Global Gender Summit: Barbara Rambousek of European Bank on creating women-friendly workplaces

In a bid to create more women-friendly workplaces and address the underrepresentation of women in profitable sectors and management positions, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is championing the cause for gender diversity. Barbara Rambousek, the Director of Gender and Economic Inclusion at EBRD, highlighted the importance of enhancing workforce diversity to unlock the untapped talent pool of women. She stressed that companies must actively promote equal opportunities, review their policies, and partner with schools to attract more women into roles that require skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects. Rambousek emphasized the need to support women in transitioning from education to viable careers in these sectors, as many tend to veer towards lower-earning fields. She noted that the private sector is increasingly receptive to these initiatives and is ready to collaborate with other partners, including civil society organizations and policymakers, to address the existing challenges.