The $6.6 billion opportunity: New projection highlights business impact of reproductive justice

SEVILLE, Spain – At the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, came together with Bayer, Global Citizen and the Governments of Spain and Sweden to underscore the importance of the private sector in ‘closing the gap’ and financing women’s reproductive health. 

Stakeholders associated with the UNFPA-led Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business brought perspectives on how the shift from policy to practice is driving measurable and sustainable impact. 

Closing the gap

UNFPA estimates that meeting global sexual and reproductive health and rights goals by 2030 – including ending preventable maternal deaths, eliminating the unmet need for family planning, and ending harmful practices like gender-based violence – will require US $264 billion in funding. Yet only $40 billion is projected to come from development assistance, leaving a substantial financing gap that demands innovative, multi-sector solutions.

UNFPA’s latest collaboration with Fordham University’s Responsible Business Centre unveiled new preliminary data and research that modelled how companies can make scalable investments in women’s health: If just 60 per cent of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 companies implement sexual and reproductive health and rights initiatives, the cumulative impact could reach $6.6 billion by 2030. 

A changing landscape

UNFPA’s 2025 State of World Population report identifies reproductive justice and economic security as key factors affecting fertility and shifting demographic trends. With global labour markets evolving, investing in women’s health and agency, especially in the workplace, is a business imperative. Companies that embed sexual and reproductive health and rights into workplace policies benefit from tangible returns, including higher productivity, lower absenteeism, and improved talent retention. Yet most global supply chains – which employ over 190 million women – still lack basic reproductive rights protections. The private sector holds the power to address this by integrating reproductive justice into core business strategies and supply chain practices.

From policy to practice

Representatives from Nestlé and Bayer showcased best practices of investing in workplace reproductive rights through employee-centred policies that demonstrate real-world impact. These included dedicated lactation rooms, menopause awareness campaigns, and flexible return-to-work programmes, all of which not only support employee wellbeing but also enhance engagement, retention, and productivity. Nestlé also shared lessons from integrating family-friendly policies across diverse contexts, while Bayer emphasized the value of normalizing conversations around reproductive health to reduce stigma and create more inclusive workplace cultures.

Additionally, two panel discussions brought together leaders from Bayer, the Gates Foundation, the Global Reporting Initiative, Global Citizen, the Global Impact Investing Network, Nestlé, and Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) to explore how financing models, environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, and good practices on women’s health in the workplace can drive results.