• Home
• principles
• assessment
• resources
• search
• FAQ
• about

The Gender Equality Principles Initiative (GEP Initiative) is a partnership among the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, Calvert Group, Ltd., and Verité. These 3 partners joined together in 2008 to draft the Gender Equality Principles (GEP). The GEP offer practical standards to which companies can aspire and a measure against which they can assess their progress on 7 fundamental gender equality issues.

This comprehensive, web-based assessment and toolkit will assist companies in GEP implementation. All materials and tools have been created with direct input from a range of companies, non-governmental organizations, and experts in gender, human rights, labor, employment, and legal issues to ensure that they are operationally relevant and can be used effectively and extensively. The GEP Initiative is not intended to serve as a monitor or judge of compliance but instead as a practical resource to companies and other entities.

The GEP Initiative is part of the ongoing global effort to link women’s empowerment and equity to corporate policies and programs. The GEP are based on the Calvert Women’s Principles®, the first global code of corporate conduct focused on empowering, advancing, and investing in women. The GEP also incorporate human rights principles, including the United Nations’ Women’s Human Rights Treaty (CEDAW).

The founding partners in the GEP Initiative bring a wealth of experience and resources to this project.

The City and County of San Francisco Department on the Status of Women is known internationally as an innovator in promoting gender equality through creative public policies and municipal initiatives, including the local implementation of the United Nations' Women’s Human Rights Treaty (CEDAW).

Calvert Group, Ltd. is a leader in sustainable and responsible investing and serves as a powerful voice in business and public policy on gender equity and other social issues.

Verité is a pioneer in civil society efforts to protect and promote the rights of women and other workers in the global economy through corporate responsibility programming, research, advocacy, and other mechanisms.

© 2010 The San Francisco Department on the Status of Women and Calvert Group, Ltd.
The Gender Equality Principles Initiative Assessment Tool or parts hereof may not be reproduced or disseminated for commercial use without permission.

The founding partners would like to thank Symantec Corporation for its continuing support of the GEP and its generous sponsorship of this website.

The partners would also like to thank the Friends of the Commission on the Status of Women for hosting this website.