Page 40 - Islands Business June 2023

SPBD SPBD

SPBD PROMOTES WOMEN’S

EMPOWERMENT AND LEADERSHIP

SPBD’s commitment to women’s empowerment is not only targeted to its members. In fact, SPBD promotes women to
senior executive roles across the network. Today, women hold 50% of the top senior executive positions, and three out of
five (60%) of SPBD’s General Managers are women. “This gender balance ensures that the experiences and perspectives
of women inform decision-making at the highest levels of the organisation. This is crucial because, after all, a key element
of our business is empowering women,” noted SPBD Network Chief Operating Officer, Polly Kelekis. “Furthermore, women
leaders serve as role models, inspiring other women within the organisation and the wider community to pursue leadership
roles.”
The SPBD network qualifies as “2X Aligned,” (https://www.2xchallenge.org/). The “2X Challenge” was launched at the
G7 Summit 2018 as a bold commitment to inspire development finance institutions (DFIs) and the broader private sector
to invest in the world’s women. SPBD meets three out of the five 2X criteria with 50% women in senior management, 62%
women in the workforce, and 97% women customers.

SPBD NEWS FROM ACROSS THE SOUTH PACIFIC

SPBD Founder and President, Greg Casagrande, with SPBD Samoa Team at the BWOY awards

The SPBD network has been engaged with numerous initiatives in 2023. SPBD Samoa recently hosted its 19th Annual
Business Woman of the Year Awards in Apia on June 9 to recognise and celebrate the wonderful achievements of our
amazing SPBD women microentrepreneurs throughout Samoa. Minister of Finance, Honourable Mulipola Anarosa Ale
Molioo was the guest speaker at the event. SPBD also hosted its Client Exhibition Market Day in June, and members from
across Samoa were able to set up stalls to showcase and sell their goods, which included prepared food, produce, potted
plants, clothing, handicrafts and so much more.
On June 7, the SPBD Samoa team also launched a new remittance product in partnership with KlickEx Pacific – a trusted
money transfer operator offering a safe and transparent digital payment ecosystem that allows users in New Zealand and
Australia to send and receive money into Samoa. The new money transfer service will commence on July 1, 2023, and will
provide an online portal for money transfers from abroad – spbd.klickexpacific.com. Enabling Money Transfers now from
New Zealand and Australia will further help SPBD members, as well as the Samoan public who choose to use the SPBD
Money Transfer service.

40 Islands Business, June 2023
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