Aqaba: The King Abdullah II Center for Excellence (KACE) hosted an awareness workshop in the coastal city of Aqaba to promote a national workplace gender certification framework for private sector industrial firms. The initiative, called the Institutional Stamp for Supporting and Empowering Women, aims to foster inclusive employment opportunities and sustainable workplace environments across Jordan's industrial sector.
According to Jordan News Agency, the workshop was organized in partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) under its Green Action in Enterprises (GAIN) project, alongside the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and Sarh International for Consulting and Training Company. KACE Executive Director Wedad Qutishat highlighted that supporting and empowering women is essential for institutional excellence and enhances the competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises.
Qutishat also explained that the certification system is a joint national effort developed with the Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment, the Jordanian National Commission for Women, and the Ministry of Social Development. The framework helps private and public entities align their operations with the country's broader economic modernization vision and global sustainable development goals. It functions as a comprehensive development program, guiding companies to review hiring policies, promote equal opportunity, and assist women in reaching leadership and decision-making positions.
Karimah Aldabet, Vice Chairman of the Board of Commissioners and Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Affairs at ASEZA, emphasized the importance of investing in human capital and creating merit-based environments for regional economic growth. Aldabet affirmed ASEZA's commitment to supporting inclusive workplace practices to strengthen Aqaba's position as a leading regional investment destination.
The workshop featured detailed presentations on the evaluation criteria, application procedures, and institutional benefits of securing the certification stamp. Participants were also briefed on the Promoting Inclusive Employment Opportunities in the Industrial Sector (GAIN) project, which supports manufacturing facilities in adapting their infrastructure to meet the needs of diverse workforces.