TechnoServe’s Gender Journey

ANDE Metrics ConferenceMerida MexicoFebruary, 2019

James Tinker, Manager of Evaluation and Research in Entrepreneurship

Session Overview

TechnoServe | 2

In 2015 TechnoServe adopted a gender policy to mainstream gender sensitive programming in the organization, built around metrics at the portfolio and project levels. This session will share the gender journey of TechnoServe’s entrepreneurship practice, which is still a work in progress, and examine how introducing gender metrics has influenced our programs and the organization as a whole.

SHARE OUT

How many people here represent organizations that have gender policies?

What are you hoping to take away from this session?

TechnoServe | 3

About TechnoServe

TechnoServe | 4

Business Solutions to Poverty TechnoServe | 5

About TechnoServe

TechnoServe has ~100 projects in 30 countries

Our Mission: TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries.

Business Incubators & Accelerators

Subsistence

Micro

Small

Medium

Pre-Startup

Startup

Accelerate

Growth

Business Size

Type of SupportPre-Startup

Startup

Accelerate

Growth

Youth Development

Technical Assistance Facility

Pre-Startup

Startup

Accelerate

Growth

Pre-Startup

Startup

Accelerate

Growth

Subsistence

Micro

Small

Medium

Business Size

Type of Support

TechnoServe’s Gender Policy

TechnoServe | 8

Why TechnoServe started it’s gender journey

TechnoServe | 9

TechnoServe’s Gender Policy sets targets and commitments at 2 levels:

TechnoServe | 10

Publicly available at: https://www.technoserve.org/files/downloads/gender-policy.pdf

Project Gender is integrated into all stages of the project life cycle

Corporate A gender perspective is incorporated into our policies,

strategies, processes, and culture

1

2

Corporate Level

TechnoServe | 11

Our corporate practiceThe policy commits to:● Gender sensitive policies: Gender sensitive language and gender

equality principles incorporated into policies ● HR processes and staff targets: Aiming for equal gender representation

across all levels and geographies. Equal pay for equal work.● Committed leadership: Leadership regularly communicating and

demonstrating their commitment to organizational gender equality, for example, through the recognition of efforts to advance policy objectives.

● Gender staff and training: Created a Gender Director position and , Regional Gender Advisors

● Gender as a headline indicator

TechnoServe | 12

Gender as headline indicator

TechnoServe | 13

Progress on corporate practiceThe policy commits to:● Committed leadership: Leadership regularly communicating and

demonstrating their commitment to organizational gender equality, for example, through the recognition of efforts to advance policy objectives.

TechnoServe | 14

67%59%41%

53%40%

Progress on corporate practiceHR processes and staff targets: Aiming for equal gender representation across all levels and geographies. Equal pay for equal work.

TechnoServe | 15

Project Level

TechnoServe | 16

Women entrepreneurs face additional challenges to grow their businesses

TechnoServe | 17

BRAINSTORM

What should gender policy include at the project-level?

TechnoServe | 18

TechnoServe’s Gender Policy Commits us to:

● Gender-disaggregated data● Gender analyses● Gender sensitive design● Systematic learning

TechnoServe | 19

Gender disaggregated data

TechnoServe | 20

DISCUSSION

“Our goal is to have XXX% of our participant be women.”

What should the target be if an organization really values womens’ empowerment?

TechnoServe | 21

Gender analyse case study

Gender analyses found• Women have better

outcomes with female mentors, men get better outcomes with make mentors

• Time of trainings is critical

TechnoServe | 22

Pre-Startup

Startup

Accelerate

Growth

SubsistenMicroSmall

Medium

Gender design case study: ITE

TechnoServe | 23

Pre-Startup

Startup

Accelerate

Growth

SubsistenMicroSmall

Medium

Steps taken• Have a “gender

champion” on the staff in every country lead capacity building and monitor outcomes.

• Build confidence of program team

• Build gender into all tools and material

• Keep testing and learning

Gender design case study: ITE

TechnoServe | 24

Case study: Business Women Connect

TechnoServe | 25

Pre-Startup

Startup

Accelerate

Growth

SubsistenMicroSmall

Medium

• Conducted a RCT to determine impact of mobile savings platforms and trainings on women-led businesses.

Impact of M-Pawa and training on weekly transactions

TechnoServe | 26

Impact of TechnoServe’s Gender Policy

TechnoServe | 27

What has been the impact of the gender policy?

TechnoServe | 28

What has been the impact of the gender policy?

TechnoServe | 29

What has been the impact of the gender policy?

TechnoServe | 30

34.0 33.9 34.6 38.0 39.4

+5%

What has been the impact of the gender policy?

TechnoServe | 31

34.0 33.9 34.6 38.0 39.4

+5%

Comparing our agriculture and entrepreneurship portfolios

TechnoServe | 32

Women benefit equally in our accelerators

33

Growth rate distribution

34

Questions