4.19.2006 ET

(CSRwire) AMHERST, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2006--Verite, the Massachusetts-based network of global NGOs working to improve the lives of workers around the world; the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the women's agency at the United Nations dedicated to advancing women's rights and achieving gender equality; and Calvert, a mutual fund company known for its leadership in the field of socially responsible investing, are hosting a one-day symposium, "Advancing Women in the Global Workplace: Principles in Action", in New York City on April 27th to outline how and why respect for women's rights is indivisible from corporate, social and economic progress.

The symposium will feature a wide range of speakers and participants from business, corporate social responsibility, civil society, and international organizations, who will highlight the business case and urgent need for empowering women, from the factory floor to the board room. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of UNIFEM said, "In today's world, no single actor or sector can achieve success without partners...we need all the players. Companies will find that investing in women worldwide will enable them to 'do good' and 'do well.'" To learn more and to register, visit www.verite.org/women.

In June 2004, Calvert in partnership with UNIFEM, launched the Calvert Women's Principles CWP, the first global code of conduct for corporations focusing exclusively on empowering, advancing, and investing in women worldwide. "The purpose of the symposium is to engage stakeholders on the translation of best practices, the Calvert Women's Principles, and other frameworks into new strategies, tools and guidelines that can be adopted by corporations and the investment community" says Calvert's President and CEO, Barbara Krumsiek. A diverse group of leaders with responsibilities such as Human Resources, government relations, supplier diversity, Corporate Social Responsibility, philanthropy, operations, and supply chain management will convene with civil society and women's organizations to discuss a pragmatic approach to long-term change and the empowerment of women, and all workers, while improving the bottom-line.

Sponsors of the symposium include organizations such as Cisco Systems Inc., Rockefeller Brothers Fund, EILEEN FISHER, Gap Inc., Liz Claiborne Inc., Intel Corporation, Clarks Companies, North America, Pfizer Inc., Calvert Group Ltd., and United Nations Foundation.

Attendees include senior corporate decision makers from consumer goods to financial services and civil society leaders on women's and worker's rights, social responsibility, and globalization issues.

Distinguished speakers include leaders such as Ms. Sharon L. Allen, Chairman of the Board, Deloitte & Touche USA, LLP, Ms. Zainab Salbi, Founder and CEO Women for Women International, Mr. Dan Henkle, Vice-President, Global Compliance Gap Inc., Ms. Robyn Waters, Former EVP, Target, Founder and President RW Trend, Ms. Kathy Bushkin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, United Nations Foundation and former President of the AOL Time Warner Foundation, and Ms. Van T. Dang, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Cisco Systems.

The symposium is a new, collaborative effort from businesses, NGOs and global organizations who have synthesized their collective experience to confirm the ways in which improving opportunities for women around the world offers corporations ways to improve their performance. "Moving towards equality for women in the workplace doesn't have to be a choice between moral and financial tradeoffs. Our work with corporations and fieldwork in factories from China to Latin America has shown it is imperative that businesses find ways to implement programs that are both ethical and profitable." said Dan Viederman, Verite's Executive Director.

About Verite

Verite's mission is to ensure that people worldwide work under healthy, safe, fair and legal conditions. Verite is a pioneer in monitoring, researching and improving labor and practices in workplaces around the world. Verite works in over 60 countries to empower companies, factories, NGOs, governments, and workers to create sustainable workplace practices in the factories and communities where our consumer goods are made. For more information on Verite, go to www.verite.org.

About UNIFEM

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the women's agency at the United Nations, provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies that promote women's human rights, political participation and economic security in over 100 countries around the globe. In 2006, UNIFEM is observing its 30th anniversary. For more information on UNIFEM, go to www.unifem.org.

About Calvert, lead sponsor

Celebrating 30 years of helping investors achieve their financial goals, Calvert currently has $12 billion in assets under management.
In 2000, Calvert created the Calvert Social Index, a benchmark for measuring the performance of large, U.S.-based socially responsible companies. In June 2004, Calvert and UNIFEM launched the Calvert Women's Principles, the first global code of conduct for corporations focusing exclusively on empowering, advancing, and investing in women worldwide. For more information on Calvert and its products and services, go to www.calvert.com.


About the "Advancing Women in a Global Workplace: Principles in Action" Symposium

Visit www.verite.org/women


Copyright Business Wire 2006

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