In recent years, the discourse on climate change has increasingly highlighted the critical role of women in driving sustainable solutions and resilience, particularly in regions facing unique environmental challenges like Egypt. A study by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) found that women’s involvement in environmental decision-making leads to more effective and equitable climate actions. This is because women typically have unique knowledge and perspectives on local environmental issues, which can lead to more practical and impactful solutions. As we navigate the complexities of environmental sustainability, it becomes clear that empowering women is not just a matter of equality but a strategic imperative for effective climate action.
Initiated by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Climate2Equal (C2E) is a compelling call to action that urges companies to address gender disparities within their climate initiatives. This initiative encourages participating organizations to make tangible commitments aimed at closing gender gaps and fostering inclusive growth across various sectors. On the company level, C2E aims to close gaps in private sector awareness of gender and climate issues, boost firms' capacity for impactful gender-inclusive climate actions, and establish them as leaders in this field. In general, it seeks to promote women’s participation in both the workplace and business-led climate initiatives. C2E encourages various interventions for businesses to select in order to achieve their goals. These include improving representation, enhancing product design, collecting relevant data, managing supply chains, raising external awareness, and creating green jobs.
In June 2023, furthering its efforts in gender and climate change initiatives, CID Consulting joined Climate2Equal to address issues of gender, which is part of our core areas of focus across a wide array of projects. Recognizing the pivotal role of women in Egypt's informal recycling sector, we are committed to working towards enhancing the livelihoods and working conditions of women engaged in the sector. This commitment includes conducting a gender assessment of its DORNA project, aimed at expanding the project's reach and impact among women.
DORNA seeks to shape a waste free future. It is an environmentally and socially responsible reverse credit system designed and managed by CID Consulting with the objective of boosting the recovery and recycling rates of post-consumer plastic packaging. Initially designed and implemented through a partnership with Nestle, the initiative was later joined by PepsiCo and Al- Ahram Beverages Company. The system was designed to create tangible environmental, social and economic impact by contributing to the improved livelihoods of informal waste recyclers and their families as well as fostering their digital literacy, financial inclusion and women's empowerment. Additionally, DORNA promotes the principles of a circular economy in Egypt, promoting resource efficiency and creating closed-loop systems where waste is minimized and materials are continually recycled. To-date, DORNA’s network includes 1,301 Value Chain Actors (VCAs) in recycling, almost 25% of which are women. Participating in the e-wallet payment system, they receive compensation that often supports their children's education and health, among other areas. To further the social impact DORNA provides, Nestlé has provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to female sorters and initiated social activities, including after-school programs for their children, to improve their overall well-being and safety. The CID team supported in both PPE distribution and designing surveys for these social initiatives, noting a positive behavioural change among female sorters as a result of seeing their children and families thriving.
Since joining Climate2Equal, CID Consulting has shed more light on women’s vital contribution to the informal waste collection and recycling sector and value chain in Egypt, primarily located in Manshiyet Nasser and 15th of May neighborhoods. Initiatives like DORNA have a profound impact on women, including providing them with additional income to support their families’ well-being, education and health - among other areas of their lives. The C2E initiative hopes such work inspires interest from other FMCG companies and private sector entities. By the end of the pledge, CID Consulting will come up with recommendations for more private sector companies to enhance social impact and promote gender diversity within the DORNA project and similar initiatives.
In conclusion, empowering women in climate action is not just a moral imperative but a strategic necessity. CID Consulting's participation in Climate2Equal exemplifies its commitment to leveraging gender equality as a catalyst for impactful climate solutions in Egypt and beyond. By recognizing and supporting women's roles, the aim is to pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable future.