Selected Client: Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Private Sector Operations Department supports privately held and state-sponsored companies in Asia and the Pacific. Propelevate’s managing director has supported them in a number of ways, including creating sector-specific gender tools targeting deal teams and investee companies for the renewable energy, finance and agribusiness sectors.
Propelevate staff have supported Asian Development Bank Ventures, a VC fund that invests in early-stage technology companies that are highly scalable and can make a positive contribution to gender equality and climate action. Propelevate developed, tested and refined a Gender Equality Scorecard to assess evidence of portfolio company action to support gender equity and provide direction about suggested actions to improve gender equity. This Scorecard draws on 2X methodology, and includes benchmarking data applicable for all sectors and all Asia Pacific countries. This Scorecard is also being used by private equity firms for whom ADB is a Lead Partner, as part of their gender-lens investing approach. Propelevate has provided deal-specific gender analysis and support to the ADB Venture deal team and investee companies to identify and agree gender measures that will further gender equity and support business objectives.
ADB Frontier Fund is being designed to house multi-donor trust funds and technical assistance to support and invest in companies in frontier markets in Asia and the Pacific. The focus of the fund is climate-smart business and GLI. Propelevate is supporting the investment team to create their approach to GLI, which includes developing a formal gender strategy, creating and adapting needed tools, and mentoring the deal team.
“Businesses in Asia and the Pacific are discovering that putting women in leadership positions is good for business and good for the economy overall.”
Women’s Leadership Drives Change and Innovation in Business, Asian Development Blog
By Anne Valko Celestino, Gisela Garzon de la Roza, Krisila Benson, Sarah Chen