A certification programme designed to evaluate gender inclusion in investment has been launched by 2X Global.
The 2X Certification offers a structured pathway in gender equity for investors, companies and financial instruments, the firm said, and offers industry benchmarking and identifies areas for advancement. Currently, the certification is available for companies and funds. They get certified at 3 different levels of ambition: good, advanced or best-in-class, depending on their score. Going forward, the 2X Certification will also cover financial institutions and bonds.
The certification process uses independent, third-party verifiers including Value4Women, PwC and Sagana.
Although the 2X Certification was first announced at the 2022 G7 Summit, it is now being rolled out after two years of industry input and pilot testing. The certification builds on the foundation of the 2X Criteria, which was created in 2018, and is known as a global industry standard for assessing and structuring investments that empower and create access for women, the firm said.
Stella McKenna, director of People & Programmes at 2X Global, said: “This is a paradigm shift for gender lens investing. The 2X Criteria have been used over the years by so many investors and remains a valuable tool for assessing gender equity in investment.
“Now, 2X Certification takes our standard-setting work to the next level, allowing investors to go beyond self-assessments to a deeper level of credibility by having third-party verification. Maintaining that credibility is also why it is independent of 2X Global membership and is universally available.”
