Dhiraagu-IFC partner to strengthen women cooperate leadership

Local telecom company Dhiraagu announced a partnership with the International Financial Corporation (IFC) to launch the company’s Gender Advisory Programme.

 According to the press statement released by Dhiraagu, IFC will work with them to strengthen the gender action plan and unlock business opportunities by adopting a strong gender lens throughout its operations.

Furthermore, it noted that this partnership will complement the initiatives under Dhiraagu’s Gender Action Plan - launched earlier this year.

As per Dhiraagu, this is a key focus area for the company, and it was their aim to ensure the advancement of women as employees and as leaders in technical and non-technical roles.

“I thank IFC for providing their expertise to work with us in accelerating our gender action plan and helping us progress towards gender parity, to ensure Dhiraagu remains as a business that is more resilient, agile, and inclusive. We view this engagement as an incredible opportunity to tap into IFC’s expertise and strengthen our new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) function,” said Ismail Rasheed, CEO & MD at Dhiraagu.

At an international level, IFC has taken a comprehensive approach to reducing gender inequality by working with the private sector to encourage the hiring of women and improving their working conditions, among other initiatives. During this partnership, IFC will assist Dhiraagu in meeting the company’s  gender commitments.

“We know that ensuring women have an equal place in business operations can increase companies’ overall performance and economic gains. IFC is proud to be partnering with Dhiraagu to enhance gender equality in line with the company’s business strategy. By taking this step, Dhiraagu is setting an important example for other companies on creating diverse and inclusive workplaces in Maldives,” said Alejandro Alvarez de la Campa, IFC Country Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Dhiraagu noted that the company celebrates a culture of no gender discrimination and equal opportunities.

In 2019, Dhiraagu established the Women Empowerment Committee that further prioritised and advanced the company’s gender equality goals. The company also continues to support initiatives to inspire and empower women as part of its community through its Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.