On International Women's Day -- Let's Move from Words to Action
Originally posted on Medium by Jessica N. Grounds, Co-Founder Mine The Gap.
International Women’s Day is a day to reflect and appreciate the advances we have made as women. Whether we’re talking about women in political leadership, awareness about the wage gap, or access to education; we can all agree that much has been accomplished. When I think about the 20 years I’ve been working in this space (and I’m not even that old!), I can’t help but believe that we’re at a powerful inflection point — and it’s exciting to be a part of the action!
It is often referenced in the press that we have stagnated in advancing women leaders, especially at the top. This is unfortunately true. In a number of sectors women have closed the gap significantly in managerial roles, but when it comes to the executive teams — C-Suites and leading companies, organizations, and governments — women just aren’t there. And we can’t quite figure out how to push that number up.
Years ago, when I was the Executive Director of Running Start, a women’s political leadership organization that I helped to found, I traveled around the world to talk with both women’s advocates and regular people about strategies to advance women into leadership roles. With that work came my first-hand exposure to quotas and mandates — something I had studied closely and knew countries had championed for women in leadership in both politics and business. For me, like many Americans, I saw quotas as something other countries did, not something that was likely in a meritocracy like the United States. Even while I saw their value in changing structural impediments, I didn’t see them happening here — until they did.
In 2018, the California legislature passed Senate Bill 826, a law signed by former Governor Jerry Brown that requires California-based companies to have at least one woman serve on their board, with an increase in that number over time dependent on the size of the board. This law is a game changer, and smartly has been presented to the public based in fact and research. The frame is not about equity, it is about results. Research shows (decades of research mind you!) that companies with more women in board leadership perform better financially. The numbers speak for themselves. Companies with more gender diversity on their boards are driving innovation, show increased profits, and improved workplace cultures for everyone. More research needs to be done, but we also see improved safety and employee satisfaction when the leadership reflects our world makeup.
And with this kind of legislation, we are seeing the action that we have been seeking for years. This year my company Mine The Gap is leading a critical effort with the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation to help companies add women to their boards, but also help companies — and the public — understand why this matters for our future workforce to thrive.
This initiative, All Our Talent: Women on Boards & Commissions will highlight why more women serving with men on boards helps a company’s bottom line. We will not only support private sector boards in our region, but also highlight the need for more women on nonprofit boards and government commissions. Our effort will provide resources to women interested in serving on boards and support companies who want to do the right thing. We will even develop a database of women (think big binders here!) who are ready to serve on boards and commissions tomorrow.
I am deeply excited about this time in history. We are moving beyond the barriers and challenges, and we are proposing solutions and support. And while these efforts start with a policy requirement passed by law, we know that the companies and organizations will quickly see that this is exactly what they need to do stay competitive and relevant in today’s competitive global economy.