BPW Alberta supports the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) because "Equality Means Business". As of February 2022, we became an official signatory to WEPs. 

Women's Empowerment is a top organizational priority and we invite all stakeholders in Alberta to demonstrate their support for the WEPs and encourage business leaders to implement them to demonstrate their commitment to gender equality in Alberta.

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of Principles for businesses that offer guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.

What are the WEPs?

The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of Principles for businesses that offer guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.

WEPs Vision

Transform corporate behaviour and intentionally position gender and women's empowerment as essential core business objectives.

WEPs Objective

Motivate and guide business to take wide-ranging actions to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community and to view such action as an integral and necessary part of corporate sustainability.

How Can Stakeholders use the Seven Women's Empowerment Principles?

While designed as a tool for the private sector to strengthen company policies and programs to create a culture that can achieve gender equality, the Principles provide a platform for all stakeholders to advance their commitment to gender equality. Together we can create a province and nation where women’s economic capacity is unleashed and where women are fully engaged in positions of leadership and strategic decision-making. As well as being a useful guide for business, the Principles seek to inform other stakeholders, including governments, and civil society in their engagement with the private sector. 

The Seven Principles:

1. Establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality
2. Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect and support human rights and non-discrimination
3. Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all women and men workers
4. Promote education, training and professional development for women
5. Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women
6. Promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy
7. Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality

During the pandemic, BPW Alberta's focus shifted on the WEPs. 

The following slide shows the shift in priorities. The first three areas show our focus before the global crisis and the following three areas demonstrate the shift.