Women’s economic empowerment (WEE) is so much more than building finance or accessing capital. Fostering WEE often leads to greater impact than may initially meet the eye - building a sense of independence, fostering women in leadership positions and creating transformative generational change as mothers leave behind an empowered legacy to their own daughters.
Laura Simmons-Stern joined ANDE in June 2022 as our Climate Manager, bringing experience in international climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience across NGO and government sectors. Before joining ANDE, Laura was a Senior Analyst at The Cadmus Group, supporting USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance in environmental compliance and climate risk management. She has also developed climate…
"Conventional wisdom holds that women are less likely than men to start and lead businesses. This trend, however, may be changing. Since 2020, the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute (VEEI) has surveyed small businesses around the world. Our findings suggest that firms born in the past two years are more likely than older firms to be headed by women. They are also more likely than pre-pandemic firms to be led by minority women. And once they start to export, they sell to a larger and more diverse set of markets. These women-led firms are also adopting digital technologies at about the same rate as those led by men. What factors predict success? The newly established women-led firms that weathered the initial impacts of COVID-19 better than other businesses share three characteristics: 1) they are more likely to use digital payments; 2) they are more likely to sell on global marketplaces that enable them to scale their sales and diversify their markets; and 3) they are more likely to export. This paper sets out recommendations for policymakers and the business community to better encourage and support the development of women-led firms by: 1) providing access to digital opportunities; 2) fostering digital skills; and 3) promoting a safe environment in which women-led firms can operate."
To meet the job creation needs of India’s growing population, we need to prioritize investment into the companies often called “the missing middle.”
Sophie joined ANDE in 2022 and serves as the Membership and Events Coordinator bringing experience in international development, event management, and administration. Prior to joining ANDE, Sophie served as Public Health Communication Intern for PAHO, an intern with Strategies for International Development, and an Events and Operations Co-Team Lead with the Institute for International Economic…
"Entrepreneurs need to be prepared to measure and communicate their contribution to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience to key stakeholders. However, there is currently no standardization of climate impact reporting in the small business sector, leaving the burden on entrepreneurs to grow a successful business and implement the right tools to measure climate impact. Climate Collective Foundation and the Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) have published this guide to provide SGBs, impact investors, and ESOs with a consolidated list of available tools and frameworks for climate impact measurement, along with guidance on how to select best-fit resources based on their industry and impact area."