2011 saw mixed success in the progress of women. The excitement of seeing women as premier in four Canadian jurisdictions was balanced by the fact that the number of women at senior levels in Canadian businesses remains very low. But at least last year left plenty of room for improvement in 2012, so let’s get started!

Women in Charge? There’s Some Progress…

Canada’s political leadership includes more women than ever. Women are now premiers in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut, Alberta, and British Columbia, and the 2011 federal election saw a record number of women elected to Parliament. Internationally, women like International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are examples of women stepping up to the top jobs. But will the progress of women in public life be repeated in the private sector?

READ: “Women in Charge, in Canada and Abroad” by Nicholas Van Praet, Financial Post, December 26, 2011.

…And Some Progress is Still Needed

A study published in early 2012 indicates that only one woman is on the list of the 100 highest paid Canadian CEOs. Maybe we can at least double or triple this number in 2012?

READ: “Only One Woman Among 100 Highest Paid CEOs in Canada” by Dana Flavelle, The Star, January 2, 2012.

Hope Springs Eternal!

Catalyst President and CEO Ilene Lang is one of the people who are hopeful that 2012 will see a growth in the number of women in senior business leadership positions. Will women’s issues emerge in the U.S. election debate?

READ: “High Hopes 2012 Will Be a Good Year for Women” by Luista Lopez Terregrosa, New York Times, January 10, 2012.

Will Networking Help?

Your network of friends and associates can have a powerful impact on your career. I have a job I love because someone saw an opportunity, thought of me, and made the suggestion. Other women have equally positive stories, but do we need to become more strategic in our networking?

READ: “The Serendipitous Side of Networking” by Leah Eichler, The Globe and Mail, January 6, 2012.

As another year winds down, I’m still finding inspiration and encouragement in the words of The Catalyst Canada Honours champions who have filled this space over the past three weeks.

And then I get a cold splash of reality with the release last week of the Catalyst Census of Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. In brief, there has been no progress in the representation of women at senior executive and board positions in the past six years. The Census indicates that:

• Women held 16.1% of board seats in 2011, compared to 15.7% in 2010.

• About one in ten companies had no women serving on their boards.

• Women of colour still held only 3% of corporate board seats.

• Women held 14.1% of Executive Officer positions in 2011, compared to 14.4% in 2010.

• Women held only 7.5% of Executive Officer top-earner positions in 2011, while men accounted for 92.5% of top earners.

• Less than one in five companies had 25% or more women Executive Officers and more than one-quarter had zero.

In February, we’ll learn how Canada’s FP500 companies are performing in the representation of women on their boards, but we have no reason to anticipate that corporate Canada is more dynamically diverse than their counterparts south of the border.

We know that the presence of women in the boardroom has a positive effect on the bottom line. We know that diverse boards are more agile in dealing with a rapidly changing business environment. We know that women will be an important part of the response to an aging population and a shrinking workforce—and we know that other nations are taking steps to promote women and achieve the diversity that will give a competitive edge in the coming years and decades.

Taking my cue from Catalyst Canada Human Resources/Diversity Leader Michael Bach, I’m asking myself how I’m going to move out of my comfort zone to promote the advancement of women in business in 2012. Maybe it will be speaking up at social gatherings, or taking the time to encourage a young woman to expect more from herself and her career. Maybe it will be challenging an individual friend or colleague to change his or her views on diversity, or to act on these principles to sponsor a talented woman.

Change won’t happen until we step out and speak up for diversity and inclusion. Let’s make 2012 the year we change corporate culture, and make our businesses as diverse as our country.

Among the highlights of The Catalyst Canada Honours are the remarks by the champions themselves. And, in the ensuing days and weeks, these words of inspiration, and the glimpses they provide of personal struggle and achievement, are what I remember and ponder.

The Human Resources/Diversity Leader Champion, Michael Bach, shared his personal passion and belief that privilege brings the responsibility to make a difference. His challenge to the audience was to take bold, possibly unpopular actions and positions to impact the status quo. Michael asked us to consider why change is taking so long, and then left each of us with a personal challenge.

Watch Michael Bach at The Catalyst Canada Honours:

Among the highlights of The Catalyst Canada Honours are the remarks by the champions themselves. And, in the ensuing days and weeks, these words of inspiration, and the glimpses they provide of personal struggle and achievement, are what I remember and ponder.

The 2011 Business Leader Champion, Jennifer Tory, has devoted much of her career to developing people, both directly and through her advocacy for sponsorship and the advancement of women. She has brought the same commitment to acting as a catalyst for change and diversity to her work with community organizations. Her remarks challenged the audience to find talent in their organizations by looking broadly, deeply, and often.

Watch Jennifer Tory at The Catalyst Canada Honours dinner:

Women could beat the gender gap if they would just speak up and ask for promotions and better compensation, right?

As it turns out, asking isn’t enough.

A few weeks ago Catalyst released the fourth report in our longitudinal study following the career paths of women and men MBAs around the world. The Myth of the Ideal Worker revealed that when it comes to negotiating for increased compensation or a higher position, women do ask. But even when women ask, the pay gap between women and men doesn’t close.

According to the study, women who ask by making their accomplishments known are more likely to achieve an increase in compensation or a promotion. But do we perceive the women who step up and ask as “pushy”?

Worse, are “nice” Canadian women reluctant to point to their achievements because they don’t want to be seen (or feel) as though they’re bragging?

Perhaps the solution is to increase active sponsorship of talented women across all industries in Canada. That way, the onus isn’t only on talented women to increase their visibility—any more than it is on equally talented men. Someone else would also be highlighting their achievements for them, advocating for them at decision-making tables, and encouraging them to speak up effectively on their own behalf.

So today, I’m asking!

I’m asking all of you in corporate Canada – women and men – to take the findings from our latest report and examine how your most talented employees are compensated and advanced. I’m asking you to seek out any gender biases in your talent management systems – especially those not readily apparent. I’m asking you to voice your support for the talented women in your workforce by making their achievements visible and pushing for their advancement when it counts.

Imagine the energy and innovation we can achieve by unleashing the full potential of an increasingly talented Canadian workforce. Let’s all ask what we can do to close the gap.

Perhaps it’s because one million Canadians are of Indian descent, or because diversity is a defining characteristic of both India and Canada. But for some reason, the sounds, fragrances, and colours that I experienced during my recent visit to India felt strangely familiar.

Certainly, as I met with business leaders in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi, our conversations about the challenges women face at work could easily have taken place in any Canadian city—struggles with work-life effectiveness and the lack of role models, mentors, and sponsors were at the top of the list.  (And who would have thought that a story about Canadian ice hockey would resonate with a business audience in Mumbai?)

However, the Indian cultural context adds layers of complexity to the issues facing women and organizations. Women in India are fighting battles that Canadian women have largely already won, for personal safety,  reliable childcare options, and more egalitarian societal assumptions about women’s roles. As a result, organizations are adopting programs that go beyond the flexible work arrangements or talent management practices that are familiar to North American ears. They are providing transportation to and from work sites, implementing recruitment programs that target women who have been out of the workplace, and reaching out to the parents and families of current and prospective employees.

The good news is that a hungry economy is creating jobs for young, educated Indians at an amazing pace, and organizations understand that women represent an underutilized talent pool. (Going to India, I expected to hear about the rapid pace of growth, but I wasn’t quite prepared to hear business leaders casually talk about hiring tens of thousands of people!)

Every day, some newspaper—and there are many—carried an article on the important role played by women. One talked about the growing number of women pursuing higher education and urged businesses to be prepared to open their doors to a generation of bright, well-educated, and confident young women. Another talked about the fact that the oldest woman in a family had been declared the “head of the household” for the purposes of a new program that will distribute food to families living in poverty. And in a story that is close to the heart of Catalyst researchers, “the gender gap” was the theme of National Statistics Day!

Each of these stories describes a country that is coping with the social and cultural jolts that accompany rapid growth. I’m thrilled that women are recognized as a critical success factor in navigating the changes, and I look forward to forging closer connections with India as Catalyst grows and learns from this amazing country.

This summer, even the backyard barbequers have been worried about the U.S. debt, and we were interested to read some thoughts on women as money managers. Would the financial world be a different place if the Lehman Sisters were in charge? Some additional thoughts on the challenges of getting more women on boards—and a few ways to stretch for the top!

If Women Are So Savvy, Why Aren’t They in Charge?

Women are outperforming men in financial management, so why do the senior positions continue to elude them?

READ: “How Money-Savvy Women Can Save the Economy” by Justine Rivero, Forbes, July 25, 2011.

Can’t We Just Pass a Law?

Some of the barriers to women’s advancement…and some reasons that quotas are only part of the answer.

READ: “Lonely at the Top” The Economist, July 21, 2011.

Or Hunt Different Heads?

A reminder of how government and corporate efforts to recruit more women to senior positions can be undermined by outdated attitudes.

READ: “Executive Search Firms Pledge to Seek More Women for Boardrooms” by Dan Milano, The Guardian, July 22, 2011.

Or Learn from a Leader?

Annette Verschuren, who recently finished a successful run at the helm of Home Depot Canada, shares some of the wisdom she learned as she grew from Cape Breton farm girl to corporate leader. This summer, she prepares to chair the Governor-General’s Leadership Conference and ponders her next professional challenge.

READ: “Still Hungry, Annette Verschuren Takes Her Time Choosing Her Next Course” by Gordon Pitts, The Globe and Mail, July 8, 2011.

Start With a Personal Board!

Women can manage their own careers by seeking a network of counsellors for advice and support.

READ: “Five People You Need on Your Personal Board of Directors” by Tina Vasquez, The Glass Hammer, July 15, 2011.

Our Own Sunniva Sorby Brings Lessons from the Top!

Sunniva’s climb of Mount Kilimanjaro taught her some lessons about stretch goals and the value of networks. Now she’s sharing those insights with Catalyst members and business leaders in Montreal.

READ: “High Spirits—and a Will to Achieve” by Margaret Webb, The Calgary Herald, July 14, 2011.

Champions make a difference. They challenge their colleagues to stretch for greater achievements. They encourage their communities to become better than they thought they could be. Their example motivates people they have never met to change their lives for the better.  They sponsor advancement for talented women and men.

The Catalyst Canada Honours 2011 Champions have done all of that and more. Company/Firm Leader Champion Monique F. Leroux would have set an example of achievement for young Canadian women if she had done nothing more than become the first woman to lead a Top 10 financial institution in Canada as Chair of the Board, President and CEO of Desjardins Group. But she chose to mark her career with a commitment to the advancement of other women. Perhaps most important, she has “walked the talk” as a mentor and sponsor of other women and as a speaker who generously shares her experience and knowledge with other women.

The Business Leader Champion is Jennifer Tory, Regional President, Greater Toronto Region, RBC. Her career and her community activities reflect her commitment to identifying and advancing talented people. Her business strategy of cultivating talent includes such
initiatives as increased development opportunities to allow high-potential women and visible minorities a greater chance to demonstrate their ability. As a community volunteer, she has promoted opportunities for participation by women, visible minorities and new Canadians.

Human Resources/Diversity Leader Champion Michael Bach, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, KPMG LLP, has a long history of advancing diversity through his work with Pride at Work Canada; Women’s Executive Network; the Canadian Board Diversity Council and the Rotman School of Management’s Back to Work Program. In his current position, Mr. Bach has been able to influence change at the organizational level and gain support for diversity initiatives from senior leaders within the firm.

These three champions share many traits: vision, the courage of their convictions, and the power of persuasion. They have personal stories that motivated them to become champions.  Together, they represent the many Canadian business people who recognize that advancing women in business is advancing women and business.  It is sound business practice, ensuring that our economy has the benefit of the broadest spectrum of talent and perspective.

Since the establishment of The Catalyst Canada Honours last year, we’ve seen encouraging signs of a growing recognition that what’s good for women is good for business. Our membership has grown as organizations in all parts of Canada recognize the need for active strategies to include and advance women and visible minorities. The conversation is expanding, and becoming more positive.

With all this positive energy, why are champions so important? One compelling reason is that more than 30% of all Canadian FP500 companies lack even one woman senior officer—with no significant shift in the past two years.

Champions can make the difference, as role models and as sponsors who are at decision-making tables advocating for talented women to advance and contribute value that will benefit their organizations.

This year’s honourees set a high bar! Thank you, Monique, Jennifer, and Michael, for leading change and offering inspiration to the emerging champions in corporate Canada!

After the downer of our “24 Hoursof Sexism” post a couple of weeks ago, we were relieved to find some positive media stories about clever, talented women succeeding and sharing. Read on!

Plug into the World of Wired Women

If you despair of organizing your digital photos, imagine the challenge for Leila Boujnane. Her company, TinEye, has a database of more than 2 billion images. But each image has a distinctive “fingerprint” to allow tracking of where it’s been used online. The technology
also helps source images and find images for specific purposes. Her story is shared as part of an excellent series entitled Wired Women of Canada. Read Leila’s story, then check out the whole series about creative women making a difference.

Read: “Wired Women of Canada: Leila Boujnane, Search Innovator” by Amber MacArthur, Theglobeandmail.com, May 16, 2011.

Think Big

The Rotman School of Management’s Next Steps: A Program for Experienced Women Entrepreneurs demonstrates the best kind of sharing, as successful women teach and share practical tips and strategies that have allowed them to run profitable and healthy businesses. Participants find role models who “normalize the ‘thinking big’ process.”

Read: “Female Role Models Teach Unique Program” by Ruth Bastedo, The Globe and Mail, May 25, 2011.

Honouring Great Women

The HSBC Great Canadian Woman Awards on June 21 will recognize three women who have immigrated to Canada and have succeeded in their business or profession. Congratulations to the League for Human Rights and (Catalyst Member) HSBC Canada on this inaugural event. Proceeds from the dinner will support the B’nai Brith Alzheimer’s Residence.

Read: “HSBC Great Canadian Woman Awards” May, 2011.

Women with Clout

Five powerful women have the potential to change politics in India, which still struggles with cultural biases against women. This interesting article suggests that women can play the game of politics just like men, but are conscious of their example for younger women.

Read: “Female Face of Power Reflects Change in India” by Stephanie Nolen, The Globe and Mail, May 22, 2011.

And a Bit of Same Old!

Entrepreneurs may be learning to think big at Rotman, but a recent study suggests that women university students generally have lower expectations of the workplace than their male counterparts. In a survey of 23,000 university students, women anticipated 13.5 percent lower pay, and a 12 percent longer wait for their first promotion than did their male classmates. Their expectation at the five-year mark was 17.5 percent less.

Read: “Women Expect Less Pay from the Start” by Wallace Immen, The Globe and Mail, May 19, 2011.

Last year, a group of very smart people representing the leading economies of the world met in Toronto to address the significant issues affecting the world. They exchanged ideas and experiences, and they struggled to identify initiatives, investments, and programs that would strengthen communities and nations. And they agreed to meet again in France in October of 2011.

You think I’m talking about Presidents and Prime Ministers? Perhaps future ones!

Once again, the G(irls)20 Summit will bring together young women from the G20 nations and the African Union in advance of the G20 Summit to be held this October in France. Applications to participate in the summit as a national representative are due by April 15, and participants will be announced in early July.

Last year, as part of Catalyst’s support for the event, I was privileged to review some of the applications.  I expected bright, thoughtful young women, but the energy, imagination, and innovation that I found in every application makes me believe that women can indeed change the world!

We can’t all be participants in the G(irls)20 Summit, but we can all participate in the discussion of the agenda—and we can be part of the 3.3 billion ways to change the world!