P O Box 28 326, Remuera, Auckland 1136, New Zealand

www.bpwnz.org.nz

4 July 2013

Air NZ

Private Bag 92007

Victoria Street West

Auckland 1142

Attention: Christopher Luxon - Chief Executive

Jacqui Hooker

Email:

Dear Jacqui,

Re: NZ Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP’s)

Key Partner UN Women, plus Human Rights Commission and EEO Trust

Further to our telephone conversation the following is an overview of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, the partners and the CEO and businesses that have signed the “CEO Signatory Statement of Support” (see attached).

•  The Women Empowerment Principles – Equality Means Business is a partnership initiative of UNIFEM (part of UN Women) and the UN Global Compact. It encourages engagement with the private sector, non-governmental organisations, the United Nations and governments to advance and empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.

•  While designed as a tool for the private sector to strengthen and create company policies and programmes to achieve gender equality, the seven principles provide a platform for all stakeholders to move their commitments to gender equality closer to implementation.

•  The principles emphasize the business case for corporate action to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, and are informed by real-life business practices and input gathered from across the globe

In December 2011 a letter was sent to all the key corporations and business CEO’s and Chairs informing them of the launch of the WEP’s in NZ and your company had been approached as:

“It has been suggested to us that these principles already reflect the way in which your company operates. We feel sure that endorsing them would give you another opportunity to affirm your commitment to the empowerment of women in business.

Internationally CEOs are being encouraged to support the Women’s Empowerment Principles with a statement of support that signals their intention to integrate and implement the principles in the boardroom, the workplace, and along the supply chain to the community. They are a voluntary expression of values and provide guidance for action in seven areas including leadership, equality, health and safety, education and training, supply chain elements, community leadership and transparency.”

To date NZ has had 29 signatories, they include the following:

Heidrick & Struggles NZ
Westpac NZ
Price Waterhouse Coopers NZ
Vodafone NZ
*Auckland Chamber of Commerce
BNZ (Winners of the Inaugural WEP’s Awards in New York 2013)
Fujitsu NZ
Coca-Cola Amatil (NZ) Ltd
Lane Neave
Methanex NZ
Skope Industries
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd
Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern)
DLA Phillips Fox
Transpower / The Warehouse
Alcatel-Lucent NZ
SKYCITY Entertainment Group
Z Energy
ASB
Deloitte NZ
*Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce
*Business NZ
Kiwibank
Chambers Strategy and Communication
*Isaac Construction
*The Otago Chamber of Commerce
Bell Gully
Mighty River Power

The last three are the most recent signatories.

Thank you for taking the time to review the above and I hope it answers any questions that you may have and that you would like to put your company forward as one of the leaders of NZ. You can contact me via email at , or phone 0211179261 or Rae Julian, President UN Women, or phone (04) 934 3447.

On behalf of

New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women Inc.

Carolyn Savage

BPW NZ President

cc: Rae Julian, President UN Women

encl: NZ CEO Statement of Support

4/07/2013 “BPW NZ – Empowering Women” Page 2 of 2

Women Empowerment Principles (WEP’s)