The resource groups of Pfizer’s Global Women’s Council often invite gender research experts to speak about the importance of sponsorship, personal branding and more.

This health care company keeps careful tabs on the representation of women in its higher echelons, scrutinizing annual Talent Reviews to identify current or future candidates for promotion. Women now comprise 38% of its executive leadership team and 30% of its senior leaders; the NextGen program helps prepare high-potential senior directors and newly appointed vice presidents for top roles. In 2012, 200 women in its executive pipeline enrolled in the six-week Leadership in Practice training offered by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, through which they charted their future career paths, considered their skill gaps and analyzed ways to become more resilient as leaders.

Chairman & CEO: Ian Read

Executive VP, Worldwide HR: Charles Hill

% of senior managers who are women: 42%

% of corporate executives who are women: 40%

% of the top 10% of the company’s earners who are women: 33%

% of corporate executives with profit-and-loss responsibility who are women: 20%

% of the executives running divisions with revenues of more than a billion dollars who are women: 27%

% of executives who report directly to the CEO who are women: 40%

% of the members of the board of directors who are women: 27%