WEConnect International hosts Annual Asia-Pacific Regional Conference

• Key event aimed at women business owners for building capacity and networking with large corporations

WEConnect International recently hosted its largest annual regional conference across 15 countries throughout the Asia Pacific Region. 

The conference served as a platform for corporations, women-owned businesses and other Government and non-Government stakeholders to connect, learn and share the best practices on gender-inclusive sourcing and understand the socio-economic impact of inclusive sourcing efforts globally. 

The 2023 theme is “Going Global” – emphasised global trade as a powerful catalyst for success and sustainability for women entrepreneurs in the current globalised economy and corporations looking to build more resilient supply chains. 

The conference held from 31 July to 7 August was delivered virtually and in-person to amplify the learning and business connection opportunities among global corporations and women-owned businesses. It featured in-person events in Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Australia, China, and India. 

The conference included a virtual matchmaking day on 4 August to enable women-owned businesses to connect with WEConnect International member buyers committed to sourcing from women-owned businesses. The event generated long-term opportunities for women-owned businesses and develop the skills necessary to conduct business with large buyers, including local and multinational corporations, Government agencies and non-profit and non-Governmental organisations. 

Over 100 women-owned businesses participated in the Sri Lanka chapter event, where they attended business matchmaking with corporations, sessions on inclusive sourcing, best practices in gender-responsive sourcing, and success stories of women-owned business founders.

“Women business owners constitute the most promising engine of growth across the Asia Pacific region,” said WEConnect International CEO and Co-Founder Elizabeth Vazquez. “By focusing on women’s economic empowerment and advancing gender equality, the region will capture the tremendous economic potential women business owners can bring to the economy, including job creation.”

United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung said: “When women have access to economic opportunities, they raise their families and communities up with them. Promoting and investing in women-owned enterprises is not only good for societies, but also smart for businesses. As key decision makers in their homes, families and communities, women offer unique and invaluable perspectives about the types of goods and services that are beneficial and relevant for themselves and their peers.”

The event was made possible with the generous support of sponsors including ExxonMobil, Accenture, P&G, IBM, Organon, EY, Dell Technologies, Johnson and Johnson, Mondelēz, ABInBev, Trane Technologies and CBL.