Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN resident coordinator in China, delivers a video message for a recent session held by UN Global Compact. [Photo provided to China Daily]

June 21, 2024 -- Recently, the United Nations Global Compact convened representatives from China, Japan and South Korea, alongside guests from various sectors like business, academia, and media, both online and offline, to deliberate on the creation of family-friendly workplaces with a focus on promoting gender equality.

The event witnessed enthusiastic support and active involvement from approximately 50 companies across the three nations. Liu Meng, the head of the China Office at the UN Global Compact, highlighted the pivotal roles of China, Japan and South Korea in regional economic advancement and the shared challenges they face, including gender equality, aging populations, and low birthrates.

Liu emphasized the significance of addressing these challenges to ensure the future sustainability of businesses in these countries, underscoring the UN Global Compact's commitment to fostering enhanced cooperation among companies from the three nations to serve as a model for sustainable human development on both regional and global scales through corporate innovation and action.

She stressed the importance of achieving comprehensive economic gender equality, including the establishment of gender-inclusive, family-friendly workplaces for working parents. "We urge more business leaders, including men, to take tangible actions," she emphasized.

The UN Global Compact gathers representatives from China, Japan and South Korea, along with guests from business, academia and media, both online and offline, to discuss creating a family-friendly workplace aiming for gender equality. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Sawako Shirahase from the United Nations University highlighted the pivotal role that companies can play in driving changes to enhance workplace productivity and innovation. She said that creating family-friendly workplaces is a critical standard that can lead to broader social sustainability.

Yeonchul Yoo, the executive director of the United Nations Global Compact Korean National Network, warned about the implications of rapid population decline on the future labor market and business stability, calling for united efforts from businesses in these countries to address the population crisis and align demographic structures with the workforce.

Additionally, Liang Xiaohui, an expert in the textile industry, advocated for promoting a more appealing public workplace culture and market environment, especially in traditional manufacturing sectors. He emphasized the importance of factory workers feeling comfortable and at ease in their workplace, achieving personal growth through their work, and supporting children's development to enhance workplace flexibility and attractiveness.