Santo Domingo. The Ministry of Women recognized eight Dominican companies for their commitment and work to promote gender equality within the work environment through their incorporation into the Igualando RD Seal for the private sector, an initiative that it promotes together with the United Nations Program (UNDP).

In the activity, special recognition was granted to Banco BHD León and Bepensa, which at the end of last year were certified with the Platinum Seal, for having completed the Gold Seal for two consecutive periods, and for having generated important changes in an attempt to increase competitiveness, productivity and the promotion of actions aimed at eliminating gender gaps and increasing equal participation and employment opportunities between women and men.

In addition, the companies that passed the audit and received the Gold Seal were recognized as: Claro; Human ARS; Old Town Barrick; EGE Haina; Universal Group and Banco Caribe; These corporations have directed actions to strengthen a work environment that respects and recognizes the human rights of women, as well as more professional development opportunities for them, including their access to decision-making positions.

The central words were given by the Minister of Women, Mayra Jiménez, who highlighted that Igualando RD as a public policy aims to promote organizational changes that contribute to closing gender gaps in companies.

“The Seal represents an opportunity to deepen organizational transformation through the mainstreaming of the gender approach, which implies inserting changes in the way in which companies approach their businesses and visualize the human management of their work teams.”

The Ministry of Women, in its governing role as the body responsible for promoting equity and equality between women and men, has promoted the implementation of policies aimed at closing gaps in the workplace, prevention of violence and harassment in the workplace, the promotion of co-responsibility and the reconciliation of work, family and personal life in companies and productivity through business management systems for gender equality.

Inka Mattila, resident representative of the UNDP, indicated that this Seal is not just another certification for companies, it implies a real change in their policies, culture and organizational chart in favor of gender equality. “We are very happy to see the great commitment of our companies and the changes in the management strategy with a gender lens that has managed to put their male and female collaborators first,” said Mattila.

The Gender Equality Seal, IGUALANDO RD, is a voluntary certification program aimed at promoting gender equality, the economic and social autonomy of women in companies and organizations, with the purpose of establishing a Quality Management Model for the Gender Equality –MGIG- in the Dominican Republic.

This model grants recognition to large, small and medium-sized companies or other participating organizations, based on their degree of compliance with the established requirements. The four levels of recognition are bronze, silver, gold and platinum.

Other entities that have also joined this improvement process and are in the process of obtaining the seal are: Gerdau Metaldom; Argus; Reid & Co; trucks; ReidCo Credit Corporation; General Agencies; DPWorld; Santo Domingo Motors; Credit Engine; Popular Bank; Edesur; Edwards; Altice; Engrave Style; Ban reserves; Vega Real Cooperative and Gildan.

These actions guide the Dominican Republic in fulfilling its National Plan for Equality and Gender Equity (PLANEG III), the National Development Strategy 2030 and Sustainable Development Goal number 5: “Gender Equality”, which seeks to achieve gender equality by 2030 and that calls for urgent measures to eliminate the root causes of discrimination that continue to restrict women’s rights, both in the public and private spheres of employment.