Goldman Sachs associates can sign up for its Women’s Career Strategies Initiative, a five-month program that helps them prepare to be VPs.

Opportunities abound for women at this investment bank, thanks to a wide array of new programs. Female analysts and associates are now eligible for a three-day leadership program, called Ascent, that is designed to help multicultural women set goals, find mentors and gain a deeper understanding of corporate culture. The unique EMPower program for African-American and Hispanic vice presidents was launched to help women in the upper echelons maximize their relationships with their managers. And the two-month Rules of the Road program, aimed at a diverse group of vice presidents, helps them hone people management skills and build better networks; in 2009, 40% of the program’s participants were multicultural women. Through the bank’s Loft Series, African-American, Asian and Hispanic associates and vice presidents meet quarterly with senior leaders who share their insights into success. Championing recruitment and retention of multicultural women is the firm’s Office of Global Leadership and Diversity; however, managers are held accountable, too, with a diversity scorecard that factors into their compensation.

Multicultural Women 14%
Chairman & CEO Lloyd Blankfein
COO of Human Capital Management & Chief Diversity Officer Edith Hunt

At Goldman Sachs, multicultural women represent…
1% of corporate executives
2% of senior managers
4% of the top earners
16% of the company hires
17% of the company losses
14% of participants in career counseling programs