Firmly

Firmly is a labour market solution provider for talent in and from emerging markets. Founded on research by Dr. Lamees Tanveer, a fellow in Management specializing in social innovation and entrepreneurship, Firmly develops data-driven solutions to optimize labour markets for women by creating more inclusive and responsive workplace environments.

 Despite decades of progress, significant gender disparities persist in workplaces globally. Current labour market research reveals critical gaps: the median gender pay gap remains at 9.4% in countries with mandatory reporting, while only 18% of global organizations formally report on gender pay disparities.

 The fundamental challenge extends far beyond compensation metrics. In emerging economies, where 70% of women's employment remains informal, traditional research approaches fail to capture the contextual complexities of women's workplace experiences. This systemic data gap creates a critical barrier to effective policy-making and labour market transformation.

 Addressing these challenges requires reimagining workplace data collection, analysis, and application. Firmly is pioneering a contextually intelligent approach to understanding women's workplace experiences, focusing specifically on emerging markets.

By developing AI technologies trained on context-specific qualitative data, we aim to bridge the critical gap between surface-level metrics and deep, meaningful insights. Our approach moves beyond generic data collection, instead creating a nuanced understanding of the lived experiences that shape women's professional journeys.

Firmly is designed to understand the cultural, economic, and social contexts that shape women's work experiences. The approach moves beyond generic career support, focusing instead on technology that can address the barriers women face in emerging labour markets.

Firmly has two core components:

Women's Workplace Experience (WEX) Dataset

WEX is a longitudinal research initiative collecting qualitative and quantitative data on women's workplace experiences. By gathering detailed insights directly from women across different economic environments, WEX will help organizations and policymakers identify specific areas for intervention and develop targeted solutions.

AMALIA: Contextual AI Platform

AMALIA is an AI platform being developed to address labour market challenges in emerging economies. Trained on propriety data, the platform ensures culturally relevant insights.

AMALIA provides women with tools to:

• Understand workplace dynamics
• Navigate professional challenges
• Build self-leadership skills
• Access insights typically available only to privileged networks

WEX and AMALIA work together to provide a comprehensive approach to understanding and supporting women in the workplace.

Firmly aims to fundamentally reshape how conversations about women's potential and development take place in the workplace – for all women. Through contextual AI, every woman, at every rung of the career ladder can be empowered and enabled to ask difficult questions and receive tailored guidance on how to navigate the workplace and her own self-leadership journey.

The approach goes beyond traditional metrics of workplace success. Recognizing that empowerment is not a one-size-fits-all concept, but a nuanced, deeply personal path that requires understanding individual contexts, challenges, and aspirations – Firmly provides insights that are culturally sensitive and contextually aware to:

• Challenge existing workplace narratives
• Develop strategic self-advocacy skills
• Navigate complex professional environments
• Build confidence in their professional capabilities
• Access insights typically reserved for privileged networks

Research demonstrates that organizations with gender-diverse leadership outperform their peers financially. By democratizing access to critical workplace insights, Firmly not only supports individual women but also drives broader organizational and economic transformation. For women in emerging markets – where workplace challenges are often most acute – this represents an evidence-based approach to professional development. Firmly intends to create a movement that amplifies women's voices, validates their experiences, and provides actionable, personalized guidance.

Firmly has been funded by LSE Innovation and the LSE's Knowledge Exchange and Impact grants, demonstrating the university's commitment to supporting research-based enterprises that address significant social challenges. If you want to collaborate, partner, or join the WEX dataset by enrolling employees in the WEX survey, please reach out at l.tanveer@lse.ac.uk.  

Find out more here.