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Why Gender Diversity Matters
Gender diversity matters in microfinance. WWB champions gender diversity because we believe that diverse perspectives lead to stronger decisions and healthier, more vibrant organizations. Incorporating women’s voices when designing and delivering microfinance products is particularly important when a majority of clients are women. Equally as important, microfinance clients often speak of the inspiration they derive from seeing powerful women leaders in the organizations that serve them. How best to achieve diversity? The answer lies in leadership and technical skill development of individual, high-potential leaders as well as in organizational transformations to ensure that all women and men work in environments where they can perform, excel and lead.
Featured Publication
“Transforming the Landscape of Leadership in Microfinance: Maintaining the Focus on Women” introduces WWB’s new methodology for helping MFIs support gender diversity at all levels of their institution. WWB has expanded its Women’s Leadership Development Program, which works with individuals, to include a tool that focuses on the challenges and opportunities microfinance institutions face in the attraction, retention, and promotion of qualified women staff members - the Organizational Gender Assessment. Now available in English and Spanish.
24 Microfinance Leaders Sharpen Skills in the Advanced Leadership Program
From April 16-20th, the WWB Center for Microfinance Leadership welcomed senior leaders in Philadelphia, USA for the 4th Annual Advanced Leadership Program. Participants hailed from 22 institutions in 19 different countries, representing all regions of the world.
The program, co-hosted by WWB’s Center for Microfinance Leadership and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania’s Aresty Institute of Executive Education, is designed specifically to meet the needs of experienced leaders in the rapidly evolving microfinance sector. The week long program covers key topics such as building top management teams, advanced negotiation skill-building, effective governance, and succession planning.
In an effort to teach participants the very latest approaches to strategy and leadership, two new modules were introduced this year: Crafting Contagions and New Business Opportunities in the 21st Century. Crafting Contagions focused on the powerful effect of word of mouth on creating consumer buzz around new products and increasing brand recognition. New Business Opportunities in the 21st Century examined global trends and challenges and opportunities in an increasingly interconnected world.
Participants completedthe peer learning aspect of the program with an impressive array of Innovation Learning Projects. For these group projects, participants were asked to identify and present an innovative solution to a current challenge or new opportunity facing their institutions. Their presentations addressed some of the most pressing challenges of the microfinance sector today such as reducing employee turnover, expansion away from the credit-led approach and increasing the reach of financial services to new markets such as youth.