Flexible schedules allow women at State Farm Insurance to telecommute, job-share, compress their workweeks and even log in from satellite offices.

Looking for leadership roles, education and training opportunities and a sense of community at work? That’s what draws more than 18,000 employees of this insurance company to its employee resource groups, which boast 200 chapters and have expanded in number by 25% since 2010. Leading the charge is its popular Women’s Networking Group, which has its own section devoted to multicultural employees; followed by Rainmakers, which promotes career advancement for women; and Women and Technology, which hosts talks by industry speakers, mini-conferences and development activities for members from IT and other technical functions. At present, nearly 70 workers direct specific diversity and inclusion efforts in their corporate departments and regional zones, providing additional ways to network. Female employees have had access to formal mentoring programs since 2000; today, 85% of all multicultural female employees are engaged in some form of mentoring relationship.

Chairman & CEO: Edward Rust, Jr.
VP Operations, HR: Annette Martinez

Multicultural women represent…
15% of total employees
7% of corporate executives
7% of senior managers
7% of the top earners
15% of the company promotions in 2011
0% of the board of directors in 2011
 
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in mentoring? 85%
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in affinity groups? 30%

Seeking out female job candidates at major diversity conferences is a central focus for New York Life’s Agency Division and its recruiting task force.

When this life insurance firm wanted to know what it could do to increase the representation of women in its highest positions, it went straight to the source, convening a group of female executives. Out of that discussion came a realization that the firm had to heighten awareness of its need for female senior leadership. To that end, it has intensified talent reviews of female employees and introduced a brand-new curriculum of diversity training for those in middle management and above, addressing gender differences and the best ways to navigate them. Female corporate vice presidents with their eyes on key roles may participate in the four-month Women’s Leadership and Development Initiative; multicultural employees at the director level and above can investigate the Career Management Initiative, which helps them improve their own odds of moving up while encouraging them to coach others. There’s a bevy of accessible employee network groups, from the Latino Connection to the Women Leadership Program and Mentorship, which offers formal career guidance to all workers at the firm. 

Chairman, President & CEO: Ted Mathas
VP & CDO: Joanne H. Rogers

Multicultural women represent…
19% of total employees
2% of corporate executives
4% of senior managers
4% of the top earners
12% of the company promotions in 2011
0% of the board of directors in 2011
 
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in mentoring? 8%
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in affinity groups? 25%

Flexible work arrangements and tuition aid help the women at Chubb Group of Insurance Companies to advance.

Thinking ahead has paid off for this property and casualty insurer, which more than three decades ago launched its Women’s Development Council to support the rise of female leaders, then soon added its Minority Development Council. Multicultural women now mentor one another as they climb the career ladder, exchanging knowledge and insight. Every month, a small group gathers at headquarters to chat about power and presence with the Women of Color Leadership Book Club; every two years, female employees attend the company’s global women’s conference, which features discussions on everything from the importance of social media to the changing face of insurance and the need for career planning. Women being groomed for executive positions may go to external leadership events, working with high-level sponsors and taking on projects with profit-and-loss responsibilities.

Chairman, President & CEO: John Finnegan
Senior VP & CDO: Trevor Gandy

Multicultural women represent…
18% of total employees
5% of corporate executives
4% of senior managers
3% of the top earners
7% of the company promotions in 2011
0% of the board of directors in 2011
 
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in mentoring? 3%
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in affinity groups? 30%

40% of Allstate Insurance’s charitable contributions went to diversity-related organizations in 2011.

Intent on building a truly diverse workforce, this financial services and insurance company named multicultural women to 32% of its open positions in 2011. To help these new hires get acclimated, it offers eight employee networks that provide peer coaching and 84 career advancement programs, illustrating everything from how to tackle workplace challenges to the best ways to access industry experts. Recent standout events have included a session on creating a professional presence, offered by the African American Working Network, and a series on making lasting connections, staged by the Professional Latino Allstate network. For executive women, there are several new mentoring and leadership initiatives; around 1 in 10 multicultural women occupy management roles that make them bonus-eligible. When they need downtime, 90% of workers flex their schedules. That option will be increasingly useful to diverse women as their status grows; right now, they’re 7% of senior executive leaders. 

Chairman, President & CEO: Thomas Wilson
VP & CDO: Michael Escobar

Multicultural women represent…

21% of total employees
7% of corporate executives
3% of senior managers
7% of the top earners
14% of the company promotions in 2011
0% of the board of directors in 2011
 
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in mentoring? --
What percent of the multicultural women employees participated in affinity groups? --

Four of WellPoint’s 14 state plans are led by women.

When the CEO shows up at events for female employees to explain how she got where she did—and how they can, too—it makes a big impact. Angela F. Braly, who directs this health-benefits company, recently inspired associates at an in-house gathering called Women Who Mean Business, during which female leaders discussed life at the top. Lots of them are there: Women make up nearly half of the 12-member board of directors and comprise about one third of the executives at the company. “I’m a firm believer in sharing experiences and knowledge with others,” says Lori Beer, EVP of Enterprise Business Services, who oversees more than 50% of the company’s associates.

Chair, President & CEO: Angela F. Braly

Executive VP, HR: Randy Brown

% of senior managers who are women: 45%

% of corporate executives who are women: 33%

% of promotions to manager, senior manager and corporate executive positions that went to women: 62%

% of the top 10% of the company’s earners who are women: 45%

% of corporate executives with profit-and-loss responsibility who are women: 27%

% of the executives running divisions with revenues of more than a billion dollars who are women: 31%

% of executives who report directly to the CEO who are women: 25%

% of the members of the board of directors who are women: 38%

% of female workforce participating in mentoring: --

Women are 31% of the executives at State Farm, up 12% since 2000.

Women have been a powerful force at this insurance company since the 1920s, when they first served on its board of directors, were hired as employees and became agents. Today, the female managers and executives who are identified as high-potential by talent reviews create development plans, adopt stretch assignments or job rotations and get mentored by senior leaders. While many women participate in the company’s Leadership Development Acceleration Program, those in line for senior executive positions join the Executive Assistant Program at headquarters, an initiative that improves their ability to strategize, innovate and collaborate.

Chairman & CEO: Edward B. Rust, Jr.

VP, HR: Mary Schmidt

% of senior managers who are women: 16%

% of corporate executives who are women: 32%

% of promotions to manager, senior manager and corporate executive positions that went to women: 52%

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

% of corporate executives with profit-and-loss responsibility who are women: 41%

% of the executives running divisions with revenues of more than a billion dollars who are women: 38%

% of executives who report directly to the CEO who are women: 13%

% of the members of the board of directors who are women: 23%

% of female workforce participating in mentoring: 85%

Every January, New York Life Insurance employees discuss their professional aspirations with management; in subsequent meetings, each pair will revisit the subject.

At this life insurance firm, women comprise more than 50% of participants in its mentoring program. Female managers who want to refresh their skill sets can sign up for its 18-month Career Pathway Certification programs; sales agents or agency managers supplement existing knowledge by taking courses at the in-house NYLIC University. Promising female managers are chosen for the Women’s Leadership Development initiative, which brings them face-to-face with key leaders and offers training to prepare them to become executive officers.

Chairman, President & CEO: Ted Mathas

Senior VP & Chief HR Officer: Barry Schub

% of senior managers who are women: 33%

% of corporate executives who are women: 22%

% of promotions to manager, senior manager and corporate executive positions that went to women: 84%

% of the top 10% of the company’s earners who are women: 22%

% of corporate executives with profit-and-loss responsibility who are women: 12%

% of the executives running divisions with revenues of more than a billion dollars who are women: 0%

% of executives who report directly to the CEO who are women: 25%

% of the members of the board of directors who are women: 17%

% of female workforce participating in mentoring: 7%

61% of the employees who receive mentoring at MetLife are women.

Being able to make room in their schedules for family needs strengthens female executives’ commitment to this insurance, annuities and employee benefits provider. At least one out of every seven associates has a formal alternative work arrangement, ranging from flextime to telecommuting and compressed workweeks. Career development activities are available to high-potential female managers and executives through training initiatives such as the Smith College Consortium for Women. Women represent more than half of the company’s management ranks.

Chairman, President & CEO: Steven A. Kandarian

Executive VP & Chief HR Officer: Frans Hijkoop

% of senior managers who are women: 37%

% of corporate executives who are women: 17%

% of promotions to manager, senior manager and corporate executive positions that went to women: 56%

% of the top 10% of the company’s earners who are women: 32%

% of corporate executives with profit-and-loss responsibility who are women: 17%

% of the executives running divisions with revenues of more than a billion dollars who are women: 0%

% of executives who report directly to the CEO who are women: 33%

% of the members of the board of directors who are women: 31%

% of female workforce participating in mentoring: <1%

Employees at the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies may be chosen to attend an Executive Leadership Council conference exploring the best approaches—not to mention the interviewing and negotiating skills—they need to reach the top.

Women are 63% of the workforce at this property and casualty insurance company, and active networking groups promote their continued success. The Women’s Development Council offers its many members a formal mentoring program, lecture series and biennial leadership conference, while the Chubb Partnership of Women, open to all levels, hosts an annual lunch meeting that finds members engaged in exploring with senior executives the professional choices that have made a difference. As part of the company’s ongoing mission to place multicultural women in important roles, it recently launched a one-year development plan for high-potential executives, while also sponsoring educational sessions on smart workplace strategies. Additional workshops and conferences show women how to increase their visibility, build a brand and accelerate their progress.

Chairman, President & CEO: John Finnegan

Senior VP & Chief Diversity Officer: Trevor Gandy

% of senior managers who are women: 32%

% of corporate executives who are women: 14%

% of promotions to manager, senior manager and corporate executive positions that went to women: 49%

% of the top 10% of the company’s earners who are women: 37%

% of corporate executives with profit-and-loss responsibility who are women: 8%

% of the executives running divisions with revenues of more than a billion dollars who are women: 29%

% of executives who report directly to the CEO who are women: 29%

% of the members of the board of directors who are women: 23%

% of female workforce participating in mentoring: 3%

Allstate’s Leadership Talent Acceleration program gives female managers a chance to complete three job rotations, which further broadens their career horizons.

“You’ve got to help those you lead find their passion,” explains Catherine Brune, a regional president for this financial services and insurance company. That’s the idea behind its popular Leaders as Teachers series, a set of talks by top talent that helps up-andcoming employees enhance their business acumen; it attracts about 4,000 attendees annually and is a big hit online. Another program, Leading Women Executives, finds attendees devising action plans for their careers and honing their leadership abilities; one recent graduate, Maribel Gerstner, is now president and chief operating officer of the company’s financial services division.

Chairman, President & CEO: Thomas Wilson

Executive VP, HR: Jim DeVries

% of senior managers who are women: 27%

% of corporate executives who are women: 33%

% of promotions to manager, senior manager and corporate executive positions that went to women: 16%

% of the top 10% of the company’s earners who are women: 35%

% of corporate executives with profit-and-loss responsibility who are women: 33%

% of the executives running divisions with revenues of more than a billion dollars who are women: 31%

% of executives who report directly to the CEO who are women: 33%

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

% of female workforce participating in mentoring: <1%