The SAMED Women Empowerment Index is a benchmarking tool developed by SAMED (South African Medical Technology Industry Association) in collaboration with Deloitte. It was launched in August 2024 as part of a broader push to foster economic inclusion and empowerment of women within the medtech industry. The index will provide powerful dashboards and reports that can be used to track and report on progress which empowers companies to pinpoint specific gaps—for instance, if an organization scores low on women’s ownership or leadership, they can design targeted interventions.

Metrics Tracked:

• Women’s employment
• Remuneration parity
• Female representation in leadership roles
• Women’s ownership stakes
• Women’s development stakes
• Access to development opportunities (e.g., training, learnerships)

Why It Matters

Addresses Gender Gaps

• Women comprise 50.7% of SA’s population, yet only 45.5% of the workforce, 17.3% of CEO/chair roles, and capture just 1–6% of public procurement.

Data‑Driven Accountability

• Enables companies to quantify and identify gaps in gender inclusion using credible, comparable data.
• SAMED’s “Data with Integrity” platform ensures objective measurement and progress

Business and Compliance Benefits

• Helps companies enhance their B‑BBEE score and strengthen procurement bids.
• Positions medtech firms to take advantage of government procurement earmarked for women-owned suppliers (roughly R 200 billion)

Catalyst for Systemic Change

• Signals to policymakers, regulators (like SAHPRA), and healthcare funders that women’s inclusion is integral to sector growth, innovation, and equitable delivery of care.
• Encourages broader adoption beyond SAMED members, embedding gender equality in the medtech ecosystem.

The SAMED Women Empowerment Index matters because it:

• Has a certificate to boost members credentials in procurement and tendering processes.
• Gives insight into transforms gender‑equality rhetoric into measurable action
• Enhances transparency and accountability in employment practice
• Delivers economic and reputational benefits to companies
• Supports policy alignment, including B‑BBEE, ESG, and public procurement goals
• Acts as a concrete step toward inclusive transformation in medtech

Disclaimer: The South African Medical Technology Industry Association (SAMED) provides this listing with information provided by our members. SAMED does not vet all information provided and as such SAMED, its board members, committees, employees and members, will not be responsible for any inaccuracies or omissions, or, liable for any damages or loss of whatsoever nature suffered by any person as a result of relying on or using the content provided.