At PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Mentor Moms group pairs new mothers with experienced ones who advise them on juggling work and family.

Female partners who are chosen for the new Breakthrough Leadership Development program at this professional services firm are destined for the executive suite. The initiative provides career coaching, training and exposure to senior leaders, and mixes nicely with the firm's myriad women's networks and its intranet community, Women Upfront, where mentors can be found. Niloufar Molavi, a mom of two, is a mentor there: "While it's never easy, I think having a career makes me a better mother, and being a mother makes me a better leader," says the chief diversity officer. The firm estimates that 80% of employees used some form of flexible work last year; a new four- to 16-week sabbatical offers 20% pay plus benefits, but high-performing women may take career breaks of up to five years. New moms get 26 job-guaranteed weeks off, with at least 12 fully paid.

U.S. Chairman & Senior Partner Bob Moritz
 

Chief Diversity Officer Niloufar Molavi

Women managers, senior managers and corporate execs 39%

Women among top earners 37%

Women on board of directors 12%

Women corporate executive hires in 2009 12%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year* 5%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year* 3%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement 11%

Do formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance? Yes

*Percentages reflect number of women participants versus company’s total female workforce.