Gender lens investing emerging market portfolios with strong

Emerging market portfolios with strong "gender lens investing" mandates are now outperforming local benchmarks by approx. 5% YTD. Sectors such as microfinance and agritech, with higher female leadership representation, show stable revenue growth despite currency fluctuations. In a recent op-ed for Barron’s , Mary Hayes and Nela Richardson of the ADP Research Institute noted that while women currently make up less than half of the overall workforce, they represent 56% of part-time workers. That’s problematic, because many women are willing and able to take on full-time roles, and part-time work usually implies lower compensation. Recognising that women make up half the global population, our strategy intentionally integrates gender equality into our investments. By financing women-led businesses and supporting inclusive workplace policies, we help build resilient, equitable communities. Companies that are committed to gender equality benefit from a broader talent pool, improve their risk profile and create both social and economic value ." Institutional investors are recalibrating global ESG allocations to integrate "gender lens investing", with model portfolios showing 15–20 bps alpha improvement over standard ESG baskets. Analysts note positive correlations between gender diversity metrics and EBITDA margin expansion.