Business Link Pacific contributes to building sustainable employment opportunities for women in Papua New Guinea.
Business Link Pacific recognises that women have an important role to play in Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) development and continues to support both women entrepreneurs and business advisory services with the tools needed to achieve gender parity in the workplace.
Research undertaken in September 2018 into the benefits of increasing women’s participation in the PNG economy, by the Economic Governance and Inclusive Growth Partnership (EGIG)* revealed that “the inclusion of women in the formal economy and leadership roles boosts growth, promotes economic stability and resilience and reduces income inequality”. (EGIG, 2018).
The research showed that the benefits of female participation in the PNG economy are promising, in brief:
- If PNG had gender parity in the formal labour market participation rate, GDP would increase 14 % by 2021.
- Increasing the number of women-owned SMEs would on average generate 7 percent more turnover – the current breakdown of SME sole-ownership by women is 8% compared with 68% sole-ownership by men.
- Gender parity in SME ownership would employ up to 260,000 more women and increase GDP by 2 percentage points.
A number of Business Link Pacific advisory service providers in Papua New Guinea are already investing in women primarily because women tend to be relationship focused, and are often able to draw in stakeholders and clients from many different areas to work towards a common goal.
Further afield the 2018 research report from McKinsey & Company into gender diversity in corporate America has found that while progress has been made, it is slow and currently stalling. The report suggests that more direct action needs to be taken by companies to ensure that gender diversity is a business priority and is recognised as imperative to the success of a business.
In Papua New Guinea, three business advisory services are demonstrating the value of gender parity. SamKiakTubangliu Accounting (SKT), Kuna Taberia Kiruwi Accountants and Advisors (KTK) and Beach Accounting and Advisory (BAA) have an average work force ratio of 60-40 women to men. Each firm has created opportunities to invest in women within their businesses. Here’s what they collectively identified as common key skills women contribute to their business advisory services:
Flexibility
Women understand that to run a company, a division or manage a task you have to be able to adapt, reconsider and innovate. Women are naturally adept at planning, communicating, organising – but most importantly, being flexible!
Soft Skills
Emotional intelligence, empathy, conflict management, communicating clearly, providing structure and mentoring – all of these skills help women execute tasks with strategic intent.
Women believe in meaningful work
This work is not about numbers and spreadsheets. It is about connecting with people, helping them through complex challenges, and enjoying the satisfaction of seeing them meet their goals.
Communication
Working in the advisory business is about educating and engaging – being able to listen, empathise, teach and coach. Women naturally gravitate towards these methods.
Nurturing
Women in PNG are naturally enterprising, but owing to maternal and domestic responsibilities these entrepreneurial efforts are often constrained by circumstances and restricted to a micro-scale. Employing women means extending the impact women can have on a small scale to a wider set of beneficiaries in communities. The collective overview from SKT, KTK and BAA is that women are highly motivated to succeed in a professional context partly due to their experience of being mothers/caregivers because they realise the positive impact their success can have on their families.
A culture of accountability
Women foster a culture of accountability in the workplace. They get things done but also take responsibility for mistakes at heart.
Challenging the status quo
Management in PNG is perceived as predominantly male. Employing and availing leadership opportunities to women sets our businesses apart as an equal opportunity employer.
Innovation
Diversity, including gender, age and cultural ethnicity, make women better problem-solvers. Working with people who think differently, challenges one to think differently too – which produces innovative ideas that drive the business forward.
Women grow other women
Younger women need mentors to help them develop their careers, and supporters to recognise their achievements. They need to see other women in senior leadership positions. Telling their stories as women advisors has proven to be a powerful way to empower others and to grow our client network.
As Business Accounting Advisors, SKT, KTK and BAA offer support and products for different groups of SMEs, dependent on the nature of their work. Women play an important role in the diversity needed within the business accounting advisory sector.
- Owners of SKT Accounting Arthur Sam, Jacob Kiak and John Tubangliu not only employ University graduates but offer opportunities to college graduates. Arthur says that the firm puts emphasis on in-house training, networking opportunities and mentor programs. SKT has an all-female management team.
- Kuna Taberia Kiruwi Accountants and Advisors (KTK) has a staff ceiling of 38 with over 60% of staff being women.
- Beach Accounting and Advisory (BAA), owned by Akae Beach currently supports and provides employment opportunities for HSC 12 graduates in various support functions. Akae has over 19 years chartered accounting experience working in PNG, Brisbane and Gold Coast. She started Beach Accounting and Advisory in 2015 to introduce affordable cloud based software solutions and tools to SMEs in PNG, specialising in QuickBooks Online.
Business Link Pacific believes that women in business provide varied perspectives, innovative problem-solving strategies as well as different networks to companies, providing them with new opportunities for growth. Business Link Pacific remains committed to upskilling individuals and transforming societies – when women’s contributions in the workplace are recognised and valued, societies are transformed.