Foreword | 4
byAnoopSagoo,ChiefExecutiveOfficer,AccentureSoutheastAsia
Whywomen-ownedbusinessesmatternow | 5
Howsupplierdiversitydrivesrevenuegrowth | 6
Whatwomenwant: Streamlinedprocesses,faster paymentsandbusinessproficiency | 8
Adviceforfellowfemalefounders | 12
Demand-sidedynamics: Whatcorporatescando | 15
Bestpracticesforlargebusinesses | 17
Engagingtheecosystem | 19
Conclusion: Frominclusiontoadvantage | 22
References | 23
Contributors | 24
SoutheastAsia'swomen-ownedbusinessesrepresentasignificantsourceofuntapped potential,arealityI'vewitnessedfirsthandthroughmyworkacrosstheregion.Sinceour lastreport,thelandscapehastransformeddramatically,drivenbytechnological advancementsandinnovativewaysofworking.Theregionhasemergedasaglobal testbedforinnovation,withwomen-ownedbusinessesattheforefront.
Ourresearchdemonstratesthatcompaniesembracingsupplierdiversityexperience tangiblebenefits,includingenhancedperformanceandrevenuegrowth.By implementingtherecommendationsinthisreport,stakeholderscanunlockthefull potentialofwomen-ownedbusinesses,fosteringamoreinclusiveandresilientbusiness ecosystem.
IbelieveSoutheastAsiaispoisedtoleadthewayinshowcasinghowcollaborationwith womenentrepreneursdrivessustainableandequitablegrowth.Ihopethisreportinspires actionandcontributestocreatingabrighterfuturefortheregion.
AnoopSagoo ChiefExecutiveOfficer Accenture SoutheastAsia
InSoutheastAsia’sUS$4-trillion-dollar economy,¹ womenentrepreneursplaya vitalrole,with60millionwomen operatingmicro,smallandmedium enterprises (MSMEs) acrosstheregion.² Manyhavesuccessfullyscaledtheir businesses,drivingbothinnovationand economicgrowth.ConsiderSingaporebasedserialentrepreneurAnnaHaotanto (ZoraHealth),multi-generationalwomenownedbusinessGhimLiGlobalrunby FeliciaGan,Vietnam’sPhamThiMyLe (L&AHoldings) andIndonesia’sEvyGozali (SababayWinery),eachofwhomhave puttheircompanies andcountries on theworldstage.
Whilewomen-ownedbusinessesare makinganameforthemselves,large globalmultinationalcompanies (MNCs) alsostandtobenefitfromhavingmoreof suchbusinessesintheirsupplychain. Extending2020researchonSingaporeto thewiderSoutheastAsianregion,this reportbyAccenture,theAmerican ChamberofCommerceinSingapore (AmChamSG) andWEConnect Internationalsoughttoanswerthe question: Doesengagingmorewomenownedbusinessesbenefitthe bottomline?Theanswerisaresounding yes thegreatertherepresentationof femaleleadershipinasuppliercompany, thehighertherevenuegrowthofthe companytheysupply.
Thesefindingsshowthatengaging women-ownedbusinessesinsupply chainsisastrategicbusinessdecision thathasthepotentialtounlockimmense value.Byleveragingtheuntapped potentialofwomenentrepreneurs, organizationscantapintonewgrowth opportunities,fosterinnovationand createmoreresilient,diverseand sustainablesupplychains.
Whenwomen-ownedbusinessesthrive, sodothecompaniestheyserve. Policymakersandecosystempartners thatrecognizethestrategicvalueof engagingwomenentrepreneursin supplychains andtakemeaningful action willnotonlyempowerwomen butalsoshapepolicy,influencemarket thinkingandbuildmoredynamic,futurereadyeconomies. Womenplayastrategicrolein IndonesianMSMEs,where womenrun34percentof medium-sizedenterprises,50.6 percentofsmall-sized enterprisesand52.9percentof micro-sizedenterprises.
IGustiAyuBintangDarmawati FormerMinister Women’sEmpowerment & ChildProtection Indonesia ³
Bytappingintowomen-ownedbusinesses,companiescanunlocka powerfuldiversitydividend,strengtheningsupplychainswhile acceleratingfinancialperformance.
Thebenefitsofhavingmorewomenin corporateleadershipareverywelldocumented.Theyhavemuchstronger financialperformance,4 betterdecision making5 andimprovedtalentretention.6 Asimportantasitistocontinuetohire andpromotewomeninindividual workplaces,progresshasbeenslow,with theWorldEconomicForumestimating thatreachinggenderparitywilltake another123years.7
Toaccelerateprogress,companiesneed tonotonlychangethemselves,butto alsochangethecompaniestheywork withassuppliers.Onecrucialwaytodrive progressistochoosetoseekwomenownedsuppliers.Whencompanies evaluatepotentialsuppliers,they typicallyprioritizefactorslikecost efficiency,reliabilityandtheabilityto meetdeliverables.Thesecriteriaare essentialformaintainingsmooth operationsandensuringprofitability.But whatifthere’sanother,lessobvious factorthatcouldpositivelyinfluence financialperformance?
Ouranalysisofthesupplierdiversityof 631companiesinSingapore,Vietnam andIndonesiasuggeststhatamore diversesupplychaincouldnotonlymeet thesetraditionalcriteria,butalsodrive greaterrevenuegrowth.
Figure1: Companiesthatchoosesupplierswithmorewomen inleadershipalsoseehigherrevenuegrowth.*
*Toinvestigatethehypothesisthatcompaniesperformbetterwhentheyengagewithmorediversesuppliers, webeganbycollectingsupplierdataforthelargestcompaniesinthethreegeographiesofinterest.Next,we analysedthepercentageofwomenintopleadershippositionsamongthesuppliersandassessedwhether therewasarelationshipbetweencompanyperformanceandthelevelofwomen’sparticipationintheir supplychains.
Theresultsrevealacompellinglink betweengenderdiversityinleadership andcompanygrowth.Amongthe companiesinoursample,theaverage compoundannualgrowthrate (CAGR) of revenuestandsatapproximately3.6% However,ourfindingssuggestthatiftheir suppliersincreasedtheshareofwomen intopmanagementbyjust5percentage Womenshouldbegiven opportunitiestomaximizetheir capabilityineconomic,political andsocialactivities,andfurther engageindecision-making mechanismsinthesefields.
VoThiAnhXuan FormerVicePresident Vietnam
points,itcouldboostrevenueCAGRby anestimated2.2percentagepoints (see Figure1)—findingssupportedby academicandindustryresearch.8 This diversitydividenddemonstratesthat supplierdiversitycouldbeastrategic driveroffinancialperformance,even acrossvariousindustriesand geographies.
Womenentrepreneurshavea criticalroleingrowingour economy.Entrepreneurshavea strongerappetitefordisrupting oldbusinessmodels.Theyserve ascatalystsforinnovationand jobcreation.Theyalsoleadthe wayinadoptingnew technologiesandbusiness paradigms,whichweneedto sustaineconomicvitality.
JosephineTeo Minister DigitalDevelopment & Information
Singapore
Womenentrepreneurshavemovedfromseekingaseatatthetableto tacklingchallengeslikefasterpaymentsandstrongerbusinessskills, signalingrealprogressinclosingthegendergap.
Justasbuyercompaniesbenefitfrom includingmorewomen-owned businessesintheirsupplychains, women-ownedsuppliersalsorecognize thevalueofcollaboratingwithlarge MNCs.Oursurveyof121women entrepreneursinSingapore,Vietnamand Indonesiafoundthatthetopthree benefitsofcollaboratingwithlarge companieswerethattheyprovidestable andrecurringrevenue (73%),opendoors tonewmarketsandcustomersegments (70%) andofferopportunitiesforlongtermstrategicpartnerships (64%)
Despitethepotentialbenefitstheycited, themajorityofwomenentrepreneursin ourstudydonotcurrentlyworkwithlarge buyers (seeFigure2).InSingapore,for example,only23% reportedthatthey currentlysupplylargeMNCs.Similarly, just34% doinVietnam.Interestingly, women-ownedbusinessesinIndonesia buckthistrend,with58% sayingthatthey alreadyworkwithlargebuyers.This variationreflectsthewiderangeof conditionsacrossSoutheastAsia, highlightinghowonesizedoesnotfitall whenitcomestosolutions.
: Mostwomen-ownedbusinessesdonotcurrentlyworkwithlargebuyers.
Lackoftransparencyintheselectionprocess
Lackofmentorshiporsupportnavigating corporateprocurementprocesses
Notbeingawareofavailableopportunities
Difficultycompetingwithlargerormore establishedsuppliers
Limitedaccesstodecision-makersor procurementteams
Longpaymenttermsordelayedpayments
Meetingcomplexprocurementrequirements orcertifications
Insufficientexpertiseinleveragingonline marketingande-commercetoolstoconnect withlargebuyers
Limitedcapacitytoscalequicklyforlargeorders
Difficultyintegratingadvanceddigitaltoolsto streamlinecomplianceandcertificationprocesses
Other Limitedtechnologicalproficiencyinusing digitalprocurementplatformsandsoftware
Whatdrivesthisdisparitybetweenthe desiretoworkwithlargecompaniesand actualengagement?Oursurveyreveals thatthetopbarrierstoworkingwithlarge MNCsareopaqueoroverlycomplicated processesandlongpaymentterms (see Figure3).
Ininterviews,womenentrepreneurs acrossallthreeregionsconsistentlycited complexprocurementorcertification requirementsasthemainobstacle.
AsCassandraLeeofSingapore-based workplaceconsultancyCOMBpointsout, “[Theprocess] takesalotoftimeand effortforasmallcompanylikeours. Whereresourcesarelimited,we’drather focusonlowhangingfruitsthatwehave ahigherchancetosecure.”
Similarly,thesizeofthecompany can makeitdifficulttomeetalltechnical requirements,especiallyforSMEs.“The technology-drivennatureofprocurement makesitdifficultforSMEsastheytendto haveverysmallteamswithfewtono dedicatedITstaff,”addsChanDuong, founderofCTMTranslationand Consulting,Vietnam.Accesstoskills buildingopportunityortechnicalknowhowisneededtomovetheneedle.
Amajorityofwomenentrepreneurs in Singapore (70%),Vietnam (70%) and Indonesia (56%)—alsohighlightedlong paymenttermsordelayedpaymentsasa keychallenge.Accesstocreditremainsa well-documentedbarrierforSME participationinsupplychainsinASEAN andbeyond.11 AsFeliciaGan,CEOof GhimLiGlobalpointsout,“Asa [womanownedbusiness],especiallyastartup,it [was] alwaysverydifficultintheearly yearstogetaccesstofunding.”Anna Haotanto,founderofwomen’shealth startupZoraagrees,“Thecapitalstill skewsheavilytowardmalefounders”,she says.“Womenaremorelikelyto bootstrap,operateleanerandfocuson sustainabilityoverblitzscaling.”
Manyclientshave30-,60-or even90-daypaymentterms.To easethelongpaymentcycle,at thebeginningofaprojectwe askforpartialpaymentup frontorasktoinvoice…aswe hitspecificmilestones.That invoicingstructureeasesthe paymentterms.
GillianPearl FounderandCEO PearlConsulting
Figure4: Areaswherewomenentrepreneursneedmoresupport. Businessskillstraining (e.g.,finance, marketing,operations)
Accesstocorporateandgovernment procurementopportunities
Visibilityandrecognitioninthe businessecosystem
Mentorshipandleadership development
Accesstofundingandinvestment opportunities
Supportforbalancingbusinessand familyresponsibilities
Legalandregulatoryguidance
Networkingandcommunity-building opportunities
Trainingintechnicalskills
Accesstoaffordabletechnology anddigitaltools
Mentalhealthandwellnessresources
Whenweaskedthewomen entrepreneurswhatkindofsupport wouldmakethebiggestdifference, businessskillsandgreatervisibilitystood out (seeFigure4).InIndonesiaand Vietnam,traininginfinance,operations ormarketingwerehighlightedasthe mostrequestedformsofsupport (84-86%).Whileaconsiderablenumber ofcompaniesinSingaporealso requestedmorebusinessskillsupport (55%),themostrequestedsupportwas forvisibilityandrecognitiontoaccessthe businessecosystem (79%)
Fewerwomenentrepreneursciteddigital proficiencyoruseofdigitaltoolsasmajor barrierstoworkingwithMNCs,which maypointtothesuccessofASEANand memberstate-levelpolicyindriving digitaladoptionandfluencyamong SMEs.12
Digitalliteracyanddigitalizationof processesarebasicenablersofamore inclusivesupplychain,butmorework remainstobedonetoensurethatwomen entrepreneursandtheiremployeesare abletocontinuallyupskillandremain competitiveamidrapidtechnological change. Thesefindingspointtoacriticaltension attheheartofinclusivesourcing: while thepotentialvalueofengagingwithlarge multinationalsiscleartowomen-owned businesses,structuralbarrierscontinue tolimitaccess.Thedisconnectsuggests thatthechallengeisnotoneof motivation,butofenablement.Women entrepreneursareeagertoscaleand compete,butfaceaprocurement environmentthatisnotdesignedwith theirrealitiesinmind complex processes,delayedpaymentsandlimited accessallservetoexclude.
ChanDuong,founderofCTMTranslationandConsulting,Vietnam, sharesthreetipsonhowwomenentrepreneurscanpositionthemselves asthepartnerofchoiceforglobalMNCs.
Attendindustryevents,joinassociationsandactivelybuildnetworkstoconnect directlywithlargeorganizationsandpeopleresponsibleforsourcing.
Asyourbusinessbeginstoscale, surroundyourselfwithstrong networksandecosystems, becausenoentrepreneurthrives alone…Andasyoureach maturityorexpansion,remember thatsuccessgainsrealmeaning whenitisshared.
PhamThiMyLe Chairperson L&AHoldings
Ipersonallytrytoreachoutto communitiesthatgenuinelyaim atbuildingskillsandknowledge forentrepreneurs.Theyusually organizewebinarsorevents wherelargecompanieswould sharetipsandinformationfor procurementprocessorRFQ opportunities.Ithelpsand expandsmyknowledgeonthe globalsupplychainandhowto bepartofit.
Don’twaituntilyouhaveallthe answerstostart.Youdon’tneed toknoweverythingondayone. Surroundyourselfwithmentors andexperts,andstayhumble enoughtoabsorbeverythingyou can.Growthcomesfromtaking theleapandbeingwillingto learnasyougo.
EvyGozali CEO SababayWinery
RikaAgusmelda CEO
PT.CakrawalaMudaMandiriTranslation
Buildthelifeyouwant—not justthebusinessyouthinkyou should.Thiskeepsmedisciplined aboutchoosingmodelsand marketsthatalignwithmy values,notjustvanitymetrics
AnnaHaotanto Founder Zora
Workingwithlargeorganizationsrequiresstrongdocumentation (e.g.,financial statements,pastperformancerecordsandcredibility).Establishingstandard operatingprocedures (SOPs) tocaptureandreportinformationinastructuredway helpstoensurereadinesswhenopportunitiesarise.
It'sgoodtohavepatienceandbig targets…,butsometimes, especiallyinaveryvolatile businessenvironmentlikenow, [everything]isamoving piece…Soyou[have]toreallysee what'syouradvantageandwhere youhavemorekeyadvantage andoutplayofcompetitors, especiallyifyoudonothavethe sameresources.
CassandraLee Founder COMB
Theseprocessesrequirestrong documentation—financial statements,pastperformance records,andcredibility—so entrepreneursmustbepatient andpreparedtolearnfrom rejection.
ChanDuong Founder CTMTranslationandConsulting
Whiletheremaybeupfrontcosts,registeringonprocurementplatformsis worthwhileandtypicallyrequiredforbidding.Thesetoolsprovidevisibilityinto sector-andgeography-specificopportunities,helpingtooffsetcostsanddeliver long-termpayoffs.
Manyfoundersemphasizethe importanceofstrongnetworksand supportivecommunitiesintheirgrowth journeys somethingAmCham Singaporehelpsfosterthroughits businessnetworksandpeerconnections. Complementingthis,WEConnect Internationalexpandsopportunitiesby connectingwomen-ownedbusinesses withmultinationalbuyers,helpingto opendoorstobroadersupplychainsand markets.
Getinvolvedinbusiness networkstolearnhow procurementworksacross differentMNCs.Thedetails mightvarybyindustrysectoror region,butthereisusuallya commonstructureorSOPthat mostcompaniesfollow.
JasminTan AccountDirector Whitewords
Leadingglobalcompaniesareinvestinginsuppliercapabilitiesof womenandseeingtheresults.
AsMNCsacrossSoutheastAsia increasinglyrecognizethevalueof supplierdiversity,manyarebeginningto engagewomen-ownedbusinessesin theirsupplychains.Tounderstandwhat isbeingdoneandtheimpactitis creating,weinterviewedseniorleaders andprocurementheadsfromMNCsin Singapore,IndonesiaandVietnamtofind outhowtheyaredoingitandwhat impactithashad.Althoughtheseleaders camefromdiverseindustriesand backgrounds,severalcommonthemes emerged.
Tofostersupplierdiversity,companies musttreatitasacorebusinessgoaland strategicpriority,withtheresourcesto match.Whilecompetenceandcost remaintheprimaryselectioncriteria, MNCshavetheopportunitytocreate enormoussocialandeconomicimpact bychoosingtodomoreworkwith competitivediversesuppliersofferingthe besttotalvalue.
Forexample,alargefastmoving consumergoods (FMCG) companyhas committedtospendingUS$1billionwith diversesuppliersannually,asumthat couldchangethetrajectoryformany women-ownedbusinesses.“Wearealso awarethatthis $1billioninspendingwill resultinriskstousasacompany,which
weneedtoface.Buttome,thisisour choice ifwechoosetodoit,wewill bearit,”saystheheadofprocurementat aglobalFMCGcompany.
Ithinkit'salsopartofour
responsibilitytoprovidethe visibilityonwhatsomepossible solutionsareintermsof financing,
HeadofProcurement
GlobalFMCGCompany
"Anytimeacompanyselectsanew vendorinsearchofinnovation,thereisa risk.However,itisalsoarisktohirethe samevendoryearoveryearthatmayor maynotofferthebesttotalvalueover time,"notedElizabethVazquez,CEOand co-founderofWEConnectInternational.
Anothercriticalapproachissimplifying theonboardingprocessbyproviding clear,step-by-stepguidance,ensuring thatwomen-ownedbusinessescan competeonalevelplayingfield.Large companiescanpointsuppliersto financialtoolssuchasfactoringtohelp themmanagetheirworkingcapital.“I
thinkit'salsopartofourresponsibilityto providethevisibilityonwhatsome possiblesolutionsareintermsof financing,”addstheheadofprocurement attheglobalFMCGcompany.
Inaddition,corporatescangobeyond onboardingtoactivelyinvestinsupplier capability.Thisincludestraining, mentorshipandnetworking opportunitiesfocusedonhelping women-ownedbusinessesscaletheir operationsandmeetcorporate procurementstandards.Companiesneed notdothisalone.“Thisgoesbeyond businesstobusiness (B2B)—businessto government (B2G) andthewider ecosystemcomesintoplay,”saidthe headofprocurementofamultinational beveragecompany.
Anotableexampleofsuchaninitiative isAccenture’sSupplierDevelopment Program (SDP),aglobal12–18-month trainingandmentoringprogramto developandexpandrelationshipswith suppliersfromdiverseand underrepresentedcommunities.
Throughone-on-onementoring, symposiums,webinarsandaccessto Accenture’sonlinetrainingacademy, theprogramseekstoequipsuppliers withtheknowledgenecessaryto engageeffectivelywithprocurement teams.AsofNovember2024, Accenturegraduatedmorethan280 diversesupplierssincesettingupthe SDP. 13
AnotherexampleisAccenture’sWomen ofWorth (WOW) programmein Singapore.whichaimstotrainwomen returningtotheworkforce,equipping themwithin-demandtechskills.By providingwomenwiththetoolsand trainingneededtore-enterthe workforce,WOWcontributestothe growthofadiversetalentpool,whichcan thenbeleveragedbybusinessesseeking todiversifytheirsupplierbase.
ManyMNCsfacechallengesinincreasing supplierdiversityduetolimited awarenessandfragmentedtracking systems.Alackofcentralizedand comprehensivedatacollectionhampers effortstotrackandmonitordiverse supplierseffectively.Companiesoften struggletounderstandthefullscopeof theirsupplychain,makingitdifficultto identifyopportunitiesfordiversification oraddressdisparities.Establishing integratedtrackingmechanismsand raisinginternalawarenessaboutthe importanceofsupplierdiversityis essentialforMNCstomakemeaningful progressinthisarea.
WhilesomeMNCshavelaunchedearlystageinitiativestoenhancesupplier diversity,theseprogramsareofteninthe pilotphaseorconcentratedinspecific regions,suchasSingapore.These programsmayincludesupplierinclusion policiesorpartnershipswithdiversityfocusedorganizationssuchas WEConnectInternational,butlackscale ormaturity.Corporationsshouldscale pilotprogramsintocomprehensive, region-widestrategiestodrivelasting impact.
WhilemanyMNCsexpressawillingness toengagewithdiversesuppliers,thelack ofactionableroadmapspresentsamajor barriertoprogress.Despitethegrowing commitmenttosupplierdiversity, companiesoftenfailtodevelopclear, measurablestrategiesforincorporating diversesuppliersintotheirprocurement processes.Toovercomethis,MNCsneed toestablishbaselines,specificdiversity goals,aframeworkforidentifyingand onboardingdiversesuppliersandprovide ongoingsupporttoensurelong-term engagementandmutualsuccess.
Thisgoesbeyondbusinessto business(B2B)—businessto government(B2G)andthewider ecosystemcomesintoplay.
HeadofProcurement
Justasindividualcompaniesmustlookbeyondtheirimmediatesupply chains,achievingrealimpactrequiresengagingthewiderecosystem, whichincludewomen.
Policymakers,investors,financial institutionsandNGOsallplayacritical roleinenablingwomen-owned businessestothrive.Byworkingtogether, thesestakeholderscancreateconditions forinclusivegrowththatnosingleactor couldachievealone.
Policymakersandecosystemplayersalso haveacrucialroletoplayinpromoting supplierdiversitybyleadingbyexample. Asthelargestbuyerinanycountry,public procurementispowerfulwayforSMEsin generalandwomen-ownedbusinessesin particulartodeliversolutions,scale businesses,createjobsandcontributeto theeconomyandcommunities.
Policymakerscanalsoleverage organizationslikeWEConnect Internationalandtheirdeepglobal expertiseandresources,including nationaldatabasesofcertifiedwomenownedbusinesses.Suchdatabases provideacentralizedresourcefor corporationstoidentifydiversesuppliers andengagewiththemmoreeasily.Italso allowsgovernmentstotrackthe participationandsuccessofwomenownedbusinessesinthebroader economy,providingvaluableinsightsfor futurepolicydevelopment.
Offeringincentivesforinclusive procurementisanotherpowerfultoolfor encouragingcorporationstoprioritize diversesuppliers.Theseincentivescould includetaxbreaks,subsidies,oraccess toexclusivegovernmentcontractsfor businessesthatcommittodiverse sourcingpractices.Bymakingdiversity financiallyadvantageous,policymakers canstimulatecorporatecommitmentto supplierdiversityonabroaderscale.
Moreover,strengtheningmentorshipand buyer-readinessprogramsiscrucialfor preparingwomen-ownedbusinessesto engagewithlargecorporations,through capacity-buildingandtraining,aswellas educationontheresourcesavailableto them.Theseprogramshelpensurethat diversesuppliersarenotonlycapableof fulfillingcorporateneeds,butarealso equippedwiththerighttoolsand knowledgetosucceedincompetitive andincreasinglydigitalizedbidding processes.
Tostreamlineregulatoryrequirements facedbySMEs,Singapore’sMinistryof TradeandIndustrysetuptheSmalland Medium-SizedEnterprisesPro-Enterprise Office (SMEPEO),providingadirect channeltohelpSMEsnavigatecomplex oremergingregulationsandprovide feedback.14
Womencomingtoour organizationarenotnecessarily alwayslookingforaccessto capital,theyarelookingfor accesstomarkets,networks, connectionsandtherightdoors toopentobeabletogrowa vibrantbusiness.
HarminKaur Co-Chair,WomenVentureAsia Founder,Stellaire
Whensupplychainleadersmake roomforsmaller,agilesuppliers, they’renotjusttickingadiversity box;they’rebuildingmore flexible,innovativeandresilient supplychainsforthefuture.
VonLeong
Co-Founder PurposeVentureCapital
Investorshaveanequallyimportantrole indrivingsupplierdiversitythroughtheir investmentstrategies,notjustascapital providers,butasenablersofmarket access.AsHarminKaur,founderof Stellaireandco-chairofnon-profit ecosystembuilderWomenVentureAsia highlights,networks,connectionsand opportunitiescanbejustasimportantas funding.WomenVentureAsiafocuseson bridgingthesegapsby providing capacitybuildingprogramsand conveningkeystakeholders.Such sessionsandcommunitybuilding opportunitiesservetoempowerwomen withfinancialconfidencewhichisakey steppingstonetoachieving“liquidity, capitalandcouragefortakingonthe processesandpaymenttermsoflarger MNCsandencouragethemtotakethe leap.”
ForDavidSoukhasingofIndonesianbasedANGIN,“itisamatterofbargaining powerattheend.”Strategicinvestments in women-ledscale-upsgivesthese businessestheleverageandsupport
neededtointegrateintoMNCs’supply chainsandtoscalesustainably.Nicole Denholder,Co-founderofSophia, reinforcesthisthroughanAI-enhanced B2Beducationandcoachingplatform thathelpswomengainknowledgeand confidence.Theplatformcombines digitalcourses,in-personeventsand bothhuman-centeredandAI-driven coachingtechniquestoreachwomenin globalmarkets.“Byequippingwomen withthesetoolsandresources,we empowerthemtomakeconfident decisionsandreducefinancialrisks whereverpossible,”sheexplains.This capability-buildingapproachlaysthe foundationforstrongerparticipationin supplychainsandlong-termresilience, especiallysincewomenentrepreneurs havecited“alackoffundraising knowledgeandexperience,”accordingto Denholder.
Stridesarebeingmadeintheright directionbyorganizationssuchasTiE,a globalnon-profitorganizationwiththe missionoffosteringentrepreneurship, withimpactfulpresenceintheregion. PrantikMazumdar,PresidentofTiE’s SingaporeChapter,reiteratestheneed forcustomersandpartnerstoapproach thisfromameritlensratherthanpurely fromadiversitylens.HighlightingtheTiE WomenProgram,anannualflagship initiativedesignedtoprovidewomen-led venturestherequisiteaccesstocapital, capabilitybuilding,mentorship,techservices,mediaandmarketaccess, Mazumdarsaysconnectionsand confidencecanhelpwomen-owned businessesleapfrogthecompetition. “Irrespectiveoftheoutcome,weatTiE wouldliketochangethenarrativeabout womenentrepreneurship,”headds. “Hopefullythiswouldencouragemany morewomentotakeupthispath.”
Momentumisalreadyhere.VonLeongof PurposeVentureCapitalhighlightsthat MNCsinSoutheastAsiaareseeking innovationinareaslikeAIandnext-gen materials.Investors,likeherfirm,are alreadybridgingthisgapbyhelping foundersnavigatethelengthy administrativeprocurementprocesses, connectingthemtoalternativefinancing forcashflowandworkingwithincubators onmutuallybeneficialpilotprojects.
Somepracticalstepsthatinvestorscan takearetoprioritizefundingwomen-led anddiversebusinesseswithpotentialto serveMNCs,buildpartnershipsthat acceleratetheirentryintoglobalvalue chainsandtoinstitutionalizesupplychain diversitywithininvestmentstrategies.In doingso,investorscaptureboththe strategicadvantageofstronger,more innovativesupplychainsandfacilitate women-ledanddiversebusinessesentry intoglobalvaluechains. Bywideningaccessforwomenledandsmallenterprises,we createasupplychainthatisnot onlymoreinclusive,butalso morecompetitiveandadaptable —atrueadvantagefor businessesintoday’sglobal economy.
HamidahAidillah Founder,ParrotSocial CouncilMember,AssociationofSmalland MediumEnterprises (ASME) Singapore
GreatersupplierdiversityisapowerfulopportunityforbusinessesinSoutheastAsiato createlong-termvalue,driveinnovationandbuildmoreresilientsupplychains.By strategicallyintegratingdiversesuppliersintooperations,companiescanunlocknew perspectives,increasemarketreachandenhancetheircompetitiveadvantageina rapidlychangingworld.Thebenefitsareclear,buttheyrequirecommitmentand intentionalactionfromallstakeholderswhoarepartoftheecosystem.
Thestepsoutlinedinthischapterarenotjustideals,theyarepractical,actionable strategiesthatcandriverealchange.Nowisthetimetomovebeyondintentand translatetheseideasintoconcreteactions.Thelandscapeisshifting,andthosewho embracediversitytodaywillbebetterpositionedtoleadtomorrow.
Aswelookahead,theopportunitytodiversifyoursupplychainsisonethatpromises growthandsustainability,bothforbusinessesandforthewidereconomy.Thework aheadmaybechallenging,butitisalsoessential.Bytakingpurposefulstepstoexpand accesstoday,wecancreateamoreinclusiveandthrivingbusinessecosystemforyears tocome.
¹ https://andamanpartners.com/2025/07/southeast-asia-the-usd-4-trillion-economy
² https://theaseanmagazine.asean.org/article/unleashing-the-power-of-women-entrepreneurs
³ https://setkab.go.id/en/govt-to-optimize-g20-presidency-to-boost-women-role-inentrepreneurship-minister-says/
4https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/companies-women-leadership-positions-are-moreprofitable-those-without
5https://hbr.org/2021/04/research-adding-women-to-the-c-suite-changes-how-companies-think
6https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0170840619875480
7https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/06/global-gender-gap-report-2025-key-findings/
8Publishedresearchinacademicjournals (e.g., 1, 2) andby industry researcherssuggestthat strongsupplierdiversityprogramsareoftenpartofabroaderstrategicprocurementframework, wherecompaniesalsothinkmoredeeplyaboutthequalityoftheirsuppliersingeneraland better-definethemetricsthedriveoverallsupplychainperformance.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pursup.2022.100751
https://doi.org/10.1111/basr.70015
https://www.ismworld.org/supply-management-news-and-reports/news-publications/insidesupply-management-magazine/blog/2024/2024-10/driving-the-value-of-supplier-diversityprograms/
9https://vietnamlawmagazine.vn/vietnam-suggests-empowering-women-in-digitaltransformation-71417.html
10 https://www.mddi.gov.sg/newsroom/speech-by-minister-josephine-teo-at-ace-sgcelebrates-women-entrepreneurship
11SMEchallengeswithaccesstocredit,particularlytradefinance,canlimittheirabilityto participateinglobalvaluechains.Thischallengehasbeenwidelydocumented,afewofthe sourcesrelevanttoASEANinclude:
https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2021/05/trade-finance-forsmes-in-the-digital-era b7d20c00/e505fe39-en.pdf
https://www.eria.org/uploads/media/discussion-papers/FY21/Understanding-SME-Trade-Financein-ASEAN An-Overview.pdf
12E.g.,ASEANpoliciessuchastheASEANDigitalMasterplan2025andinitiativessuchasthe DigitalLiteracyProgramandASEANmember-levelpoliciessuchasSingapore’sSkillsFutureor Malaysia’sDigitalEducationPolicy.
13https://www.accenture.com/lv-en/about/company/accenture-supplier-impact-sustainability
14https://www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/smepeo
Accenture BaniTrehan ManagingDirector
SrotoswiniRoy SeniorManager
Dr.RebeccaTan SeniorEditor,AccentureResearch
AndrewPince StrategyManager
CrystalSim DeliveryAnalyst
RubyTing DeliveryAnalyst
WEConnectInternational
ElizabethA.Vazquez ChiefExecutiveOfficerandCo-founder
MrinaliniVenkatachalam RegionalDirector
TheAmericanChamberofCommerceinSingapore (AmChamSG)
Dr.Hsien-HsienLei ChiefExecutiveOfficer
RachelPhay AssociateDirector-SpecialProjectsandGovernmentRelations
StellaSoh ChiefofStaff
Walkingthetalk: Women-ownedbusinesseswhocontributedto thisreport
LaunchVideo WeThinkNorth AnuradhaAgarwal Founder
Accentureisaleadingglobalprofessionalservicescompanythathelpstheworld’s leadingbusinesses,governmentsandotherorganizationsbuildtheirdigitalcore, optimizetheiroperations,acceleraterevenuegrowthandenhancecitizenservices creatingtangiblevalueatspeedandscale.Weareatalent-andinnovation-ledcompany withapproximately791,000peopleservingclientsinmorethan120countries. Technologyisatthecoreofchangetoday,andweareoneoftheworld’sleadersin helpingdrivethatchange,withstrongecosystemrelationships.Wecombineour strengthintechnologyandleadershipincloud,dataandAIwithunmatchedindustry experience,functionalexpertiseandglobaldeliverycapability.Ourbroadrangeof services,solutionsandassetsacrossStrategy & Consulting,Technology,Operations, IndustryXandSong,togetherwithourcultureofsharedsuccessandcommitmentto creating360° value,enableustohelpourclientsreinventandbuildtrusted,lasting relationships.Wemeasureoursuccessbythe360° valuewecreateforourclients,each other,ourshareholders,partnersandcommunities. Visit: accenture.com.
AccentureResearchcreatesthoughtleadershipaboutthemostpressingbusinessissues organizationsface.Combininginnovativeresearchtechniques,suchasdatascience-led analysis,withadeepunderstandingofindustryandtechnology,ourteamof300+ researchersin20countriespublishhundredsofreports,articlesandpointsofviewevery year.Ourthought-provokingresearchdevelopedwithworldleadingorganizationshelps ourclientsembracechange,createvalueanddeliveronthepoweroftechnologyand humaningenuity. Visit: accenture.com/research.
Establishedin1973,theAmericanChamberofCommerceinSingapore (AmChamSG) is thelargestandthemostactiveinternationalbusinessassociationinSingaporeand SoutheastAsia,withnearly700Americanandotherglobalcompanieswithsignificant USbusinessinterests.AmChamSGisanindependent,non-partisanbusiness organizationwiththegoalofofferinginsightsandfacilitatingaccessandconnections thatprovidememberswithacomprehensiveunderstandingofthelocal,regionaland globaloperatingenvironments.Ourmission tocreatevalueforourmembersby providingadvocacy,communityandthoughtleadership. Visit: www.amcham.com.sg.
WEConnectInternationalistheleadingglobalnon-profitdedicatedtodrivingmoneyinto thehandsofwomenbusinessownersbyconnectingthemwithlargecorporate, multilateralandgovernmentbuyersaroundtheworld.Its180+ memberbuyersrepresent morethan $4trillioninannualpurchasingpowerandarecommittedtosourcingmore fromwomen-ownedbusinessesinover135countries.WEConnectInternational identifies,educates,registersandcertifiesbusinessesthatareatleast51% womenowned,managedandcontrolled,providingWomen’sBusinessEnterpriseCertificationin over60countries.Withaglobalnetworkof20,000+ women-ownedbusinesses, WEConnectInternationaliscommittedtounleashingthefulleconomicpotentialof women-ownedbusinessesworldwide. Visit: www.weconnectinternational.org.
