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December 4, 2019

IFC AND WECONNECT INTERNATIONAL BRING TOGETHER SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION EXPERTS IN INDIA FOR CORPORATE ROUNDTABLE

MUMBAI, INDIA, December 5, 2019Global leaders interested in supplier diversity and inclusion gathered to discuss Indian and global efforts to close the gap in gender-inclusive sourcing and increase market opportunities for women business owners at a roundtable event in Mumbai. The roundtable was hosted by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and WEConnect International in their fourth joint event. 

During the event, entitled “Proven Strategies to Increase Women SMEs’ Access to Corporate Value Chains in India,” participants joined expert-led discussions, learned about the business case for gender-inclusive sourcing and shared best practices with industry peers. 

“This important discussion showcased some of the most impactful Indian and global initiatives in gender-inclusive sourcing, a business practice which simultaneously drives innovation in the supply chain and equitable economic growth,” said WEConnect International CEO & Co-Founder, Elizabeth A. Vazquez. 

Following the roundtable, WEConnect International hosted its ThinkBig 2019 conference on December 6th, 2019. The event focused on the changing face of business ownership and brought together some of the largest corporations in the world and female business owners from across the region, creating opportunities for greater market access. 

The IFC – WEConnect International partnership is financed by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, or We-Fi. To learn more about the Roundtable or Annual Conference, contact WEConnect International. 

About IFC

IFC—a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. IFC works with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using their capital, expertise and influence to create markets and opportunities in the toughest areas of the world. In fiscal year 2019, IFC invested $19.1 billion, including $10.2 billion mobilized from other investors. IFC comprehensive approach helps businesses innovate, build internationally competitive industrial sectors, and create better jobs. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

About WEConnect International
WEConnect International helps women-owned businesses succeed in global value chains. It identifies, educates, registers and certifies women’s business enterprises based outside of the U.S. that are at least 51% owned, managed, and controlled by one or more women, and then connects them with qualified member buyers. More information

About We-Fi
The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) is a collaborative partnership among 14 governments (Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States), eight multilateral development banks and other public and private stakeholders. Housed in the World Bank Group, We-Fi seeks to unlock billions of dollars in financing to tackle the full range of barriers facing women entrepreneurs—increasing access to finance, markets, technology and mentoring, while strengthening policy and legal and regulatory frameworks. For more information, visit www.we-fi.org.