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Global
On April 1, 2019 WEConnect International will host its 3rd annual Global Gala and Awards Ceremony at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. The gala brings together over 200 Fortune 500 corporate representatives, government officials, thought leaders, and philanthropic and civil society organizations, who champion women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
This year, WEConnect International celebrates its 10 Year Anniversary by honoring the corporate members, women-owned businesses, and strategic partners that have helped shape the organization over the last decade.
Procter & Gamble (P&G), a WEConnect International corporate member since 2014, will be honored with this year’s Corporate Member of the Year Award. P&G has demonstrated its commitment to diverse suppliers globally by spending more than $2 billion USD with diverse suppliers for seven consecutive years. With the implementation of the Business Development Program in 2017, P&G has partnered with WEConnect International to provide capacity building training to more than 65 women business owners in 7 countries to date.
The award will be accepted by Carolyn Tastad, P&G Group President – North America and Executive Sponsor of Gender Equality. “At P&G, we want to be part of a world where everyone sees equal – a world that offers equal voice and equal representation for all individuals,” Tastad said. “When we give women the opportunity to shape the economy through their work, we can have a massive impact on the health and welfare of our world. And through our partnership with WEConnect International, our impact is magnified.”
The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Baroness Scotland of Ashtal, will accept WEConnect International’s 2019 Distinguished Champion Award. As the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, and the first woman to hold that position, Patricia Scotland has served as a global leader for women’s equality and urged bold action to close the persistent economic gender gap around the globe. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent and equal sovereign states that, together, are home to 2.4 billion people or ⅓ of the world’s population. With 60% of its population under the age of 30, the Commonwealth comprises a young, future-oriented generation and includes both advanced economies and developing countries.
“Working for the economic empowerment of women is not only the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do,” Scotland stated during a high-level panel at the World Investment Forum 2018 in Geneva. “It contributes to human development and inclusive growth as well as to prosperous business.”
WEConnect International will also announce and honor a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise from one of the 45 countries where the organization offers certification.
The evening will be emceed by global business executive Ryan Patel. As former VP of Global Development for Pinkberry and regular CNN Contributor, Ryan is a widely recognized thought-leader in global business and a strong advocate for inclusive sourcing in corporate supply chains. “I am honored to celebrate this momentous occasion, as WEConnect International enters its 10th year, and to leverage my own power as a consumer, ally, and entrepreneur to help promote the women-owned movement around the globe,” said Patel.
For more information about the 2018 WEConnect International Gala, visit the event website. To inquire about sponsorship or in-kind contributions, please contact our team.
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. For more information, visit the website here.
