For the second year in a row, Women in ETFs (WE) will ring the bells at stock exchanges around the world to celebrate International Women’s Day (8 March).  This year, WE is partnering with five other organizations in a growing momentum behind gender equality.  WE is leading 15 of the 34 stock exchange bell ringings at which WE will also host speakers to present the business case for women’s economic empowerment.

To commemorate International Women’s Day, 34 stock exchanges from around the world joined Women in ETFs, UN Global Compact,  UN Women, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, IFC, and the World Federation of Stock Exchanges, to “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality,” raising awareness about the business case for women’s economic empowerment and the opportunities for the private sector to advance gender equality and sustainable development. 

“There is a natural synergy for WE to celebrate International Women’s Day,” said Joanne Hill, Co-Founder and Co-President of WE and Head of Institutional Investment Strategy at ProShares. “Stock exchanges are a key industry partner in the Exchange Traded Fund industry globally with whom WE and its members maintain strong ongoing relationships in our chapters around the globe.  Stock exchanges provide a natural high-visibility platform in which to amplify the gender equality message”, continued Hill.

“Studies such as the new survey by the Peterson Institute for International Economics of 21,980 publicly traded companies in 91 countries demonstrates that the presence of more female leaders in top positions of corporate management correlates with increased profitability of these companies” said Deborah Fuhr, Co-Founder of WE and Managing Partner of ETFGI.

Jill Mavro Co-President of WE, Senior Managing Director at State Street Global Advisors, says Stock exchanges can play a vital role by encouraging gender diversity on the boards and in the management of listed companies, and ensuring accessibility of capital market services to women-owned businesses and female entrepreneurs.

WE is the lead partner on 15 of the 34 bell ringing celebrations noted in yellow below which will include WE leadership, corporate sponsors, and members, and will take place from March 7 -11th.

Exchange                                                                       Country               Date                     Opening or Closing Bell

Australian Securities Exchange                                   Australia              8-Mar-2016        Opening

Dhaka Stock Exchange                                                 Bangladesh         8-Mar-2016        Opening

Euronext Brussels                                                          Belgium               8-Mar-2016        opening

Toronto Stock Exchange                                              Canada                11-Mar-2016      Opening

Santiago Stock Exchange                                             Chile                     11-Mar-2016      Opening

Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières                Cote d’Ivoire      8 -Mar- 2016      Opening

Egyptian Exchange (EGX)                                             Egypt                    8-Mar-2016        Opening

South Pacific Exchange*                                              Fiji                         8-Mar-2016        Opening

Euronext Paris                                                                France                  8-Mar-2016        Opening

Deutsche Borse                                                              Germany              9-Mar-2016        Opening

Hong Kong Exchanges Clearing                                  Hong Kong          8-Mar-2016        Afternoon

Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)*                                 India                     8-Mar-2016        Opening

Borsa Italiana                                                                 Italy                      8-Mar-2016        Opening

Amman Stock Exchange (ASE)                                    Jordan                  9-Mar-2016        Opening & Closing

Nairobi Securities Exchange                                        Kenya                   3-Mar-2016        Opening

Lao Stock Exchange                                                      Laos                      9-Mar-2016       

Bursa Malaysia*                                                            Malaysia              11-Mar-2016      Opening

Bourse de Casablanca                                                  Morocco             8-Mar-2016        Opening

Euronext Amsterdam                                                    Netherlands        8-Mar-2016        Opening

Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)                                  Nigeria                 8-Mar-2016        Closing

Bolsa de Valores de Lima                                             Peru                      8-Mar-2016        Midday

Euronext Lisbon                                                             Portugal               8-Mar-2016        Opening

Bucharest Stock Exchange                                          Romania              8-Mar-2016        Opening

Johannesburg Stock Exchange                                   South Africa        8-Mar-2016        Opening

Colombo Stock Exchange                                            Sri Lanka              4-Mar-2016        Opening

SIX Swiss Exchange                                                       Switzerland         8-Mar-2016        Closing

Borsa Istanbul                                                                Turkey                  8-Mar-2016        Opening

London Stock Exchange                                               UK                         8-Mar-2016        Opening

BATS                                                                                 US                         7-Mar-2016        Closing

Chicago Board Options Exchange                              US                         7-Mar-2016        Closing

IEX                                                                                    US                         7-Mar-2016        Opening

IFC Treasury                                                                    US                         8-Mar-2015        Opening

NASDAQ OMX                                                                US                         8-Mar-2016        Closing

New York Stock Exchange                                           US                         8-Mar-2016        Opening

Note: exchanges highlighted in yellow are bell ringings where Women in ETFs is the lead partner.