Welcome to Advisory Services

Advisory Services (AS) is a strategic diversity consulting practice that works with Catalyst members to create more inclusive work environments. We help companies and firms create a more level playing field where diverse talent can shine. Our focus is on creating sustainable, inclusive work environments that create opportunities for employees and for businesses. Our practice includes working directly with clients on engagements as well as developing products and approaches that more broadly shares our expertise.

Catalyst’s Advisory Services group partners with member companies in a variety of ways. With some clients, we work over several years to support the culture change process across many stages—from diagnostic to strategy development to implementation. In other instances, we work with clients in a very targeted fashion, such as designing and facilitating a half-day meeting for executive women at the company. We seek to be very flexible in our approach to working with clients and strive to help our member companies build their internal capacity for driving change. Our focus is on the long-term relationship with members and as our name reinforces, we are ultimately about helping to be a “catalyst for change.”

A sampling of client projects will help illustrate the many ways in which Advisory Services supports clients’ efforts to encourage greater diversity in their organizations.

• We worked with a major international consumer products organization to conduct a global assessment over several continents. We acted as a thought partner in the creation of a long-term, multi-country strategy and through several targeted implementation initiatives, including reciprocal mentoring, flexibility, succession planning, and metrics planning. We also served as communication consultants helping to develop the diversity messaging for the company.
• We worked with a leading high tech company to develop—from the ground up—a fully customized work/life quality and effectiveness training for company executives and a train-the-trainer session to build internal capacity for delivering the sessions.
• We worked with a major investment bank to conduct a benchmark study on best practices in succession planning.
• We worked with an accounting firm in building a foundation to support greater diversity. Our work included a comprehensive assessment, strategic planning, working with an Advisory Board of women partners at the firm, and assisting with the launch of several women’s network chapters nationally in the firm’s key geographic markets.
• We worked with a leading apparel company to conduct its first-ever employee satisfaction survey. The survey was translated into ten languages and administered across several countries.
• We worked with a financial services company to design and conduct a series of planning meetings for a newly formed senior Women’s Advisory Council.
• We worked with a group of women partners at a large law firm (more than 1,000 attorneys) to understand the challenges for women and to craft a strategy to more effectively develop and retain women attorneys.

Catalyst also partners with associations and industry groups to do in-depth analysis of diversity issues in specific industries and professions.

• We worked with an advisory group from several leading oil and gas companies to conduct a cross-company industry study of diversity issues.
• We worked with a nonprofit organization that supports the development of diverse legal talent to conduct an in-depth, career path analysis of people of color, white women, and white men General Counsels at major corporations.
• We worked with a major industry association to conduct a benchmark study of diversity representation and key activities to promote diversity among their members.