c³ is the monthly e-update highlighting the competence, connections and community at the heart
of Catalyst Europe AG and the global Catalyst network

Welcome

Innovation – the lifeblood of an organization, an intimate call for reinvention, or a concept which has lost its meaning? As we head into the start of summer, the thought of longer, thought-filled days has been pushed away by a kind of energy and urgency around the notion of change. It seems that now is the time for action to measure up to the I-word.

Yet there is also an opportunity for reflection. What is the impact of gender diversity on new business models? What fact-based evidence supports the business case for innovation and diversity? And how can innovation drive economic development?

As Catalyst Europe AG celebrates its one-year anniversary this month, we look forward to continuing to explore the multi-faceted nature of innovation: the act, the pull and the constant presence of a word, which somehow fails to lose momentum.

Best wishes,
The Catalyst Europe AG Team

This month's headlines:

Catalyst Europe Advisory Board assembles a fresh mix of experts (go to story)

European knowledge platform ready for launch (go to story)

A thought leader offers perspective on innovation (go to story)

Unless otherwise specified, please contact the Catalyst Europe team at europeinfo@catalyst.org for more information or follow-up on any of the stories featured below.

News


	*Competence - new studies, learning and expertise*

		New Advisory Board members announced


			The Catalyst Europe team is honored to announce the confirmed members of the Catalyst Europe AG Advisory Board: Deloitte & Touche; Dow Europe GmbH; HSBC Holdings plc; IBM Corporation; Lehman Brothers Europe; Manpower EMEA; Novartis AG; SwissRe Company; and TOTAL S.A. The first meeting is scheduled for the 7th of November in Zurich.

		Catalyst Europe selected as partner for EU research proposals


			CIREM, a private research foundation based in Spain, has invited Catalyst Europe to join two ambitious research proposals on transnational gender issues. The proposals will be submitted to the Seventh Framework Programme (7FP) for Research and Technological Development, an extensive EU project which bundles research-related initiatives aiming to strengthen the scientific and technological base of European industry, and boasts of a EUR 50 billion budget (USD 67 billion). While the arena is highly competitive, the team hopes for good news in the future.

		Strategic advisory role for Catalyst Europe in public sector initiatives


			In partnership with the University of Reykjavik (Iceland), Catalyst Europe is working to design strategies to increase women’s access to corporate decision-making power, as well as to study the impact of dual-career couples. A separate project in conjunction with Iceland’s Ministry of Social Affairs focuses on the creation of a quality standard for equal pay. The idea of retaining and leveraging talent by addressing the big picture, says Catalyst Europe AG Eleanor Tabi Haller-Jorden, is one of the reasons the initiatives are groundbreaking.

		New series confirms Catalyst’s far-reaching expertise


			Catalyst has just launched its first report on the complex issue of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusion in the workplace. Building on the new IBM Corporation-sponsored study, the groundbreaking Making Change: LGBT series will consist of subsequent reports and presentations identifying the persistent barriers facing LGBT employees – especially “double outsider” LGBT women – as they advance to senior leadership positions. The LGBT series will address legal and cultural variances around the globe, as well as pinpoint the policies that drive LGBT inclusion. Feel free to talk to us about a tailored presentation.

		Coming soon: The power of the unspoken word


			Catalyst is completing the first phase of research for the Unwritten Rules project to explore how employees learn about and navigate an organization’s so-called unwritten rules and norms. When expectations are not shared explicitly, informal networks can play a major role – yet a lack of access to them, as previous Catalyst research has shown, is one of the primary barriers to women’s corporate advancement.

		Catalyst VP of Research receives prestigious international award


			Vice President of Research Nancy M. Carter is a recipient of the 2007 International Award for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Research, presented by the Swedish Business Development Agency, NUTEK. Dr. Carter was honored for her work on the Diana Project, an initiative designed to determine whether the presence of more women decision-makers in the venture capital industry would provide greater access to female entrepreneurs seeking funding.

Opportunities


	*Connections - coming together to put knowledge to work*

		CELL: A push for the imminent acceleration of Europe-centric learning


			Catalyst Europe AG is seeking founding sponsors for a sweeping program designed to build up the knowledge base around the diversity and inclusion field in four European regional clusters: Anglo, Nordic, Germanic and Latin. CELL – the Catalyst Europe AG Learning Laboratory – will be launched as a series of research initiatives and programs aimed not only at examining the intra-corporate barriers women face, but also at formulating solutions and putting effective responses in place. Aside from delivering insightful, hands-on webinars, conferences and seminars, CELL will culminate in a Europe-wide symposium. Please contact Catalyst Europe AG General Manager Eleanor Tabi Haller-Jorden to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

		Webinar: Come learn about the business case for women in management


			On Friday, the 20th of July from 14:00 to 15:30 CET, member company Sodexho will sponsor Catalyst Europe’s first webinar on Gender Diversity and Inclusion. We invite you to click here to register before the 9th of July.

		Catalyst Compendium: A starting point for change


			The Catalyst 20th Anniversary Awards Compendium is a collection of 64 cutting-edge initiatives honored by the Catalyst Award – and still available. Its subject index allows for quick reference to replicable initiatives rooted in, for example, corporate social responsibility, diversity councils and employee network groups.

		Global Membership: The network expands


			Chevron, Cisco and Goldman Sachs are but a few of the companies to have opted for a Catalyst Global Membership package. Aside from benefiting from a globally configured team and regional Relationship Managers, Global Members can access Catalyst’s renowned resources, such as printed research publications, as well as the Information Center, which responds daily to requests from members, academics and the media. Please contact us for more information.

Thought-Starters


	*Community - the bridge to new thinking and greater Catalyst network*

		On Innovation: Notes from a Catalyst Europe Thought Leader


			“Most companies today are challenged by the quest to create a culture which generates internal growth. In large organisations, ‘innovation’ has been identified as the key capability to develop as a way of fostering that growth. However, there is often no shared language for innovation; most executives equate it with either ‘new product development’ or ‘creativity.’ There is often no shared agenda for innovation, either: if you cannot describe it, it will always be safe to ‘innovate’ where everyone else is. Successful companies thrive on 'diversity' and consider it a source of innovation, turning the complexity of diversity -- in terms of the organisation, business, geography and customer touchpoints -- into an opportunity. They create a line of sight between diversity, innovation and value to stakeholders." About Dr. Jens R. Maier: Armed with a decade of senior executive experience at Daimler Benz and Zurich Financial Services, Dr. Maier focuses on implementing innovation in international organizations with programs linking executive development to business development strategy. He has served on the faculty for Marketing and Strategy at leading business schools (London Business School, Warwick, University of Southern California), and today collaborates with LBS, the University of St. Gallen and Management Centre Europe.

		In search of alternatives: Women leaders too tough, too soft, too often?


			In the recently released Catalyst report Double Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership, a definitive 69% of interviewees recognized the prevalence of “extreme perceptions” surrounding women leaders: they are often considered too tough or too soft. Respondents noted the negative consequences of either approach and encouraged women leaders to find a balance. The full implications of what psychologists call “all-or-nothing” thinking in the workplace can be found in the report.

		An intersection of thought between the public and private sectors


			Invited to join the recent roundtable Inspiring Women: Corporate Best Practice at the Lehman Brothers Centre for Women in Business at London Business School, Catalyst Europe reports that the event was one of substance and spontaneity. After the Centre presented its study of the four “waves” of activities in which European companies have invested to “inspire women,” participants, including select members of the private and public sectors, seemed particularly impassioned by how gender diversity initiatives are currently shaped by the need for sustainability. Creating “traction” was also cited as a key challenge, despite the topic of diversity entering the mainstream.

		A heightened state of attention, a surge in breakthrough thinking


			Member company UBS recently held its annual Women’s Leadership Conference, this year focusing on Changing Environment, New Markets, Adaptable Skills. The challenge of sustainability, as well as the opportunities it presents, proved to be a rich topic. Catalyst Europe was also taken by presencing, the “social technology” introduced by Dr. C. Otto Scharmer of MIT in his pre-panel session entitled “Creating Innovation with Emotional Intelligence.” A blend of the words “presence” and “sensing,” presencing is described as an effective force for collectively leading profound change – and as the essence of leadership today.

Catalyst Europe AG is the European headquarters of Catalyst, the leading membership research
and advisory organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women and business.

For more information, please visit www.catalyst.org

Welcome

New Advisory Board members announced

Catalyst Europe selected as partner for EU research proposals

Strategic advisory role for Catalyst Europe in public sector initiatives

New series confirms Catalyst’s far-reaching expertise

Coming soon: The power of the unspoken word

Catalyst VP of Research receives prestigious international award

CELL: A push for the imminent acceleration of Europe-centric learning

Webinar: Come learn about the business case for women in management

Catalyst Compendium: A starting point for change

Global Membership: The network expands

On Innovation: Notes from a Catalyst Europe Thought Leader

In search of alternatives: Women leaders too tough, too soft, too often?

An intersection of thought between the public and private sectors

A heightened state of attention, a surge in breakthrough thinking