This document establishes a set of common definitions related to women's entrepreneurship, such 
as those for women-owned business and women-led business. This document also defines women-
led cooperatives and women-led informal enterprises. These definitions can be used, for example, in 
women’s economic empowerment programmes (such as procurement and trade programmes) and for 
the collection of internationally comparable data on women's entrepreneurship (including the impact 
on local and national economies). This document also provides criteria for evaluating important factors 
related to these definitions, such as ownership, management, and control, as well as how to handle 
dilution by investment.
NOTE If an enterprise cannot be categorized according to the definitions given in this document, it does not 
necessarily mean that the enterprise is male-owned or male-led.
This document does not provide recommendations on how to initiate programmes based on the 
definitions and criteria, for example on public procurement. In addition, this document does not address 
issues such as how to promote conformity assessment.st edition 2021-03 Women's entrepreneurship — Key definitions and general criteria Reference number IWA 34:2021(E) ？ ISO 2021 IWA 34:2021(E) COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT ？ ISO 2021 All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in an