This book places gender equality at the heart of the responsible business agenda with the aim of contributing to CSR practice as well as research. Discussion about gender issues in the field of Corporate Responsibility among academics, practitioners and policy-makers, has mainly focused on workplace issues and corporate boards.

These are important areas of work, however the great benefit of exploring gender issues through a responsible business lens is that this requires us to also examine the wider gender impacts of business in the marketplace -- for example, with regard to consumers, suppliers and supply chains, and in the community, and the ecological environment -- indeed throughout corporate value chains. The marginalization of numerous voices from mainstream Corporate Responsibility discourse has been noted in particular with regard to voices from the South, indigenous people, and women. This book addresses such marginalization, focusing in particular on gender issues.

Through contributions from practitioners in business, civil society, government and international organizations, as well as academia, the book aims to broaden the agenda, to open the field to new voices, and to facilitate dialogue among and between practitioners and researchers. Contributions within the edited collection elucidate current practice, bring new perspectives, and help us to define the field of responsible business with regard to gender equality.