Procter & Gamble and WEConnect International successfully concluded the fourth edition of the flagship P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy in Singapore today. This year, 19 women entrepreneurs participated in a wide range of training and development courses on topics such as business growth strategies, brand building, leadership skills, human resources and procurement.
Rahayu Mahzam, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Information attended the virtual graduation ceremony. She expressed her appreciation for the commitment and efforts of organizations like P&G. Those efforts are instrumental in bridging the gender economic gap towards a fairer and more inclusive society for all in Singapore.
Sharing her comments during the ceremony, Rahayu Mahzam said, “SMEs represent a majority of Singapore’s economy, with many impacted by the headwinds caused by the ongoing pandemic. I’m heartened to see the women’s business community taking active steps to upskill and improve. I’m encouraged that these organizations, through the Women Entrepreneurs Academy, have supported budding women entrepreneurs to return to the workplace. This is in line with the Singapore Government’s commitment to build a fair, inclusive and progressive workplace for women.”
The data on women entrepreneurs
A joint survey conducted by P&G and WEConnect International with responses from women business owners across the four editions of the P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy found that 95 percent of women entrepreneurs agree that having a strong support network and access to coaching and training was key to developing their business. However, only 38 percent currently have such access and mentors.
“Women-owned businesses are one of the most underutilized drivers of innovation and job growth in both developed and emerging markets. By leveraging the power of female entrepreneurs, we can launch new ideas, products and services into markets around the world. Indeed, in many parts of the world, women-owned businesses are a significant and reliable source of innovation in global value chains,” said WEConnect International CEO & Co-Founder Elizabeth A. Vazquez.
Magesvaran Suranjan, P&G President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, said, “Our vision is to create a more equal and inclusive world, inside and outside of our company. It is so important for companies like P&G to actively help empower women-owned businesses and provide opportunities for them to thrive. I’m proud to see our Academy support women-led businesses in Singapore for the fourth year in a row. We look forward to seeing these inspiring women and their businesses go from strength to strength.”
For the first time this year, in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, a member from the cohort won a complimentary AmCham Membership. Presented by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei, Chief Executive Officer, AmCham Singapore, the membership presents additional opportunities for networking, knowledge-sharing and collaboration.
Since its inception in 2016, the P&G Women Entrepreneurs Academy has been conducted in Singapore and in other countries globally. These counrties include China, India, Japan, South Africa and Indonesia.
About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands. These include Always, Ambi Pur, Ariel, Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Dawn, Downy, Fairy, Febreze, Gain, Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Lenor, Olay, Oral-B, Pampers, Pantene, SK-II, Tide, Vicks and Whisper. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.
About WEConnect International
WEConnect International is a member-led, global non-profit. It brings motivated, large corporate, multilateral and government buyers together with qualified women-owned suppliers around the world. It works with over 160 multinational buying organizations, with over $1 trillion in annual purchasing power combined. These organizations have committed to sourcing more products and services from women-owned businesses based in over 130 countries. WEConnect International identifies, educates, registers and certifies women’s business enterprises based outside of the U.S. that are at least 51 percent owned, managed and controlled by one or more women. WEConnect International provides certification in over 50 countries that represent over 65 percent of the world’s population.
About WEConnect International and P&G’s Survey
P&G and WEConnect International conducted the survey in November 2021. The survey data quoted is based on all responses received from a total of 21 respondents. All respondents are past and present participants in the P&G Academy for Women Entrepreneurs. They represent a range of different industry sectors and business sizes.
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