How Organisations Can Build Gender Equity Into Leadership Systems
- Brainz Magazine
- Apr 25
- 11 min read
Princess Anne is a globally recognized leadership expert, keynote speaker, and corporate consultant who champions gender equity through her proprietary SheLeadership Framework™.
Many companies treat gender equity as a checkbox: host a workshop on unconscious bias, celebrate International Women’s Day, and assume the job is done. But one‑off gender equity workshops often fail to drive lasting change. Research shows that the positive effects of typical diversity training “rarely last beyond a day or two” and can even activate bias or spark backlash (Harvard Business Review). It is no wonder that while 91% of women say their employers have diversity initiatives, only 27% report any positive impact from such programs (World Economic Forum) . Simply put, raising awareness is not enough. Corporate decision‑makers – from HR and DEI leaders to the C‑suite – are recognizing that true progress requires embedding equity into the systems that govern how organizations develop and select leaders.
Beyond one-off workshops: Why awareness is not enough
A single training session or annual seminar cannot undo systemic barriers built up over decades. Workplace biases are often implicit and structural, so tackling them requires consistent, ongoing effort and changes in process, not just one‑and‑done event. As Dobbin and Kalev (2016) noted, companies have long relied on narrow compliance‑driven training to “police managers’ thoughts,” an approach that decades of research show often backfires. Employees might sit through a bias workshop, but day‑to‑day practices such as how promotions are decided, who gets high‑visibility projects, and how performance is evaluated, remain unchanged. Without follow‑through, people revert to “business as usual,” and the workshop’s lessons fade.
One major drawback of focusing on isolated diversity initiatives is that they do not change the underlying workplace culture or systems. For example, targeted hiring drives can bring more women in the door, but if the culture is not inclusive, those women may not thrive or stay. Likewise, sending a few managers to gender‑sensitivity training will not help if it is seen as a punitive exercise or a mere formality (Sparkbay, 2025). Employees from underrepresented groups still find themselves excluded from informal networks and opportunities, making it hard to convert their talent into promotions. Awareness without action leads to “diversity fatigue,” everyone has heard the talk, but women see little changes in their careers.
The high cost of not addressing systemic barriers
Failing to address gender equity systemically is not just a moral issue. It has business implications.
Companies that neglect to build inclusive leadership pipelines risk falling behind their peers. Ample evidence now links gender‑balanced leadership with stronger financial performance. A McKinsey analysis spanning 1,000+ companies across 15 countries found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than those in the bottom quartile. In banking, a sector historically dominated by men, researchers observed that banks with “critical mass” – about 30% of board seats held by women – showed higher profitability (return on assets) than less diverse banks (McCormick, 2025). Gender equity is not just “nice to have,” it is a competitive advantage and companies that ignore it risk lower innovation, weaker decision‑making, and missed market opportunities (World Economic Forum).
The loss of talented women due to an inequitable environment is steep. When rising women hit glass ceilings or feel undervalued, they leave and replacing them is expensive. Gallup estimates that replacing a leader or manager costs around 200% of that person’s salary in recruiting and lost productivity expenses.High turnover among women leaders can quickly become a bottom‑line issue. Alarming trends bear this out: women leaders were leaving their companies at the highest rate ever recorded – for every woman promoted to director, two women at the same level were voluntarily departing (McKinsey & Company, 2022). The “Great Breakup” highlights women’s growing exasperation over stalled career advancement. In a Deloitte survey of 5,000 women across 10 countries, over 50% planned to leave their employer in the next two years, often citing lack of advancement or flexibility.
When senior women exit, you do not just lose one person. You lose mentors, sponsors, and role models for the next generation. Employee engagement can suffer as well. Studies show women leaders tend to invest heavily in supporting their teams and advancing DEI efforts (McKinsey & Company, 2022). If those leaders leave, other employees (women and men alike) may feel less supported and included, which can erode morale. In short, inaction on equity carries tangible risks: weaker financial results, higher turnover costs, and a leaky leadership pipeline that perpetuates inequality.
Companies that commit to structural, long‑term change are seeing positive results
A subset of “diversity winner” companies have pulled ahead by treating gender equity as a core business priority, not just an HR program (McKinsey & Company, 2021). Their secret? Systematic, embedded approaches which include setting metrics and goals, holding leaders accountable, and hardwiring equity into everyday processes. As Boston Consulting Group experts put it, leaders need to approach this like any major business goal: understand the baseline, set ambitious targets, and track progress in recruiting, retention, and advancement at every level.
How organizations can move from awareness to action by building equity into 4 key leadership talent systems:
1. Equitable promotions
Promotion practices are often the first major hurdle where gender gaps emerge. The oft‑cited “broken rung” refers to the significant disparity in promotions to first‑level manager: for every 100 men promoted from entry-level to manager roles, only 87 women are promoted—and just 73 women of colour (McKinsey & Company & LeanIn.Org, 2023) This gap at the first step up means men hold a disproportionate share of manager roles; men occupy about 60% of these positions, while women occupy 40% (McKinsey & Company). Closing this promotion gap is critical: if women are not moving up at the same rate, no amount of entry‑level hiring will yield gender balance in leadership.
How can companies embed equity into promotion decisions?
Start with clear, objective criteria and transparency. Too often promotions are influenced by subjective impressions or who advocates the loudest for themselves. Establish standardized criteria for advancement and communicate them openly, so everyone knows what it takes to move up. This reduces the opportunity for bias or favouritism to creep in.
Next, track promotion rates by gender (and other demographics) and hold managers accountable for any imbalances. If one department is consistently promoting far fewer women than men, dig into why there is bias in evaluations. Are women not being given stretch assignments that lead to promotion? By reviewing these metrics regularly, leaders can catch problems early and intervene.
Additionally, consider formal programs to support early‑career women through that first promotion. Some companies have created bridge leadership development programs, mentorship circles, or skills workshops specifically targeted at high‑potential women in individual contributor roles to prepare them for management. Others implement a rule that for every promotional opportunity, the candidate slate must include at least one woman (akin to the Rooney Rule in hiring).
Diversify the voices in promotion discussions. Ensure promotion panels or decision‑makers themselves represent a mix of perspectives, which can counteract “groupthink” and challenge biased assumptions. For example, if a female employee is being assessed as “not ready,” a diverse panel might question whether the same standard is being applied to her male peers. By systematizing fairness at each decision point, companies can repair that broken rung. And the payoff is substantial: if women are promoted at equal rates, over time you build a much stronger bench of future female leaders.
2. Succession planning
Succession planning, which is the process of identifying and grooming future leaders for key roles, often defaults to entrenched networks that favour men. Recent data show that the share of female CEOs in the global mid‑market plunged from 28% in 2023 to just 19% in 2024, largely because many women executives resigned amid the pressures of 2022–23 and there simply were not enough women waiting in the wings to take their place (Grant Thornton Report). The report warns that when a female chief executive departs without a cohort of senior women directly below her, it becomes unlikely that another woman will step into the role, leaving prior gains vulnerable. It also highlights how, in times of crisis or uncertainty, boards may revert to stereotyped notions that a more “aggressive and assertive” (often read as male) leadership style is required. These findings make clear that without deliberate steps to diversify and monitor successor slates, progress toward gender balance at the very top remains fragile.
To counter this, companies should embed equity into succession planning in a few concrete ways.
Make diversity a criterion in succession reviews: when discussing potential successors for a role, insist on a slate that is not homogenous. For every executive position, ensure women (and other underrepresented genders or groups) are considered. If none are on the list, ask “why not?” Is it a pipeline issue or an identification issue? Some organizations now mandate that a certain percentage of succession candidates for key roles must be women, hard‑wiring this practice. Identify high‑potential women early and give them the development opportunities they need to be viable successors. This could include rotational assignments, Profit & Loss responsibilities, mentorship from senior leaders, and leadership training. Groom women with the same rigour traditionally applied to men seen as “rising stars.” For example, if strategic exposure or international experience is often a prerequisite for top roles, make sure women are getting those chances at the same rate as men.
It is also important to challenge assumptions in succession discussions. Research finds that female leaders often face different expectations and perceptions. Behaviours that are seen as decisive in men might be viewed as abrasive in women Grant Thornton Report). Ensure that the language used to evaluate potential successors is fair and focused on results, not influenced by gendered stereotypes. One practical step is having HR, or a DEI officer sit in on succession planning meetings to flag biased language or criteria.
Lastly, create accountability at the top: the CEO and board should regularly review the diversity of the leadership pipeline. If your company’s next‑in‑line leaders are all men, that is a red flag that needs addressing now, not when a role suddenly opens up. By weaving equity expectations into succession management, you build a pipeline where women are ready to seize top opportunities, and you avoid the scramble of realizing “we have no women ready” when it is too late.
3. Sponsorship
Many companies have mentoring programs, but sponsorship is the next level that truly propels underrepresented talent into leadership. What is the difference? Mentors offer advice and support privately; sponsors actively advocate for you in rooms where decisions are made. For example, a mentor might help a woman leader navigate challenges, but a sponsor will push to get her that big stretch assignment or endorse her promotion when she is not in the room. Sponsorship is about using one’s influence to open doors for high-potential talent, and women have historically had less access to it. In fact, studies find that women are 54% less likely than men to have a sponsor in the workplace (Eason, 2024). This is a key reason fewer women reach top roles: they may have plenty of mentors, but not enough champions in leadership advocating on their behalf. The impact of a sponsor can be huge. Data show that women with sponsors are 20% more likely to be promoted than those without.
So how can organizations systematize sponsorship to ensure female talent is not overlooked?
Create formal sponsorship programs that match senior leaders (VP level and above) with a diverse slate of upcoming talent. For example, a company might assign each executive to sponsor one or two women at the director or manager level who have been identified as high performers. The sponsor’s role is then clearly defined: meet regularly, understand the protégé’s career goals, and proactively advocate for her when discussions about plum projects, promotions, or succession come up. This might even be included in the executive’s performance goals. Some companies now evaluate and reward leaders not just for their direct results but also for how well they develop diverse talent.
Address the trust factor. Some research suggests male leaders may hesitate to sponsor women due to fear of perceptions; companies should dispel this by fostering a professional, goals-focused process (and emphasizing the business value). By making sponsorship a norm, you ensure that high-potential women get the visibility and backing that high-potential men often naturally receive effectively equalizing that “invisible handshake” in promotions.
4. Talent management processes
Beyond promotions and successors, true gender equity must permeate everyday talent management processes – the performance reviews, feedback, training, and policies that shape each employee’s experience and chances to advance. These gears turn quietly in the background, and if they are not aligned with equity, they can stall progress despite your best programs.
One critical area is performance evaluation. If criteria are vague or left to managerial discretion, unconscious biases such as women being judged more harshly for being assertive, or penalized for having caregiving responsibilities, can creep in. To counter this, companies can redesign performance reviews to focus on results and objective metrics, rather than subjective factors like “presence". (McKinsey & Company). For instance, in a hybrid work era, ensure that employees who utilize flexible schedules (often working mothers) are not dinged just because they are not seen at their desk late – what matters is the outcomes they deliver.
Embedding equity means training managers to recognize their biases in evaluations and having checks in the system. Some firms do calibration sessions where managers’ ratings are compared and questioned if, say, all the top ratings in a group went to men and not women as well.
Another foundational piece of talent management is compensation and rewards. Pay equity is an essential part of equity. Women are still often paid less for the same roles. For example, in the U.S. women earn about 82 cents for every dollar men earn, on average (Pew Research Centre). Ensuring equal pay for equal work through regular pay audits and adjustments is one of the most straightforward actions companies can take. In practice, building equity into compensation might involve conducting annual gender pay gap analyses and fixing discrepancies, instituting transparent pay bands, and eliminating salary negotiation biases. For instance, not basing new hire pay on previous salary, which can carry forward historical inequities.
Critically, work–life policies play a huge role in retention of women. The pandemic reinforced that flexible work arrangements (remote work, flexible hours) are not just perks but often lifelines that enable many women (and men) to continue in demanding careers. Companies need to mainstream flexibility without stigma. Managers should be trained to manage by objectives and trust, rather than facetime. When done right, flexibility fuels ambition. One survey found 38% of mothers with young children said that without workplace flexibility, they would have had to leave their company or reduce hours (McKinsey & Company). By providing flexibility, organizations can keep talented women on board during crucial life phases, which further preserves your leadership pipeline.
Other supportive practices include robust parental leave (for all genders) and re‑entry programs for those who take career breaks.
Lastly, hold leaders and the organization accountable for progress. This could mean including diversity and inclusion metrics in leadership performance reviews or even tying a portion of executive bonuses to meeting equity goals, such as improvements in female promotion rates or representation in senior roles. When top leaders are explicitly responsible for moving the needle, it signals that equity is a core business issue, not a side project.
Ready to embed gender equity into your organisation’s leadership systems?
If you have invested in leadership training, set public DEI goals, and hired top talent, but are still experiencing: High‑potential women leaving before promotion, Entry‑level diversity that never reaches senior roles, Publicly reported widening pay gap harming your brand, Costly turnover and stalled leadership pipelines, what you need is not another vendor. You need a partner. Partner with SheLeadership.
Using our proprietary SheLeadership Framework™, a culturally intelligent, gender-aware leadership framework designed to equip women, especially those in traditional, patriarchal, or under-resourced environments, to lead intentionally, effectively, and sustainably in Government, Education, Technology and Business. We will
Uncover and remove bias across talent processes
Embed measurable DEI metrics directly into your business strategy
Design and deliver bespoke development programs for high‑potential women
Accelerate advancement through our Executive Advancement Pathway
Guide boards and C‑suite on establishing sustainable equity governance
SheLeadership shoulders the complexity so you can reap the benefits of gender‑equitable leadership – stronger pipelines, improved retention, and enhanced performance.
Read more from Princess-Anne Emeka-Obiajunwa
Princess-Anne Emeka-Obiajunwa, Leadership Expert, Speaker and Founder
Princess Anne is a global leader in women’s leadership, personal development, and social change. After years in education and community transformation, she created the SheLeadership Framework™ to equip women and girls with the tools to lead boldly and close the gender gap in leadership. She is the founder of SheLeadership and the Birthplace Empowerment Foundation, and has dedicated her life to empowering purpose-driven changemakers across the world.
