qalaa Holdings and its leadership to support, empower governmental and international efforts and initiatives and to implement further action to achieve equality, bridge the gender gap and implement the seven principles of the Declaration."

Ghada Hammouda, Chief Sustainability and Marketing Officer at Qalaa Holdings, expressed her happiness and pride in signing this declaration by saying: “Joining the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) initiative stems from Qalaa’s belief that the role of women is pivotal in the advancement of society and the Egyptian economy. Gender equality in the workplace is an economic issue. The private sector is a key partner in advancing the agenda of women's economic empowerment, so we must all implement the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) to improve their status and role in the economy and unleash the full potential of Egyptian women in order to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth.”

Qalaa Holdings is a regional pioneer in deploying principles of responsible investment, good corporate citizenship, transparency, and good governance, supporting and empowering women, as well as enhancing their role in society. Qalaa joined the United Nations Global Compact initiative “UNGC” in 2014, and in 2015, the company adopted the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for its ESG practices, with a focus on 9 of those goals to achieve community and economic development and protect the environment and resources (ESG) in its pursuits to achieve a sustainable future for future generations.

Hammouda explained that Qalaa Holdings’ strategy to support and empower women comes in light of a comprehensive institutional vision since the company's inception for inclusion and investing in human resources, and to support the vital role that women play in building societies and in various sectors efficiently. The company adopts an institutional program and methodology to contribute to achieving the three sustainable development goals: quality education (the fourth goal), gender equality (the fifth goal), and reducing inequalities (the tenth goal).

Qalaa Holdings’ strategy is to support and empower women in the field of work in the following four areas:

The first area is "Leading by example" in applying a sustainable business model based on inclusion, equal opportunities and equality and creating a supportive environment for women to achieve their aspirations during the full life cycle of working women, starting with ensuring the diversity of applicants for different job opportunities and appointing qualified Egyptian women in various fields, in addition to creating a supportive work environment to empower women and help them to be creative, with their representation in leadership and management positions and focus on results and the added value, not the gender. Therefore, the percentage of women in Qalaa Holdings are 25% on the Board of Directors, 39% in various senior leadership positions, 13.04% in middle management, and 52% in new appointment contracts.

The second area focuses on launching major inclusive community development programs and initiatives to train, prepare and empower women and youth, and bridge the gender gap with a representation of at least 50% of women. In addition to allocating specialized programs for household women, such as “Tamkeen” and “Mostaqbaly” programs of the Egyptian Refining Company and Qalaa Holdings Foundation for Scholarships.

The third area of this strategy focuses on strengthening women’s competencies within the company and encouraging girls and women pioneers in community development initiatives by honoring their work and achievements in the public scene. Doing so by, shedding light on the awards they received at the local and international level, such as Forbes and the Financial Times, as a cornerstone towards changing stereotypes, ideas, and beliefs about the role of women in the Egyptian and international business community.

While the fourth area is coordination and active participation in the initiatives of the local and international institutions and support for governmental and international efforts that would enhance the status of women and achieve equality and equal opportunities for both sexes. In addition to joining the United Nations Declaration of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPS), Qalaa Holdings is one of the four major private sector companies co-chairing the "Closing the Gender Gap Accelerator" with both the Ministry of International Cooperation and the National Council for Women, which is a model for cooperation between the government and private sectors - Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals - in Egypt to promote the empowerment of women and unleash their full potential as a major partner in the workforce and the advancement of the Egyptian economy.

Qalaa Holdings, represented by Ghada Hammouda, Chief of the Sustainability and Marketing Officer, participates annually since 2008 in the “Ringing the Bell for Gender Equality” event, which was organized in 2022 by the Egyptian Stock Exchange for the eighth year in a row in cooperation with the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, and a number of development partners, including the World Federation of Exchanges, the United Nations Women's Authority, and Global Compact Egypt.

Worthy of mention, the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) represents a journey of development from a social perspective that interested parties are going through to help them not only investing in their commitment to gender equality, but also investing in their business with the support of the UN Women, as promoting gender equality is important to improve corporate performance, attract investments, enhance innovation capacity, attract and retain talent, diversify the supplier base, and meet consumer demands.

-Ends-

Previous Qalaa Holdings press releases on this subject and others may be viewed online from your computer, tablet or mobile device at qalaaholdings.com/newsroom 

About Qalaa Holdings:

Qalaa Holdings (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Stock Exchange) is an African leader in energy and infrastructure. Qalaa Holdings builds responsible and sustainable businesses that add value to the economies and societies in which it does business. Formerly known as Citadel Capital, Qalaa Holdings controls subsidiaries in industries including Energy, Cement, Agrifoods, Transportation & Logistics, Mining and Printing & Packaging. To learn more, please visit qalaaholdings.com. 

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