Celebrating International Women's Day | 3.8.24
Today marks International Women’s Day, a day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and calling for greater gender parity.
With a long history of supporting initiatives for women, The Conference Board continues to take a thought leadership role in advancing women in the workplace.
That thought leadership includes Trusted Insights for What's Ahead™ in the form of reports, analyses, and events supporting the empowerment of women. View a selection of our insights and offerings below:
REGISTER
Women Lead Festival: Women Shaping the Future
Don't miss the 2024 Women Lead Festival in New York City on June 13-14—an empowering event tailored for you! As an attendee of this inspiring and enriching event, you’ll network with influential women leaders across industries, learn how some of the most consequential women in the business world advanced to the C-Suite, and gain insights into what's ahead in the business landscape.
Five reasons to be there:
Learn from trailblazers: Hear firsthand from influential Fortune 500 C-Suite leaders from organizations like Paramount, Society for Science, BNY Mellon, Teladoc Health, Thirty Madison, Lockheed Martin, and more.
Engage in an interactive environment: Take part in Q&A sessions, workshops, and small group discussions centered around the issues that matter to you most.
Discover the latest research: Stay ahead of the curve with impactful insights from The Conference Board that will inform your strategy and enhance your decision making.
Be inspired and uplifted: Experience a festival-like atmosphere, with performances and excursions designed to inspire and energize.
Build a powerful network: Connect with your peers and share recent challenges, achievements, and goals, while you expand your professional and personal network.
Register with code WOMEN500 by March 31 for a special $500 rate.
READ
Can Women Solve Global Labor Shortages?
Labor shortages are a serious problem plaguing many economies, from the US to Europe and China to Japan. The main issue is a shrinking labor force as Baby Boomers around the world retire. Indeed, many women stop working earlier than retirement age, and others are sidelined by limited child- and elder-care options.
Increasing female labor force participation in many nations can help solve worker shortages. This will require both public and private partnerships to create opportunities, training, family support systems, and pension systems that encourage sustainable female labor force participation.
US Boardrooms Are Much More Gender Diverse Than the Corner Office
Corporate America’s boardrooms are significantly more gender diverse than the corner offices. Whereas 32% of the board members at S&P 500 companies are female (a 9-point increase over 2018) only 9% of CEOs are female (up 4 points since 2018).
Expect to see a further increase in the percentage of female CEOs. In the past two years, the rate of gender diversification among CEOs has picked up, even as it slowed slightly among directors. Moreover, companies can apply the following diversification lessons from the boardroom:
Have a diverse pipeline of internal talent (over the past decade, over 70% of CEOs have come from inside the company).
Focus on capabilities and qualities the person brings to the position, not just prior job titles.
Conduct an “inclusive” interview process that provides multiple opportunities for directors to interact with the candidates.
Women Are More Receptive to Sustainability
Women voice more interest than men in information about companies’ sustainability initiatives, including their environmental/social and price impact. They are also more concerned about climate change. That’s according to the 2,061 respondents to The Conference Board-Harris Poll Sustainability Insights Survey.
Given their greater interest in sustainability, women might be more receptive to companies’ sustainable products and services and sustainability messages than men. Companies should target their communications accordingly. This year, 47% of CMOs plan to increase their investments in sustainability communications, according to our C-Suite Outlook 2024.
How is the EU Accelerating Gender Diversity on the Board—and Beyond?
In the European Union, there is new momentum to improve women’s access to more influential and senior board and C-Suite positions. The Women on the Board Directive, a new law requiring listed companies to meet gender balance targets on boards by 2026 and be more transparent in selection processes, is symptomatic of this push.
Significantly increasing the number of women chairs and CEOs is the key to accelerating gender diversity, not just on the board, but at all levels of the organization. There is evidence that diversity at the most senior levels of a business has profound knock-on effects. For example, one study revealed that companies with women CEOs have, on average, significantly more gender-balanced boards than those headed by men.
Read the reports on:
Advancing Gender Balance in the C-Suite and on Boards »
Advancing Leadership Gender Equality »
For Women, Flexibility Reigns
Beyond a competitive salary, The Conference Board found that almost three quarters (72%) of surveyed women articulated a strong desire for workplace flexibility compared to 57% of men. Moreover, almost two-thirds (64%) of women emphasized the significance of generous paid time off compared to 55% of men.
These insights underscore the importance of adaptive work environments for women who are most often the primary caregivers for children and older adults. To better attract and retain women employees, consider providing greater workplace flexibility and more generous paid time off policies.
What Can Business Leaders Learn From Eleanor Roosevelt’s Life and Legacy?
This International Women’s Day, we recall the life and work of a historic and remarkable leader: Eleanor Roosevelt. Her accomplishments as both First Lady and an activist set a strong example that remains relevant for today’s leaders in both the public and private sectors.
Eleanor Roosevelt’s leadership embodied compassion, empowerment, and building relationships, while encouraging people to raise their voices and take action on important issues facing society. And her ability to admit mistakes and learn from different points of view are essential qualities to which all leaders should aspire.
Read more about Eleanor Roosevelt’s inspiring leadership and remarkable impact »
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