ExxonMobil Women’s Economic Opportunity Initiative

Women’s untapped potential is great — they make up half of the world’s population, yet earn just 10 percent of the world’s income. When women have control over their incomes, they invest in the health, education and well-being of their families. They also tend to reach out to propel other women forward, creating a powerful multiplier effect that benefits all of society.

The ExxonMobil Women’s Economic Opportunity Initiative is a global effort launched in 2005 that helps women fulfill their economic potential and drive economic and social change in their communities. We’ve chosen this focus area because of its enormous positive economic and social impacts — more stable, healthy, well-educated and thriving communities.

We are focused on three program areas:

• Develop women entrepreneurs and business leaders through skills development training, mentoring programs and businesswomen’s networks.
• Create opportunities for women’s economic participation through advocacy and research programs.
• Identify and deploy technologies that accelerate women’s economic advancement through support of high-impact and sustainable innovations, research and sharing best practices.

To date, ExxonMobil and the ExxonMobil Foundation have invested $47 million on programs reaching tens of thousands of women in almost 100 countries.