Catalyst

Catalyst

Global nonprofit advancing women into leadership

Overview

Catalyst is a global nonprofit that helps workplaces work for women. It is backed by leading CEOs and multinational companies and has driven change for over 60 years through thought leadership, practical tools, and a wide network. Its work involves researching gender equity, creating programs and resources, and partnering with corporations to implement policies and practices that advance women into leadership roles. How it works: Catalyst provides actionable solutions, guides, and benchmarks that companies can adopt, supported by a community of global partners. How it differs: its long history, global CEO-backed network, and focus on scalable, field-tested programs set it apart from other advocacy groups. Its goal is to accelerate the advancement of women into leadership, with progress for women translating into better workplaces for everyone.

About Catalyst

Simplify's Rating
Why Catalyst is rated
C+
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated D+ on Differentiation

Industries

Data & Analytics

Consulting

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

1962

People at Catalyst

People at Catalyst who can refer or advise you

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Pay equity drives talent attraction, retain top workers, and adds $447.6B to women's families while halving poverty.
  • Closing the digital gap between women and men could save $500B over five years, boosting inclusive growth via AI.
  • Diverse teams boost innovation, decision-making, and financial performance, especially in manufacturing and finance sectors.

What critics are saying

  • DEI legal challenges targeting 'preference' may force Catalyst to modify core initiatives, risking 40–60% funding loss in 12–18 months.
  • Corporate sponsors like Northrop Grumman may withdraw, cutting Catalyst's budget by 30% or more within 6–12 months.
  • A federal court ruling declaring Catalyst's DEI framework illegal could dissolve the org, destroying its 60-year legacy in 24–36 months.

What makes Catalyst unique

  • Catalyst is a 60-year global nonprofit accelerating women into leadership via groundbreaking research and CEO partnerships.
  • Its CEO Champions For Change initiative binds 80+ CEOs to advance women, including women of color, into leadership roles.
  • Catalyst uniquely focuses on workplace inclusion as a business practice, leveraging data, AI, and ERGs to drive equity.

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Benefits

Flexible Work Hours

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement

401(k) Retirement Plan

Backup Childcare

Company News

Chief in Tech
Jun 26th, 2026
Catalyst's 'Men At Work' book highlights gender inclusion in tech.

Catalyst's 'Men At Work' book highlights gender inclusion in tech. Catalyst, a global nonprofit dedicated to building workplaces that work for women, has released a new book titled Men At Work. This publication explores gender inclusion within the tech industry, highlighting the role women leaders play in fostering inclusive environments. Understanding gender dynamics. According to Catalyst, the book provides insights into how men can be allies in promoting gender equality in tech. It emphasizes collaborative efforts between genders to dismantle barriers women face in the industry. Significance for women in tech. The release of Men At Work is significant for women in tech leadership roles. It acknowledges their contributions and addresses how male colleagues can be engaged in advancing gender equity. This focus is important in an industry where women remain underrepresented in leadership positions. Strategic implications. Industry observers suggest the book could encourage tech companies to adopt more inclusive practices. By involving men in the dialogue, organizations may create supportive environments where women can thrive and lead effectively. This points to a potential strategic shift towards more inclusive leadership models, which could enhance innovation and performance within tech companies. Conclusion. Men At Work is a timely contribution to the ongoing discourse on gender inclusion in tech. As the industry evolves, the insights from Catalyst may help shape more equitable workplaces, benefiting both women leaders and the organizations they serve.

CNBC
Feb 2nd, 2026
Women quit workforce due to caregiving and childcare costs, new data shows

Women are leaving the US workforce at significant rates, with caregiving responsibilities and childcare costs cited as the primary reason, according to new research from Catalyst. Some 42% of women who quit their jobs voluntarily last year did so due to caregiving concerns, while 17% cited low pay. Between January and August 2025, approximately 455,000 women left the workforce, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Of women surveyed by Catalyst, 57% left voluntarily whilst 43% were laid off, with women of colour disproportionately affected by redundancies. Researchers attribute the trend to companies rolling back pandemic-era flexible work policies and reducing support for working mothers. Experts recommend employers provide schedule flexibility, caregiving resources like on-site daycare, and ensure fair pay to retain female talent.

Forbes
Apr 29th, 2025
Overcoming The Challenges Of Leading In Male-Dominated Industries

Women are now recognized as being equally or even more competent than men in leadership roles. getty. If you’re a woman in a male-dominated field, you already know the challenges we face, everything from discrimination to isolation. Yet, women have proven that we are outstanding leaders. The 2020 Catalyst study, The Bottom Line: Corporate Performance and Women’s Representation on Boards, reported that Fortune 500 companies with boards comprised of a significant percentage of women directors achieved greater financial performance than men across three key indicators: Return on equity was 53 percent higher. Return on sales was 42 percent higher

WRAL TechWire
Aug 9th, 2024
Donald Thompson: Women Leaders Are A Smart Investment For Employee Engagement, Productivity

The biggest disservice companies could do to their teams—and to their success as an organization—is to overlook the importance of having women in leadership roles. Organizations must not only focus on hiring and promoting women into leadership positions, they must also create the right environment to keep them there. In short, companies must become better at addressing the challenges and priorities of working women.The statistics confirm this urgent need: Organizations with at least 30% women in leadership roles are 12 times more likely to be in the top 20% of financial performance. In another large study by Leadership Circle (comprising 84,000 leaders and 1.5 million raters), women leaders were shown to be more effective than their male counterparts across every management and age level. To put it frankly, women are great leaders—and there is evidence to support that they’re better at it than men.Keep in mind that employee engagement and productivity are overwhelmingly determined by managers. If we want our companies to have a more engaged workforce and perform better financially—two key indicators of any business’s long-term success—we need women in positions of leadership

WRAL TechWire
May 31st, 2024
Donald Thompson: The Responsibility Of An Inclusive Leader Is To Lift Others Up

Leaders are expected to be experts at change – but it is difficult work. When things get tough, most people fall back on old habits and familiar impulses. This is why top-down leadership still thrives in industries and organizations across the globe. The saying is “Old habits die hard,” but it should be changed to “Bad habits die hard.”. If you’re a senior executive, you should be preparing for the seismic impact that culture change will have on your organization and your industry. Inclusive leadership skills can make the necessary adjustments easier, so you and your team can continue to excel during times of uncertainty.The Inclusive Leadership Handbook

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