4 organisations from the US setting the standard for women empowerment at work
There is a huge amount of discussion and debate over women in the workplace and how they’re being treated, as well as the lack of women and diversity in general at the boardroom. There are champions of the cause like Indra Nooyi, Arianna Huffington, and others who have taken the cause of women empowerment in the workplace and talked about it at length. They’ve made significant movements in the space and have created impact that’s carried forward years’ worth of work within months. Changing the mindset of the business person is difficult; changing perceptions even more so. Women encapsulate much of what’s needed in the tech space and in other industries, with different opinions, strategies, and insights. We need more women in the workplace, not just in women-focused industries but in many other spaces too; we also need more mentors to guide them through. There are many amazing organizations that have actively taken the initiative to change the norm and are doing wonderful things to enable gender diversity and equality:
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Catalyst Inc
Catalyst incorporates the three key areas where women empowerment is most influential – Research, Training, and Thought leadership/Govt. Affairs. They ensure that regular research is conducted in wage-gap, women representation in the boardroom, and mentor-mentee relationships within companies. Catalyst has offices across the world, and they’re regularly in the media, publishing key research on inclusiveness and conducting workshops and initiatives in top organizations in India. They’ve worked with some of the largest companies in the world and offer key guidance and insights into making the environment more conducive for success for the underrepresented 50 percent of the workforce. One of the more interesting initiatives under Catalyst is the mentor-mentee relationship-building concept. It ensures that women have organizational models to follow, and senior women can select, mentor, and appoint up-coming female associates towards success.
37Angels
This is an innovative organization that empowers women entrepreneurs in the startup space. They mentor founders and train early-stage investors in concurrent issues and practices. Their network invests heavily in startups and their board is almost entirely female. Here’s what Jessica Brondo, Founder, Admittedly, a founder from their portfolio had to say about them, “Angela and 37 Angels are a breath of fresh air to the venture community in NY. I’ve never met anyone who offered advice so freely through all stages of development and fundraising. It’s clear that the organization is looking to make a big impact in the tech community. It is also extremely refreshing to work with an organization that understands the pain points of fundraising, and has taken those pain points into consideration when designing its seamless pitch process. Would highly recommend to all other entrepreneurs.”
NAFE (National Association for Female Executives)
NAFE is a US-based organization that focuses on women in the workplace from the ground-up. They hold regular events, train and mentor ladies into becoming more valuable in the organization, and empower communities through women leadership. They’re one of the largest organizations of their kind in the US, and their work in this space has won them multiple awards across the US.
National Association of Women Business Owners
This organization has been in the women leadership development space for more than 40 years, focusing on development of talent through mentorship, training, and community-building. They work with some of the biggest brands in the US, from Bank of America to Walmart, and hold regular seminars and lectures to train women in better dealing with discrimination in the workplace. Their advocacy programme has won multiple awards and they’re benefitting thousands of women in America every day.
