The theme for International Women’s Day 2025, ‘For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment’ urges action to provide women with equal rights, power, and opportunities, aimed at creating an inclusive future that leaves no one behind.
It is a passionate call to governments, businesses, and individuals to take bold steps towards ensuring that women and girls have equal opportunities in all aspects of life.
However, many recognize that this ideal is still far from reality, prompting the question: “How can organizations be intentional in accelerating action for all women and girls, ensuring rights, equality, and empowerment, to foster a more inclusive future?”
The answer lies in continuous action.
At Standard Chartered, we have an unwavering committment to championing gender equality through progressive workplace policies. Beyond the bank, we are dedicated to bridging socio-economic inequality through Futuremakers, our community engagement programme.
Through this initiative, the bank spearheads several programs, including Women-in-Tech, the GOAL initiative, Ready for Inclusive Sustainable Employment and Entrepreneurship (RISE/E), and the LIFT Women’s Account, among others.
Women-in-Tech, launched in 2020, Women in Tech provides female-led entrepreneurial teams with business management training, mentoring, and seed funding. One of the greatest barriers for women entrepreneurs is access to capital. Studies have shown that women-led businesses receive significantly less funding than their male counterparts, despite proving to be just as, if not more, profitable. Through Futuremakers Women in Tech, the bank closes this gap by providing financial and technical support to women-led businesses leveraging technology.
Since its inception, the programme has graduated 74 entrepreneurs, with 21 businesses receiving grants of US$10,000 (equivalent in GHS) each to scale up in industries such as agriculture, software development, and healthcare. These industries, have the power to drive economic and social transformation and these businesses are not just about profits, they are solving real-world problems, creating jobs, and fostering innovation in their communities, building ecosystems of opportunity.
The term “The children are the future” may be overused but it is a fact that stands true. Therefore, any form of empowerment must have the next generation of women in mind. When young girls are given the right skills and confidence, they grow up knowing that they belong in leadership, in business, and in industries traditionally dominated by men.
The Goal programme has for the past seven years impacted over 15,000 young girls, equipping them with critical life skills, financial literacy, and leadership training.
Goal is not just about education but transformation as well. By leveraging sports, interactive education and mentorship, the programme has given young girls in underserved communities the confidence to dream big and the skills to achieve those dreams. Many of these girls now see themselves as future entrepreneurs, leaders, and change-makers.
Women empowerment must also be inclusive, and the Ready for Inclusive Sustainable Employment and Entrepreneurship (RISE/E) is designed to support young entrepreneurs and job seekers, with a strong focus on women and persons with disabilities. Through mentorship, business fairs, and strategic partnerships, we are connecting women with disabilities to opportunities that will help them become economically self-sufficient.
For women who have already built successful businesses, the challenge of financial accessibility remains. Our Lift initiative is a tailored banking solution offering women-owned businesses preferential access to financial solutions and exclusive networking opportunities. This initiative is more than just financial support; it is about breaking the cycle of exclusion that has long held women back from accessing the capital they need to grow. By making banking easier and more accessible for women entrepreneurs, we are ensuring that their businesses can expand, create jobs, and drive economic prosperity.
Vocational training remains a critical economic tool for women, especially in developing economies such as Ghana. Our Girls Vocational Skills Programme has trained 30 young women in valuable trades, while our Girls Employability Skills Programme has equipped over 1,200 women with job-ready skills, ensuring they can secure sustainable employment and financial independence.
Women are the driving force behind this country’s economy but for too long systemic barriers have prevented them from fully participating in the economy. At Standard Chartered, we are committed to breaking these barriers through financial inclusion, entrepreneurship support, skills development, and leadership training.
We believe that when women are given the right resources, they uplift families, communities, and entire economies. The work does not stop here. There is still more to do, but together, we can build a future where all women and girls are not just part of the economy but are leading it.
