Economy | New York Sustainable Business Council

What can we do to empower women in today’s economy?

“We hold these truths to be self-evident:
that all men and women are created equal…”

Thus began the Declaration of Sentiments drafted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton—borrowing from our nation’s Declaration of Independence. Stanton read these words at the Woman’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY in 1848. She then outlined injustices against women in the United States and called for women to be granted the same civil, economic, and political rights as men. This launched the women’s suffrage movement that waged for decades until the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified granting women the right to vote—one hundred years ago today.

womens suffrage

As we celebrate this important centennial, let’s also recognize how much further we have to go and find ways to hasten that progress.

Here are a few options:

Identify the women-owned businesses that you can support in an ongoing fashion such as suppliers to your business, makers of products that you buy, restaurants in your neighborhood, etc. Women and specifically women of color have increasingly become key players in a business community that has been dominated by white men. Now, as we reopen our economy, these women face additional obstacles from economic stimulus inequities. Vote with your dollar to keep their businesses strong!
Help close the gender pay gap in your company and demand the same from companies that you support. The gender pay gap continues unabated with women earning 20% less than men for the same work. Accounting for race and ethnicity, studies find that black women are paid 38% less and Latinas are paid 47% less than men. Learn 4 steps that your company can take to close the gap and read ASBC’s Declaration on Equity in Business, which includes 8 public policies to support an inclusive economy.
Share what you learn with NYSBC including any local networks/directories of women-owned businesses. Send us an email. We can share and amplify your impact.
Let us know how we can better support women-owned businesses in your community.

Economic Analysis of CCPA Predicts Triple Bottom Line Wins

Yet another example where doing right by our people and our environment will strengthen our economy. That’s how the triple bottom line works, folks!

Summing up… A recent economic analysis predicts that the Climate & Community Protection Act (CCPA), which is again before the NYS legislature, “will support… an average of about 150,000 [jobs] in each year over the first decade.” What’s more, these would be well-paying, mostly working class jobs in energy efficiency and renewable energy. The fossil fuel industry continues to claim that the CCPA will kill jobs, but they represent only “about 13,000 workers” in NYS and the CCPA includes funds for transitioning those workers to clean energy jobs. Table 1. Job Creation and Employment-Years from NYS Clean Energy Investments to Achieve 50 Percent Reduction of CO2 Emissions Over a Decade (2021-2030)

I’d like to add that — if done right — the new renewable energy and energy efficiency jobs should be mostly with NYS businesses, which would further strengthen our economy. In contrast, our ongoing investment in the fossil fuel industry diverts money out of our economy through those predominantly out-of-state corporations.

Fascinating stuff that could transform New York State. This article covers a lot of the findings from research conducted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute (PERI).
Read the article in full here.