RECOGNIZING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR GENDER EQUALITY, MALE LEADERS FROM BUSINESS, NON-PROFIT AND ACADEMIA CONVENE AT UN WOMEN’S GLOBAL HeForShe SUMMIT

(New York, 23 September 2021) Against a global landscape where it will take 257 years to achieve economic equality and where 90% of all Heads of State and Fortune 500 CEOs are male, global leaders from across business, non-profit and academia are standing up and today joining UN Women’s new HeForShe Alliance: a unique group of ambitious leaders determined to accelerate progress towards gender equality.

At today’s online HeForShe Summit, the launch of the HeForShe Alliance signifies the beginning of a new era with a commitment to action following in the footsteps of the Generation Equality Forum earlier this summer.

“I am delighted to welcome this new cohort of HeForShe Champions that we hope will reach new audiences on issues that are increasingly critical to gender equality. Their strong, carefully crafted commitments on balanced leadership, ending different forms of violence, and changing corporate and social norms are needed now more than ever.” said Under-Secretary-General, Acting Executive Director of UN Women and Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Ms. Pramila Patten. “We hope these actions set by key influencers to eliminate some of the most stubborn barriers facing women today will serve as inspiration to countless others.”

The new members of the HeForShe Alliance are:

From business:
Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group, Yannick Bolloré, Chairman of Vivendi’s Supervisory Board and CEO and Chairman of Havas Group, John A. Zecca, Global Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer, Nasdaq, Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company, Bob Moritz, Global Chairman, PwC International Limited and Nick Read, CEO, Vodafone

From non-profit:
Robert Mardini, Director-General, International Committee of the Red Cross, David Miliband, CEO & President, International Rescue Committee, David Haggerty, President, International Tennis Federation, Kate Robertson & David Jones, Founders, One Young World

From academia:
Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, President, Howard University and Ilian Mihov, Dean, INSEAD

These role models will join forces with HeForShe to form a new Alliance that aims to develop the largest set of scalable and shareable solutions for gender equality’s most pressing challenges.

Trailblazers in their field, these HeForShe Champions will spearhead transformative change across countries, companies, campuses, and communities, inspiring many other to follow suit and demonstrate the value of allyship in accelerating progress.