GLOBAL BANKING ALLIANCE
FOR WOMEN BACKGROUND

The Global Banking Alliance For Women (GBA) is a worldwide group of banks that are sharing best practices in order to accelerate the global growth and development of women's businesses and women's wealth creation.

The banks include: RBC Royal Bank (Canada), Westpac (Australia), FleetBoston (based in Boston, Mass., USA), Bank of Ireland, and RBC Centura Bank (based in North Carolina, USA) These banks have been recognized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as best-practices banks for their programs for women.

They are all adding value beyond the financial resources available to women entrepreneurs, through providing information, training, mentoring, sponsorships, and access to networks and markets.

Representatives held their first summit in Boston and Toronto in June 2001 to launch the Global Banking Alliance For Women and shared strategies for promoting access to finance, markets, and information for women in business. The second summit was held in June 2002 in Australia, with the third summit being planned for September 2003 in Canada.

Members of the Alliance each have dedicated programs actively supporting women in starting, growing, and managing their businesses. In addition to encouraging the support of women-owned businesses, the Alliance is working towards:

• Providing education and training to improve women's wealth potential, and encouraging adequate provision for retirement;
• Showcasing women's global economic contribution; and
• Facilitating access to finance, networks, and to markets, including international markets that will enable women-owned businesses to grow.

The Global Alliance initiative was originally proposed at the 1st OECD Conference on Women Entrepreneurs held in 1997 in Paris. In November 2000, at the 2nd OECD Conference in Paris, the banks agreed to move forward. This past year the "Global Banking Alliance For Women" was pleased to announce that RBC Centura (wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada), based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, had met all the requirements and was invited as a full member.

The Alliance members believe that by exchanging best practices, they will accelerate both their individual and collective knowledge and by continually bringing new ideas to their home countries, women will benefit.

Contact Information for Global Alliance Members:

Canada
Betty Wood, RBC Royal Bank (Chair, GBA 2002-03)
Betty.Wood@rbc.com

New England States, USA
Teri Cavanagh, FleetBoston
Teresa_Cavanagh@fleet.com

Australia
Amanda Ellis, Westpac
Aellis@westpac.com.au

Ireland
Angela Leigh-Doyle, Bank of Ireland
Angela.Leigh-Doyle@boimail.com

North and South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, USA
Verna Graff-Gessaman
vlgessaman@centura.com