In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, achieving gender parity is not just an ideal — it’s a strategic advantage. Companies that prioritize gender-balanced leadership are not only more innovative and adaptable but also see better financial performance. Yet, despite the clear benefits, true equality in leadership continues to be a distant goal. The 2024 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report estimates it will take 134 years to close the global gender gap. This stark reality calls for bold, immediate action.

The Global Gender Parity Sprint was one of the themes discussed at our Inclusive Leadership Forum earlier this year. At Developing Global Leaders Asia (DGL Asia), we believe that the time for impactful, collective action is now. A focused initiative like the Global Gender Parity Sprint is designed to take immediate and significant steps toward gender equity in leadership. This approach transcends incremental progress, encouraging organizations to make measurable advances toward gender balance within months or years, not decades.

What is a Gender Parity Sprint?

A gender parity sprint refers to a concentrated, high-impact initiative that accelerates progress toward gender balance in leadership positions. This sprint focuses on creating equitable opportunities for women across all levels, from entry-level employees to senior executives. It’s not just about filling quotas — it’s about building a sustainable pipeline of female talent equipped to lead and succeed.

Why Is It Necessary?

Despite the wealth of research linking gender diversity with better business performance, progress has been too slow. For example, in Southeast Asia, women occupy only 20-25% of senior leadership roles, despite representing nearly half of the workforce. The Women at Work 2024 report by Deloitte underscores this, showing that women still face significant barriers to advancement, including unequal access to opportunities and persistent pay gaps.

Key Areas of Focus for a Successful Sprint

Achieving rapid and meaningful gender parity requires concentrated effort in several key areas. Below are strategies discussed during the Inclusive Leadership Forum 2024, supported by real-world examples from leaders in the field.

1. Personal Connections to Gender Equality
   One key takeaway from the Inclusive Leadership Forum 2024 was how deeply personal experiences shape leaders’ commitment to gender equality. Vivian Cao from Rio Tinto, one of the panelists, shared her upbringing in a traditional Chinese household where gender expectations were deeply ingrained, saying, “I was raised by very traditional Chinese parents who believed that if a girl didn’t have extraordinary talent, it would be seen as a virtue.” Her story highlights the need to challenge ingrained societal norms, both in personal and professional settings.
   
   Another panelist, Dr. Yvonne Tan from Volvo, described subtle biases and microaggressions she faced as a minority in the engineering field, which left lasting impacts on her confidence and career trajectory. She emphasized the importance of being strong enough to stand up for yourself and the power that role models have in inspiring others to challenge the status quo.

2. Leadership Accountability
   Top-level commitment to gender equity is essential for success. As emphasized by Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic during the Inclusive Leadership Forum 2023, leaders need to actively take responsibility for gender parity outcomes. This means setting concrete goals, implementing transparent metrics, and fostering an inclusive leadership style.
   
3. Moving Beyond the Backlash
   During the Forum, the panelists addressed the backlash that sometimes arises when organizations push for gender equality. Dr. Yvonne pointed out that pushback, especially from men, is common when initiatives are seen as solely benefiting women. However, David Koh from SMBC, a male ally on the panel, emphasized the need to engage men in these conversations and ensure they understand that gender parity benefits everyone. As he noted, “Levelling the playing field is seen as taking something away from men, but it’s about ensuring fairness and equal opportunities, not diminishing anyone’s success.”
   
4. Addressing Bias in Policies and Practices
   Unconscious bias in hiring and promotions is a significant barrier to gender parity. Many organizations fail to recognize how deep-seated biases manifest in everyday decisions — from job descriptions to performance evaluations. During the Inclusive Leadership Forum 2023, Dr. Chamorro-Premuzic highlighted the importance of rooting out these biases.
   
   Dr. Yvonne Tan shared how a professor’s unconscious bias towards female engineers became a turning point in her career. She stressed the importance of confronting biases head-on to create an inclusive workplace. This theme resonates with our Women in Leadership: Arrive program, where senior women leaders are equipped with strategies to challenge bias and drive organizational change.

5. Gender Targets and Measurable Progress
   The Forum panelists agreed that setting gender targets and tracking progress through metrics is essential to advancing gender parity. As Vivian aptly said, “What gets measured, gets done.” However, the panelists emphasized that targets alone are not enough; organizations need to have support systems in place to help women advance at every career stage. Sponsorship programs, such as those discussed at the Forum, play a critical role in ensuring that diverse talent gets the visibility and advocacy necessary for advancement.
   
6. Career Development Programs
   Tailored leadership programs designed to develop and empower female talent are crucial for building a pipeline of women ready for leadership. At DGL Asia, our Women in Leadership programs — Drive, Accelerate, and Arrive —are designed to provide women with tools, strategies, and networks that help them advance.
   
   For example, the Drive program, specifically designed for women not yet in leadership roles, equips participants with skills like stakeholder mapping, networking, and finding sponsors, which are critical for navigating their careers and preparing for future leadership roles.

7. Work-Life Balance Challenges
   A major theme discussed during the Forum was the need to redefine work-life balance, particularly for women who often take on the majority of caregiving responsibilities. Yvonne shared her company’s approach to equal parental leave — offering 24 weeks of paid leave to both men and women — but noted that it’s only effective if taken. Encouraging men to take paternity leave can help shift traditional gender roles and promote a more balanced workplace.
   
   Vivian discussed the pressures women face when managing professional ambitions alongside family responsibilities. She advocated for more flexible career management systems that allow women to pivot between life stages without sacrificing their career trajectory. This is one of the topics in our Women in Leadership: Arrive sessions, where leaders learn about balancing personal and professional growth.

8. Sponsorship and Mentorship
   Dr. Chamorro-Premuzic emphasized the difference between sponsorship and mentorship during the forum, stressing that sponsorship is key for driving women’s advancement. Unlike mentorship, where guidance is provided, sponsorship involves senior leaders actively advocating for their protégés and promoting their career progression.
   
   The panel also explored the impact of targeted women leadership programs and sponsorship. Vivian mentioned how organizations need sponsors who advocate for diverse talent during critical decision-making moments. This reflects the Women in Leadership: Drive and Accelerate programs’ emphasis on building networks of mentors and sponsors to propel women forward in their careers.

The Role of Developing Global Leaders Asia

At DGL Asia, we are deeply committed to helping organizations close the gender gap. Our Women in Leadership programs are tailored not just to empower individual women but to transform organizations from within. Participants consistently recommend our programs, with 100% of attendees stating that they would encourage other female executives to join. This is a testament to the real-world impact of our approach, as reflected in the outcomes of the organizations we work with. If you are interested to develop personally or find out how this program can benefit your organization, visit our Women in Leadership page.

Looking Forward: The Future of Gender Parity

Achieving gender parity is a complex challenge, but it’s one that we can no longer afford to address with incremental changes. The Global Gender Parity Sprint provides a focused, strategic framework to accelerate progress and create lasting change.

At Developing Global Leaders Asia, we invite you to join us on this journey. Let’s move beyond slow progress and take the bold strides necessary to make gender equity a reality — not just for the benefit of women, but for organizations, economies, and societies worldwide.

Together, we can sprint toward a more inclusive and equitable future.

Building on the theme of our recently-concluded Inclusive Leadership Forum 2024 —“Empowering Inclusion in Every Step”— we continue to explore the importance of embedding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into every facet of our organizations. This article focuses on how DEI initiatives are taking shape across Asia, where diverse perspectives are driving innovation and growth. 

The business case for DEI in Asia is compelling due to the region’s rich cultural diversity. Asian companies have a unique opportunity to harness this diversity and inclusion to attract top talent, enhance their global business presence, and build a reputation as inclusive and responsible organizations.

A recent survey of 6,000 employees by Boston Consulting group in Southeast Asia shows that companies have made good headway in terms of DEI over the past several years. But there is more work to do. These are the main findings:

• Overall, 43% of respondents said that their company had diversity programs in place across the three main dimensions considered—women, LGBTQ+, and ethnicity—up from 36% in 2020.
• Yet nearly three-fourths of women say they still face obstacles at work, along with nearly two-thirds of employees identifying as an ethnic minority. And the results are highly variable for LGBTQ+ employees.
• Companies need to ensure that leaders are committed to DEI, establish a baseline of measures that create a more inclusive work environment for everyone, and design targeted interventions for specific diversity groups.

Key highlights from Deloitte’s Women @ Work 2024 report saw increased stress levels for over half of women and more women taking time off for mental health reasons than last year. They also saw a continuing trend of women feeling uncomfortable discussing their mental health at work or disclosing it as a reason for taking time off, in part driven by a fear of negative career impact or vulnerability to being laid off. Only one in 10 believe that their employer is taking concrete steps on gender equality and only a quarter see a gender-diverse leadership team at their employer. While the majority of women (75%) want to progress into a senior leadership position at their organization, 25% do not.

The Journey Towards Inclusive Organizations

These data underscores the pressing need for organizations to not only develop but also effectively implement DEI strategies that resonate across all levels of the workforce. To address these challenges and truly empower inclusion, organizations in Asia can follow a strategic roadmap that guides them toward creating more inclusive cultures.  Here are the five key strategies that form the foundation of this journey:

1. Top Management Commitment and Strategy Creation
   • DEI efforts must start at the top. When senior leaders are visibly committed to DEI, it sets the tone for the entire organization. This commitment should be reflected in a clear, actionable DEI strategy that aligns with the organization’s overall goals. DGL Asia’s “Roadmap to Inclusive Organisations” highlights the importance of leadership in driving DEI initiatives and creating a strategic approach to inclusion.
2. De-biasing Organizational Policies & Practices
   • Organizational policies and practices should be reviewed and revised to remove any unconscious biases that may exist. This includes everything from hiring practices to performance evaluations and promotions. By de-biasing these processes, organizations can ensure that all employees have equal opportunities to succeed.
3. Developing Individuals’ Inclusive Behavior
   • It’s essential to equip individuals at all levels with the knowledge and skills needed to behave inclusively. This can be achieved through targeted training programs, workshops, and ongoing education that encourage self-awareness and understanding of others’ perspectives.
4. Specific Interventions for Diverse Groups of Employees
   • While broad DEI strategies are important, specific interventions are often necessary to support the unique needs of different employee groups. This could include tailored mentorship programs for women, support networks for LGBTQ+ employees, or initiatives aimed at advancing ethnic minorities within the organization.
5. Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability
   • DEI is not a one-time effort but a continuous journey. Organizations need to establish mechanisms that ensure the sustainability of their DEI initiatives. This might involve regular monitoring and reporting on DEI progress, as well as making adjustments to strategies as needed to keep pace with changes in the workforce and society.

(source: Boston Consulting Group: Taking Diversity to the Next Level in Southeast Asia, Nov 2023)

Conclusion

Empowering inclusion in every step is not just a theme — it’s a necessary approach to building resilient, innovative, and successful organizations. The progress made in recent years is encouraging, but the journey is far from over. By continuing to prioritize DEI, addressing the challenges head-on, and implementing strategies that foster true inclusivity, we can create workplaces where everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, can thrive.

Let’s continue to build on the momentum and work towards a future where inclusion is a reality at every level of our organizations.

In the newsletter edition, you can:

• Read an article about the insights from our Inclusive Leadership Forum 2024 on embracing the multigenerational workforce
• Find out how to access the recording of the Inclusive Leadership Forum 2024 (for all registrants)
• Learn about our upcoming Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Masterclass on September 3-4, 2024

Explore the key moments from our Inclusive Leadership Forum 2024, and find out what exciting programs and events we have lined up for the second half of the year.