The International Federation of Business and Professional Women is an influential international network of business and professional women from over 96 countries in 5 continents with Consultative Status at ECOSOC/United Nations. Founded in 1930, BPW International develops the professional, leadership and business potential of women on all levels through our mentoring, networking, skill building and economic empowerment programs and projects around the world. Visit our website at: http://www.bpw-international.org and http://www.bpw-europe.org

1. Empowered Women
Leading Business
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

2. Our founder: Dr. Lena Madesin Phillips
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3. 1st Conference 1930 in Geneva:
163 participants!
Our founders were pioneers!
Coming from Austria, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany
Empowered Women Leading Business
Hungary, Italy, UK, USA.
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4. Our Vision and Mission
Vision
• To achieve a just and equal status for women where decisions
are taken in true partnership with men, based on mutual
respect, for a more balanced and peaceful world.
Mission
• BPW International develops the business, professional and
leadership potential of women on all levels through advocacy,
education, mentoring, networking, skill building, UN
participation and economic empowerment programmes and
projects around the world.
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

5. Goals of BPW
To advocate and lobby for working women
To ensure equality and equal opportunity
To develop the professional, business and leadership potential
of women
To empower women in the ecomony, networking and skill
building
To support young women
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

6. What is a Business and Professional
Woman like?
Takes responsibility in business, politics or society
Thinks and acts on the local, national and international level
Practices networking, mentoring and lobbying
Cultivates friendships
Practices lifelong learning
Is a leader and rolemodel
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

7. Advocacy and Lobbying
for professional women
Local
Friendships
International
Learning environment
for «practical
leadership»
Empowered Women Leading Business
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Professional +
personal development
National
Supportive
Network

8. You can develop your skills on
different levels
We can learn and
lobby on these levels!
International
National
Many learning
opportunities for
Young BPWs!
Empowered Women Leading Business
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Local

9. BPW International
Executive Board 2011 - 2014
Triennium Theme:
Empowered Women Leading Business
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

10. 10
BPW worldwide
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

11. Structure of BPW
BPW
International
North
America
Latin
America
Europe
Africa
Asia/
Pacific
5 Regions
Italy
Federations
Switzerland
Germany
Finnland
Young BPW
(up to 35)
Clubs
280 Clubs
Empowered Women Leading Business
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40 Clubs
www.bpw-europe.org

12. How BPW works worldwide
General Assembly at
International Congress
Resolutions
Initiatives/
Campaigns
Intern. Executive Board
Federations / Clubs
Standing
Committes/Taskforces
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www.bpw-europe.org

13. BPW International has
representatives or consultative status
▸ UNO – ECOSOC
▸ CSW Commission on the status of women
▸ ILO International Labour Organization
▸ EWL European Women‘s Lobby
▸ WHO World Health Organization
▸ FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

14. 14
BPWs 3 main initatives
WEPs
Equal
Pay Day
Women
Entrepre
-neurs
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

15. Women’s Empowerment Principles
Equality means Business
An initiative by UN
Women and UN
Global Compact to
bring Equality to the
workplace,
marketplace and
community.
Quote of George
Kell, Executive
Director of UN
Global Compact:
«BPW brings the
voice of women
to the
economy.»
Lead NGO Collaborator: BPW International
Empowered Women Leading Business
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WEPs

16. The 7 Women’s Empowerment
Principles
Sign CEO
Statement
WEPs
1. Establish highlevel corporate
leadership for
gender equality.
2. Treat all women and
men fairly at work –
respect and support
human rights and
nondiscrimination.
3. Ensure the health,
safety and well-being
of all women and men
workers.
4. Promote education,
training and
professional
development for
women.
5. Implement enterprise
development, supply
chain and marketing
practices that empower
women.
6. Promote equality
through community
initiatives and
advocacy.
7. Measure and
publicly report on
progress to achieve
gender equality.
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

17. BPW International Awareness
Campaign: Equal Pay Day
Equal
Pay
Day
▸ Equal Pay Day was initiated in 2009 by BPW International as an
international awareness campaign
▸ All across the globe – from Australia to Taiwan, Korea via 20
European countries to Brazil and Canada. All these BPW
federations are organizing an equal pay day in their countries.
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

18. 18
Women Entrepreneurs
Women
Entrepreneurs
▸ Collaboration with ITC International
Trade Center
▸ Opportunity to participate in the
Global Platform for Action on
Sourcing for Women Vendors
▸ Collaboration with WeConnect
International to bring women
entrepreneurs into the supply chain
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

19. Empowered Women Leading Business
CSW Conference on the Status of Women 2010, New York
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20. International Congress 2011 in Helsinki
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21. Next BPW International Events
▸ 7 - 8 March 2014 Leaders
Summit in New York
▸ 23 – 27 May 2014
International Congress in
Jeju, Korea
▸ 2016 European Congress
in Zuerich, Switzerland
▸ 2017 International
Congress in Egypt
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22. BPW Europe
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

23. BPW Europe
The largest
Region of BPW
International
(appr. 20000
members in 32
countries)
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24. European Coordinator and members of ECC
Alexandra Preuss-Ribaric
BPW Germany
Giuseppa Bombaci
BPW Italy
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Sabine Schmelzer
BPW Switzerland
Miette Dechelle
BPW Belgium

25. Equal Pay Day in Europe
started by BPW (2008 – 2013)
Equal Pay Day
in 23 countries up
to now. Number
of activities
increased every
year.
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

26. You can participate in the annual
European Event in Brussels
▸ Networking Forum
open for all
members in May
▸ Presidents meeting
for National
Presidents and
Delegates in May
Empowered Women Leading Business
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27. Empowered Women Leading Business
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The biggest event in the Region:
European Congress 2012 in Sorrento

28. +
1. Within
A European
Citizens Initiative
Seeking 4 Policy
interventions to
increase female
entrepreneurship as a
strategy for growth in
the European Union
BPW supports
this initiative.
Please sign
online!
Ministry of
Economy
2. Appoint a
Women’s
Enterprise
Director
Create an office of
Women's
Business
Ownership
3. Collect data,
produce annual
policy and
research updates
We need 1 Mio signatures!
www.act4growth.org
4. Enforce current
gender equality
legislation

29. Come to the next BPW International
Congress!
23 – 27 May 2014
International Congress
in Jeju, Republic of
Korea
All details at:
www.bpwinternational.org/congress2014
Together we can make the change for a better world!
Empowered Women Leading Business
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www.bpw-europe.org

30. What BPW offers you on
the local and national
level
You can benefit from all activities and events for
your personal and professional development.
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

31. Activities on club level
Monthly events:
▸ Presentations, speeches and networking
Annually:
▸ General assembly
▸ Candlelight ceremony
Other activities:
▸ Taskforces (e. g. Equal Pay Day)
▸ Visits to other clubs
▸ Participation in national and international
conferences, events and congresses
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

32. 32
Mentoring: a program where you can
benefit from each other
▸ Each BPW can become a mentor and help other women with her
experience and knowledge
▸ Each BPW can become a mentee
▸ The mentee needs a specific goal,
and she can have a mentor for one
year
▸ Benefits:
▸ Transfering your experiences and
knowledge for support
▸ Learning from each other
▸ Seeing your mentee develop
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

33. BPW: The ideal learning environment
▸
▸
▸
▸
▸
Learning by doing
Peer-to-peer learning (from each other)
Through rolemodels
Just-in-time learning
Lifelong learning
▸ Monthly presentations and events
▸ Workshops at national/international events
▸ Try out and learn new skills
▸ Learning by teaching or mentoring
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

34. Train your leadership skills in BPW!
By taking an office as president or member of the board
or leader of a taskforce:
▸
▸
▸
▸
▸
▸
▸
▸
Learn to give speeches and presentations
Learn to chair meetings and to delegate tasks
Develop strategies for your club and implement them
Practice team building
Learn to deal with the media to promote your club
Represent your club and deal with VIPs
Learn conflict management and diplomacy in practice
Learn to act as a leader and become a rolemodel
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

35. Do not only lay back, …
… the more active you are,
the more you get.
Empowered Women Leading Business
FROM THE TOP · AT ALL LEVELS · IN THE COMMUNITY
www.bpw-europe.org

36. Would you like to have contacts
all over the world
or develop your skills?
www.bpw-europe.org
www.bpw-international.org
Empowered Women Leading Business
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