The winners of the fourth “Employer of Choice” Gender Diversity Awards were announced on Monday at a ceremony organized jointly by the International Finance Corporation and the Pakistan Business Council (PBC).
The awards honor companies that are leading the way in creating inclusive workplaces and enhancing economic opportunities for women in Pakistan.
This year’s top winners are Engro Fertilizers, Engro Polymer & Chemicals, Pakistan Mobile Communications (Jazz), Habib Bank Limited (HBL), and English Biscuit Manufacturers (EBM).
The awards celebrate private sector employers that have demonstrated a strong commitment to empowering women in the workplace by embedding gender diversity policies and practices—and by publicly disclosing these efforts to inspire other businesses to follow their example.
Companies are assessed against IFC and PBC’s Gender Diversity and Disclosure Scorecard, which measures progress in key areas such as gender equality in leadership, closing pay gaps, workplace culture, mentorship and coaching, and inclusive policies.
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“Pakistan is a country with low women’s participation in employment. The Gender Diversity Awards play a vital role in motivating private sector companies to invest in and advance opportunities for their women employees, helping to create better jobs, boost performance, strengthen competitiveness, and attract top talent,” said Khawaja Aftab Ahmed, IFC Regional Director for the Middle East, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. “By publicly sharing their achievements, these companies inspire others to follow suit—a critical step toward ensuring equal economic opportunities for women and fostering inclusive growth in Pakistan.”
Zeelaf Munir, Chairperson of Pakistan Business Council, added: “The Gender Diversity Awards are both a mirror and a spotlight—a mirror to measure internal progress, and a spotlight to showcase what companies are doing well. At the Pakistan Business Council, we are committed to driving meaningful change. Now is the time to move beyond words and accelerate action.”
