The Women’s Forum for the Economic and the Society is an initiative that aims to promote women in several areas and to tackle inequalities. It aims to increase the presence of women in all areas, whether it’s economic, health or environmental, so that they are part of decision-making and change. This is a boost for women entrepreneurs who still face greater challenges including cultural barriers, lack of visibility and various gender discriminations and biases.
This is how the Women’s Forum sets up initiatives to reward deserving women such as the CEO Champions, Barometer, Rising talents or the Women Entrepreneurs 4 good. Moreover, it is within the framework of the latter that nine valiant ladies entrepreneurs have been selected. Among them, we have our CEO Cécile Dekeuwer.
Women Entrepreneurs 4 good
This is an initiative of the Women’s Forum, in partnership with Procter & Gamble and HEC Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which, every year since 2021, year of the 1st ever edition, nominates winners from among twelves candidates. These laureates are women entrepreneurs whose companies offer services that are as useful as they are innovative. In the perspective of the Green Deal and the ecological transition, these services have stood out because of their ecological, social and environmental impact.
Among the challenges proposed by this year’s forum, we can see “how to reduce the carbon footprint at home”, or “how to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions”. Companies will therefore have to respond as much as possible, in a sustainable and effective way to these issues. This is how 12 candidates were selected and had to present their pitch in front of a distinguished jury, including important personalities in the world of business and international entrepreneurship.
WeCo, winner of the competition
The competition was aimed at any company located in Europe whose founder or co-founder is a woman. Another criterion was that the company’s missions are part of ecology and sustainability. “Feminin green business entrepreneurship is essential if we want to rebuild in an inclusive and sustainable way,” said Jamila Belabidi, director of Global Women Economic Empowerment at Procter & Gamble.
This is why WeCo, with its toilets accessible especially to women, equipped with its wastewater recycling technology and all without connection to the sewer, was able to convince the jury. At the end of this competition, WeCo and 8 other winners were declared, all with innovative companies.
As a result, thanks to the Women Entrepreneurs 4 good, they will benefit from an acceleration program including coaching, visibility and a lot of resources and opportunities. These tailor-made supports will help beneficiaries grow their businesses. At the end of this programme, the winning companies will be prepared and equipped to compete in the European Green Deal competition thanks to the coaching, mentoring, and networking they have been able to access.