AGEXPORT created, with support from the European Union’s “More Competitive Cooperatives and SMEs” program, a new committee to gather together Guatemalan exporting businesswomen. The committee is formed by renowned women that contribute to the country’s development with their leadership on export-oriented companies. The main objective of this new group is to provide more empowerment to women leaders with the implementation of successful methodologies to improve their leadership skills.
A study recently presented by the Inter-American Development Bank on female labor showcased that one of the most important socioeconomic changes of the last half century is the high growth rate of female labor, specially in Latin America. Added to that, UN Women revealed that among the working population worldwide, women represent 61.5% in services, 25% in agriculture activities and 13.5% in industry.
We have plenty of success stories of remarkable women with a strong passion in developing the country. They have changed their personal and family roles to become more active citizens and put their vision and hard work on exporting firms, leading from rural agriculture associations to multinational corporations. Because of this, today we achieved the dream of inaugurating AGEXPORT’s newest committee of export-oriented businesswomen. This committee will promote and showcase the hard work of businesswomen and entrepreneurs, whose actions strengthen companies’ directory boards and contribute to increase the country’s foreign trade figures; said Mrs. Connie de Paiz, AGEXPORT’s President.
The members of this new committee include presidents or vice-presidents of the different directory boards at AGEXPORT, along with other women business leaders of the country. Among all directory boards in AGEXPORT, women have a 25% participation.
During the inauguration ceremony of this new committee, we signed a cooperation agreement with UN Women to join hands and develop key projects to strengthen women participation in the business world and display important initiatives lead by women in Guatemala; remarked Mrs. de Paiz.
This committee will base its activities on three main strategies: 1. Identifying actions to improve women participation in the business field; 2. developing a communication plan to display the actions and importance of women in businesses; and 3. Providing tools for businesswoman to improve their leadership skills. The achievements of this group will be measured through its impact on the business environment, mainly by increasing the participation of women in directory boards of AGEXPORT as well as increasing the number of companies lead by women.
AGEXPORT has developed unique methodologies to provide economic empowerment and business capabilities to rural women. Our “global value chains for rural areas” methodology has been executed successfully for more than 15 years and have helped women leaders to surge and guide important changes in their communities; said Mrs. de Paiz.
AGEXPORT has identified 57 women business leaders among its 26 agriculture, manufacturing, services, call centers, fishery and garments & textiles directory boards.
