Diversity and Inclusion: Key Factors for Success

By: Marcela Torres Córdoba – General Manager – Andean Region, Central America, and the Caribbean at Uber

This month, I was honored to attend the GLI Forum + FLII CA&C 2022 in Antigua, Guatemala, where I had the opportunity to share my thoughts on the critical role that gender lens investing plays in advancing equality and driving economic development in Latin America. Now in its third edition, this event comes at a time when there is a general recognition across every sector that there is an urgent need to close the historic gender gap in culture, employment, the economy, and technology. Although more and more companies are working together to create positive change, data shows that there’s still much work to be done.

For example, despite increasing female participation in the labor market in Latin America, the time women dedicate to unpaid work is still much greater than the time men spend on these same activities. Likewise, almost a third of women in Latin America have no income of their own and depend on others for financial support. This is a clear example of women’s limited economic autonomy.

But what does all this have to do with mobility, and more specifically, with Uber? First and foremost, the way women get around differs from men and is clearly impacted by existing inequality and gender gaps. Multiple studies show that women use public transport more frequently than men. Women’s travel is further affected by various external factors, including schedules, areas, and personal safety. It’s clear that providing transportation options isn’t enough; we must also consider how these options can be adapted to the specific requirements of women in terms of safety and availability.

As part of our global commitment to equity and inclusion, Uber has taken the lead and implemented concrete actions to respond to women’s transportation needs.

At the product level, Uber is constantly developing and implementing new technologies, functionalities, and processes to support safety and security for both female drivers and riders. App functionalities like “Verify My Ride,” “Follow My Ride,” and “RideCheck,” which proactively detects unexpected stops during a trip, all help women move around more freely and safely.