The Gender Equality Mainstreaming (GEM) Framework – Gender Equality Mainstreaming for Business Growth and Impact

The Gender Equality Mainstreaming (GEM) Framework has two components:

The GEM Self-assessment: This assessment is composed of three surveys that allow companies to measure their own gender equality and inclusion performance across a series of environmental, social, and governance(ESG) criteria. After providing a gender score for each component of ESG, MEDA then offers a series of recommendations on ways that the business can mainstream gender within operations.

The GEM Framework: This comprehensive framework is presented as a manual and can be used by investors and capacity builders to assess gender equality and measure gender mainstreaming strategies within a business.

The six steps of the GEM Framework are:

Step 1: Identification: Determine whether a business is an appropriate candidate for GEM.

Step 2: Scoping assessment: Complete a high-level assessment of business performance in GEM and business practices and policies.

Step 3: Full assessment: Conduct an in-depth assessment of business performance in GEM and identify areas of improvement. Businesses can also complete this step to conduct a self-assessment.

Step 4: Strategy development: Develop GEM strategies that align with business growth.

Step 5: Implementation, monitoring, and learning: Monitor and learn from GEM implementation.

Step 6: Impact measurement: Measure the long-term impact of GEM implementation initiatives.