“The gender dividend: Making the business case for investing in women”

The gender dividend: Making the business case for investing in women | Deloitte Report | Authors: Greg Pellegrino, Sally D'Amato, Anne Weisberg | 2011

Foreword by Sharon Allen, Chairman of Deloitte United States (Deloitte LLP)

After reading this foreword and turning the page, the first words that you’ll see are what the Gender Dividend is all about—women and economic growth. Women and economic growth is a reality that has played out quietly for centuries. Whether this reality has taken place in the world’s most advanced economies or those that are rudimentary (not to mention those recovering from the devastation of armed conflict, excessive risk-taking, or ethical lapse), one constant remains—the participation of women in economic activity has and will continue to spur economic growth. […]

It would seem to make sense, therefore, that businesses would invest in developing women as workers, executives, and leaders. But impressive results and sound logic have yet to fully take hold in many parts of the world, including the United States. The advancement of women pales in proportion to their numbers. While some of the reasons are related to culture and custom, it’s important to recognize that where organizations have invested in the development of women, the results have been both profound and dramatic. […]

In the pages that follow, you can read more about the positive and often double-digit difference in productivity between those organizations with more women as leaders compared to those with less.