At Capital One Financial, “mentor walks” pair associates and leaders to brainstorm ideas while exercising.

Rewards abound for the parents employed by this bank, famed for its “What’s in your wallet?” slogan. Female associates with a year’s tenure can take up to four months of job-guaranteed leave to have a baby, with the first two months fully paid. Foster and adoptive parents are eligible for six paid weeks off, and there’s a $5,000 adoption benefit. New parents can return to work on a 50% schedule for the first month, but the McLean, VA–based bank’s Flexible Work Solutions program, which enables associates to work off-site, builds in flexibility. In 2008, on-site health centers at headquarters and in Richmond, VA, began treating employees’ family members (even those without health insurance) for free, saving associates $243,000 last year. In emergencies, an associate crisis fund doles out $2,000 grants to cover unexpected costs. Talk about multitasking: “Mentor walks” foster brainstorming while exercising.

Founder, Chairman & CEO: Richard Fairbank

Chief HR Officer: Jory Berson

Women managers/execs: 39%

Women among top earners: 26%

Women on board of directors: 10%

Women corporate executive hires in 2008: 33%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year: 18%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year: 25%

Women promoted last year who used a formal flexible work arrangement: 21%

Formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance: No