This second briefing in the Briefings for Business on Valuing Women’s Work series explores how systemic business practices perpetuate gender inequality through informal work, particularly in feminized sectors with large numbers of women workers, like tea and garments. Through women workers’ voices and case studies, the briefing reveals how patriarchal norms and inequitable practices exacerbate vulnerabilities and ruin lives. The briefing highlights the need for companies to address informal and precarious work, ensure safe conditions, tackle sexual and gender-based violence and pay living wages to advance gender equality and decent work. It also underscores the importance of fair corporate tax contributions to support public services, infrastructure and social protection. It calls for private sector accountability to create equitable and sustainable value chains, in order to make the vision of valuing women’s work a reality.