Triple Jump Gender Equality Position Paper

Executive Summary

Achieving gender equality¹ remains a persistent global challenge, despite considerable progress made in recent years. Rooted in historical and societal norms, inequality between genders manifests in various forms, from the prevalence of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH), to disparities in pay and employment opportunities and unequal representation in leadership roles. This complex issue is sustained by deeply ingrained cultural, economic, and structural factors that necessitate a multifaceted approach to break down the barriers hindering true gender equality. As an impact investment manager operating in emerging markets, we as Triple Jump wield a unique and powerful tool to catalyze positive change in gender equality. We acknowledge that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but also a key driver of strong business performance and sustainable development. Through strategic investments, engagement, and the promotion of inclusive business practices, Triple Jump can be instrumental in advancing gender equality, unleashing the potential of women, and promoting a more equitable future in these dynamic and evolving markets. This Gender Equality Position Paper outlines Triple Jump’s commitment to advancing and implementing gender equality in our operations, investments, and the broader development landscape, as well as within our own organization. 

Why Gender Equality?

Triple Jump acknowledges the critical role that gender equality plays in driving sustainable economic and social development globally. In alignment with our overarching mission to empower people and improve lives through strategic investments, we recognize that fostering gender equality is crucial to addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. We believe that investing in gender-responsive initiatives can lead to more inclusive and resilient economies while unlocking the untapped potential of women as agents of change. We also see gender equality as an important driver of strong business performance, as research has shown that gender diverse teams lead to a variety of benefits including increased profitability and organization performance, increased productivity and economic growth, versatile and resilient teams, improved employee satisfaction and reduced employee turnover, and increased innovation in the workplace². This is why gender equality is a cross-cutting theme in all the three business lines we manage – namely financial institutions, fund investments, and direct investments –embedding the topic into our impact investment portfolio and operations. To that end, Triple Jump has set gender equality as a key impact target and is dedicated to contributing to SDG 5³ by integrating gender-focused initiatives across our business lines. 

Guiding Principles 

Triple Jump’s gender equality approach is guided by the following core principles: 

1. Inclusion: We commit to ensuring that both our investees and our organization consider and address the specific needs and opportunities of women, recognizing the diversity of contexts and challenges they face.
2. Empowerment: Our interventions seek to empower women economically and socially, enabling them to participate actively in decision-making processes and benefit equitably from development outcomes.
3. Collaboration: We believe in forging partnerships with our investees, stakeholders, and investors who share our commitment to gender equality to amplify our impact and create sustainable change.

By combining these principles in our implementation approaches in both the investment process and within our own organization, we aim to be a catalyst for positive social and economic change, contributing to the advancement of gender equality and the empowerment of women in the regions we serve and operate in.  

Implementing Gender Equality in Investment Process 

By directing investments towards businesses and initiatives that prioritize women’s empowerment, gender diversity, and equitable economic opportunities, we are therefore dedicated to mainstreaming gender equality and advancing practices throughout our investment process. To achieve this, we integrate a gender lens investing⁴ approach across our business lines, which is demonstrated in the following areas: 

• • Investment Strategy: We incorporate a gender lens into our investment strategies, actively seeking opportunities that promote gender equality. This includes investments in women-owned and/or led enterprises⁵, businesses that support women’s economic empowerment, and those with strong gender diversity in senior management positions. We develop and implement gender-sensitive investment criteria that prioritize projects contributing to positive gender impacts, such as women’s economic empowerment, equal access to resources, and social inclusion. We follow international standards that consider gender equality aspects, such as the IFC Performance Standards⁶, the Universal Standards for Social and Environmental Performance⁷, and GOGLA’s Consumer Protection Principles⁸. Through our ESG assessments, we screen against companies that have negative gender impacts, for example by identifying and mitigating incidents of GBVH and ensuring grievance mechanisms are available.  
  • Capacity Building and Advisory Services: Whenever feasible, Triple Jump supports capacity building initiatives that enhance the skills, knowledge, and entrepreneurship of women. We offer advisory services on a company, fund, and ecosystem level, strengthening gender-related strategies and practices, facilitating more inclusive and gender-sensitive approaches to businesses and operations, supporting incubators or accelerators, and conducting research or studies to add knowledge into the overall space. 
  • Data and Impact Metrics: Triple Jump collects and analyzes gender-disaggregated impact data to assess the impact of our investments on women. We monitor and evaluate gender impact by establishing gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track the impact of our investments towards SDG 5, using the 2X Challenge criteria⁹ as a basis. 
  • Transparency and Reporting: We commit to maintaining transparency in our investment processes and outcomes. We publish an annual impact report that includes data on the gender impact of our investments, and share successes, challenges, and lessons learned with our stakeholders. 
  • Knowledge Sharing: Since 2021, Triple Jump has been a member of 2X Global¹⁰ to remain informed about gender equality issues, evolving best practices, and emerging opportunities for impact. In 2022, Triple Jump founded a Gender Working Group, made up of internal staff members who meet monthly to share developments in the gender space across different business lines to remain aligned within Triple Jump, ensuring we apply best practices consistently and find synergies through brainstorming and cooperation.  

Organizational Commitment to Gender Equality 

Triple Jump also sees the value in implementing gender equality advancing practices internally, as this not only enhances employee satisfaction and productivity, but also contributes to broader societal progress in dismantling gender-based disparities in our organization and as a consequence in our portfolio. We thus set out the following practices: 

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Triple Jump is dedicated to cultivating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where all employees, regardless of gender, are provided equal opportunities for professional growth and leadership. We are proud to have a diverse workforce. In 2021, we established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, which aims to raise awareness of DEI issues and opportunities and advises HR and senior leadership on DEI matters related. In addition, diversity and sense of belonging are topics of periodic surveys that are anonymously asked about and monitored. 
• Gender-sensitive Policies and Practices: We include a gender lens in our company policies, including flexible working arrangements, and anti-discrimination practices that promote gender equality throughout our organization. These policies are periodically reviewed to ensure adherence to evolutions and best practices. 
• Training and Awareness: We develop training and awareness programs to sensitize all employees to gender equality issues. These programs cover topics such as unconscious bias, leadership, and gender lens investing. The DEI Committee also organizes and facilitates DEI-related activities, training and communication for the company. Being a member of 2X Global¹¹ allows Triple Jump to remain abreast of the latest investment trends.  
• Leadership Development: Triple Jump encourages gender-balanced leadership within our organization and access to mentorship and leadership development programs, aimed at accelerating the advancement of women into leadership positions. 

Triple Jump recognizes that promoting gender equality is not only a moral obligation but also an essential component of our mission to create sustainable and positive impact. We are committed to learning, evolving, and continuously improving our efforts to make a lasting and meaningful difference.  

We welcome feedback on this position paper. Please contact us at [email protected].  

 

Footnotes:

1. Triple Jump follows the United Nations to define gender equality as the “equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men.”

5. For the financial institutions and fund-of-funds business lines, we refer to the IFC definition of woman-owned enterprise: Definitions of Targeted Sectors | International Finance Corporation (IFC). For the direct investments business line, we use the 2X Challenge definition for Entrepreneurship.