Inaugural Jordan diversity trailblazers awards celebrate efforts to empower women in workforce

AMMAN — The first-ever Jordan Diversity Trailblazers Awards ceremony was held on Tuesday in Amman, honouring private sector employers for their efforts in advancing gender equality and women's empowerment in the workplace.

Launched by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in cooperation with the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) and in partnership with The Netherlands, the awards aim to boost women’s participation in Jordan’s workforce—one of the lowest globally.

The ceremony was attended by Netherlands Ambassador to Jordan Harry Verweij, IFC Regional Director Khawaja Aftab Ahmed, ASE CEO Mazen Wathaifi, and representatives from 60 private sector companies.

In his opening remarks, Verweij stressed that gender equality is not just about recognition but a strategic necessity for Jordanian businesses striving for sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving global economy.

He also highlighted Jordan’s alarmingly low female workforce participation, citing World Bank data from 2023, which showed that only 14 per cent of women were employed, compared to 63 per cent of men.

He added that despite high levels of education and strong professional qualifications, women in Jordan continue to face socio-cultural barriers, workplace discrimination, inadequate childcare support, and weak gender-inclusive policies. “This underutilisation of a highly skilled talent pool limits Jordan’s economic growth and development potential,” Verweij said.

He emphasised that increasing women's participation in the workforce leads to greater social stability, better education and improved well-being, adding that companies that prioritise women’s empowerment enhance resilience, innovation and long-term economic prosperity.

In an interview with The Jordan Times, Khawaja Aftab Ahmed reaffirmed IFC’s commitment to bridging the gender gap in employment.

 “Some people think that diversity comes at a cost of doing business as they might hire more women who may have lower productivity compared to men. This mindset has to change. Evidence shows the exact opposite,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed referenced studies indicating that “if companies have more women in their board, executive committee, or management, they perform much better in terms of profitability, stock price, and other aspects of business.”

He emphasised the economic benefits of increasing women’s workforce participation. “If Jordan closes the gender gap by employing more women, the total GDP can improve by 15-20 per cent - this is about $8 billion, covering for five years of GDP growth at 4 per cent per annum,” he added.

Director of Planning and Institutional Development at ASE Rasha Dayyat explained the evaluation process for the awards.

"Applications were assessed by representatives from IFC, ASE, and UN Women based on evidence of gender diversity incentives, inclusive policies, female workforce representation, and measures to reduce obstacles to career advancement. The evaluation also considered the presence of women in management ranks."

PwC was named the winner of Jordan’s Diversity Trailblazers Award for its commitment to supporting female employees and setting a precedent for workplace inclusion. Bank al Etihad and Estarta Solutions took second and third place, respectively.

Raana Junaidi, Bank al Etihad representative, highlighted part of the bank’s approach to diversity and inclusion. She mentioned various policies to support women in the workplace, including extended maternity leave, flexible working hours, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, and a zero-pay-gap commitment.

The bank also offers childcare support, career development programmes for women and initiatives to ensure equal access to leadership roles.

Junaidi noted that these efforts have had measurable impacts. Women now make up 46 per cent of the bank’s workforce, with 51 per cent in leadership positions, including 27 per cent representation on the board.