03/26/2024
(HARTFORD, CT) – Today, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz and Paradigm for Parity® (P4P) CEO Sandra Quince held an event in Celebration of Women’s History Month titled “Combined Power: Breaking Down Silos to Build Future Leaders” with P4P member companies, Girls With Impact and LiveGirl, to highlight the need to accelerate gender parity and highlight how public, private and nonprofit sectors can broaden impact by working together.
“As chair of the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls, I felt it was important that the Council explored various means to achieve the goal of gender parity among some of our largest employers within the State – and partnering with P4P is helping us to reach that goal. Thanks to our partnership, Connecticut now has 16 companies associated with P4P, and Connecticut ranks third as having the most P4P companies, and number one for the most Fortune 500 companies who have made the P4P commitment,” said Lt. Governor Bysiewicz. “This collaboration is monumental because the sooner we prioritize women and girls with an understanding that women’s issues are economic issues, the sooner we will see our economy grow by uplifting women and their families.”
P4P is a nonprofit coalition of business leaders dedicated to addressing the corporate leadership gender gap. The coalition is made up of CEOs, senior executives, founders, board members, and business academics who are committed to achieving a new norm in the corporate world: one in which women and men have equal powerand opportunity.
“Honoring Women’s History Month with events that focus on preparing women for leadership, especially the next generation is powerful”, commented Sandra Quince, Co-chair, and Board Member, Paradigm for Parity® coalition. “We are grateful to Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz for her support of Paradigm for Parity through the Council on Women and Girls by connecting us with organizations like LiveGirl and Girls With Impact to accelerate progress. We can’t do this work alone, and with coalition members like Hartford HealthCare, that make inclusive workplace culture a business priority, we can make history and achieve gender parity for all communities of women.”
The event was hosted at the new headquarters of Hartford HealthCare, which is a proud member of P4P.
“Harford HealthCare is proud to host Paradigm for Parity and its coalition partners to discuss how, through our combined power, we will nurture and promote talented women leaders in our workplaces, particularly women who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color,” said Sarah Lewis, Chief Equity Officer for Hartford HealthCare. “Our organization’s commitment to equity means that we are dedicated to improving access, removing barriers, and increasing opportunity for women who have historically been excluded from careers and professional advancement, and we are grateful to Paradigm for Parity and Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz for their partnership as we work to be the best at getting better.”
The event featured two panel discussions, “Collaborating on Common Goals,” and “Investing in Her,” that highlighted building a better future for women and girls in business and leadership, and how investing early in women can accelerate the path to parity.
To accelerate the pace of gender equity in senior executive roles and on corporate boards, member companies follow the P4P 5-Point Action Plan. Based on extensive research and best practices, this roadmap is the first set of specific actions that, when concurrently implemented, will catalyze change, and enable companies to more effectively increase the number of women of all races, cultures and backgrounds in leadership positions. In furtherance of these goals, P4P joined forces in combining its power with two nonprofits working to build future leaders and invest early in women of all races, backgrounds, and cultures. This collaboration will accelerate the pace to achieving gender parity and build a sustainable pipeline of women leaders.
“Women — especially next generation women — are essential to company success, and economic growth,” said Jennifer Openshaw, CEO of Girls With Impact, pointing to the $15-$30 trillion economic potential through the full utilization of women in the workplace (World Bank). “When we equip young women with foundational skills and an entrepreneurial, future-oriented mindset, they are not only more prepared to deliver value on Day 1 — but their companies are more likely to succeed in good times and bad.”
“Our mission aligns perfectly with the goals of accelerating gender parity and investing early in women’s leadership. At LiveGirl, we are dedicated to equipping girls and young women ages 10-24 with the leadership and career-readiness skills necessary to thrive in the 21st century. Through our SHE WORKS initiative, we are partnering with companies to build a diverse talent pipeline, ensuring that future leaders reflect the rich diversity of our communities. Together, we are taking concrete steps towards building a more equal and inclusive future for women and girls everywhere,” said Sheri West, Founder & CEO of LiveGirl.
A recording of the panel discussions can be found HERE.
As a nonprofit founded by a group of women executives in 2015, the Paradigm for Parity® coalition supports its member companies around the world in achieving gender parity including racial equity in their corporate leadership within 15 years of joining the coalition. In partnership with member company executives and recognized experts, the organization develops and promotes actionable strategies that transform corporate culture, so that women of all races, cultures and backgrounds have equal power and opportunity.
