UNWomen: HeForShe Impact Summit 2018

In 2017, HeForShe invited us to design the 50-plus page HeForShe Impact Report 2017.

For 2018, the challenge was even bigger: the report includes commitments from Presidents and Prime Ministers of Japan, Canada, Finland, Sweden and Rwanda, the CEOs of Unilever, Vodafone, Barclays, Danone and Electronic Arts. Commitments from Presidents of universities such as Georgetown, Leicester, São Paulo, Nagoya, and the Institut d’études Politiques de Paris are also part of the report

The work needed for the second year of our partnership was, in few words, wide-ranging. HeForShe’s partners do remarkable work in their efforts to achieve gender parity at their organizations, academic institutions and nations. This is the kind of work which deserves to be properly highlighted, but the breadth and diversity of their initiatives, as well as the individual level of progress of each, was mind-boggling.

Process

As part of this project, there were three broad deliverables

1) The Emerging Solutions Report: a collection of case studies on initiatives for gender parity 160 pages long. The cover image would also developed into brand identity for the launch event in NYC.

2) The Proven Solutions Report: a short report highlighting the case study of PwC, a consulting firm that produced remarkable success in gender parity in its ranks, 16 pages long.

3) The Proven Solutions Animation: to be shown on the day of the launch of the reports during the UN General Assembly week, to dignitaries and general audience.

Each on these assets presented opportunities to highlight the work of HeForShe and its partners, and capture audience’s attention across the world. We also developed about 100 stand-alone illustrations and an updated data visualization system. Both of these were adapted into the The Proven Solutions animation, for branding consistency across platforms.

Results

For the long report we develop a never-before-done (or at least as far we know) technique that combines French folds with die-cut perforation and laminations. In other words: we included tear-our bookmarks across the report, for readers to discover as they interact with the book. Finally, to package both reports together, we produced a book-band made in the same materials and finishes as the report’s covers, creating a comprehensive unit: a visually stunning packet of solutions and considerations, to help shed a light on how to achieve gender parity in organizations.

The visual identity developed for this year’s report was adapted for use across the entire launch event of HeForShe and social media and was considered a smash sucess. The report was introduced by the President of Finland Sauli Niinistö during the UN General Assembly week, followed by remarks from Queen Rania of Jordan and actress Anne Hathaway, among others. The animation has been re-purposed for social media, extending its life beyond the event itself, and helping spread the word of the importance of gender parity, and the steps we can all take to help make it happen in our organizations. We couldn’t be prouder.