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Spotlight on sponsorship and mentoring

Sponsors are advocates who use their influence to help others advance, while mentors offer valuable career guidance. Together, sponsorship and mentoring strengthen your talent pipeline, boost retention, drive diversity, and enhance engagement and productivity. Catalyst resources deliver actionable road maps to build impactful sponsorship and mentoring programs in your organization.

Sponsoring women to success

Both sponsors and sponsees benefit from sponsorship and mentoring. Sponsors increase leadership competencies and contribute to increased team effectiveness. Sponsees develop skills that support advancement and experience greater visibility and access to opportunities.

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Sponsorship is key for women’s advancement

  • 33%

    of women change jobs due to increased opportunities for growth.

  • 27%

    higher salary growth for women with mentors.

Sponsorship increases gender equity

Mentoring is vital for leadership development, but it alone isn’t enough to advance women. Sponsorship levels the playing field, making women as likely as men to be promoted. It bridges opportunity gaps and strengthens talent pipelines to ensure critical talent isn’t overlooked.

Catalyst sponsorship guide

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  • Guide

    Catalyst sponsorship guide

    This Sponsorship Guide details relevant research, case studies, and quotes from leaders related to the importance of sponsorship relationships.

    • Recruitment and retention
    • Sponsorship and mentorship

  • Guide

    Why sponsorship programs are important (Part 1)

    This primer serves as a starting point for leaders who are interested in developing and sustaining effective sponsorship programs within their workplaces.

    • Recruitment and retention
    • Sponsorship and mentorship

  • Guide

    How to build an effective sponsorship program (Part 2)

    Building an effective sponsorship program: best practices for implementation

    • Recruitment and retention
    • Sponsorship and mentorship

  • Guide

    How to be an effective workplace sponsor (Part 3)

    Recommendations for maximizing your impact as a sponsor

    • Recruitment and retention
    • Sponsorship and mentorship

  • Guide

    Navigating sponsorship for career growth as a sponsee (Part 4)

    Recommendations for navigating sponsorship for career growth as a sponsee

    • Recruitment and retention
    • Sponsorship and mentorship

Featured insights

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  • Infographic

    Performance feedback and support crucial for retaining black employees

    Learn how feedback and sponsorship improve Black employee retention. Actionable strategies for HR leaders and managers to drive career advancement.

    • Inclusive workplaces
    • Recruitment and retention
    • Race, ethnicity, and culture
    • Sponsorship and mentorship

  • Article

    Simone Alleyne: Creator of opportunities

    Simone Alleyne makes equity happen at McDonald’s Canada, where she has always felt a sense of belonging.

    • Inclusive workplaces
    • Diversity and Inclusion messaging
    • Gender representation
    • +1

  • Article

    Is DEI authentic? Caroline Wanga says we need a reframe.

    "Our authentic self feeds our career, workplace, and interpersonal relationships. That is non-negotiable."

    • Organizational culture change
    • Inclusive leadership
    • Sponsorship and mentorship

  • Article

    Mentorship and sponsorship are keys to unlocking the next generation of talent

    Catalyst Honours speakers share how companies can achieve true equity and inclusion through mentorship and sponsorship programs. Catalyst Honours speakers share how companies can achieve true equity and inclusion through mentorship and sponsorship programs.

    • Race, ethnicity, and culture
    • Sponsorship and mentorship
    • Inclusive leadership
    • Allyship and advocacy

  • Webinar Recording

    Managing with a sponsorship mindset: Why mentorship isn't enough

    Mentoring is essential to leadership development—but mentorship alone is not enough to help women advance.

    • Inclusive workplaces
    • Sponsorship and mentorship
    • Inclusive leadership

  • Webinar Recording

    The balance of sponsorship

    Sponsorship can help women advance their careers—but only if sponsors participate with an inclusive mindset. Effective sponsorship relies on trust,

    • Inclusive workplaces
    • Sponsorship and mentorship
    • Inclusive leadership

  • Infographic

    Coaches, mentors, and sponsors: Understanding the differences

    You can't get ahead without help from other people. Find out how different people can help in different ways.

    • Career equity
    • Sponsorship and mentorship
    • Inclusive leadership

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