Trade Information

Opening ceremony for securities trading devoted to gender equality

On March 9, 2017, the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) held the opening ceremony of securities trading on the occasion of the International Women's Day on March 8. The event was held as part of KASE joining to the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (SSE) and it helped to highlight the importance of gender equality, women's empowerment for sustainable development and business.

The event was attended by representatives of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, the Central Depository and large financial organizations, which are members of KASE. KASE joined the SSE Initiative in 2015. Participation in the SSE Initiative provides KASE with access to international practice in the transparency and sustainability of capital markets and will help support the idea of the Government of Kazakhstan and the National Bank of Kazakhstan on improving corporate governance and enhancing social responsibility (including gender issues) and the environment.

In 2016, KASE developed a methodology for compiling a report on the environmental, social responsibility and corporate governance criteria, which was put into effect on December 1, 2016. In accordance with this, KASE recommends that companies provide information on all significant aspects of their activities, including the gender component of companies. According to KASE statistics, only 10.5% (15 out of 143) issuers had female chief executives.

Gender equality is a pressing issue of the society. Kazakhstan, as part of the global world, also strives for gender equality.

According to the Global Gender Gap Index 2016, a global study on gender equality calculated under the methodology of the World Economic Forum, Kazakhstan ranks the 51st out of 144 countries.