30% more women were promoted to partner at Goldman Sachs last year than in 2007.

Taking a few years off to raise a child is no impediment to success at this financial services firm, which makes it easy for stay-at-home moms to reenter the workforce. Its brand-new Returnship program provides eight weeks of retraining to former employees to help bring skills up to speed or fill moms in on what they need to know if they’re entering the industry for the first time. Participants get mentors and attend weekly meetings that brief them on networking and development strategies as well as recent market trends. All new hires can easily find backup care for children or adult dependents if they need it, since the New York City–based firm provides access to 1,474 child-care centers and in-home agencies (up from 273 in 2007). Working offsite is widely encouraged, too, as long as clients’ needs are met.

Chairman & CEO: Lloyd Blankfein

Head of Human Capital Management, Managing Director: Edith Cooper

Women managers/execs: 28%

Women among top earners: 16%

Women on board of directors: 22%

Women corporate executive hires in 2008: 0%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year: 73%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year: 21%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement: 2%

Formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance: Yes