Breaking with Tradition

How media shapes the way we work

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 14:30:00 -0400

In this episode of Breaking with Tradition, we sit down with Charlene Polite Corley, VP of Inclusive Insights at Nielsen, to explore the powerful feedback loop between media and the workplace. We’ll unpack how media influences everything from the culture we work in, to the managers we emulate, to the leaders we aspire to become.

Charlene brings fresh data and cultural insight to the conversation, helping us understand how Gen Z’s media diet is reshaping how a new generation sees leadership, labor, and inclusion. We’ll also reflect on key cultural moments that have shifted the narrative around women in leadership and what their popularity reveals about our collective expectations.

Whether you’re a pop culture junkie or a workplace changemaker, this episode will challenge you to rethink the stories we consume—and the ones we live out at work.

The views expressed by our guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Catalyst.

Host and guests

Charlene Polite Corley, VP, Inclusive Insights, Nielsen

Charlene Polite Corley is a researcher, thought leader and speaker that’s passionate about representation in media. She combines data and storytelling to amplify the power of historically excluded audiences. Her work showcases media trends and the influence of Black culture to highlight opportunities for brands and programmers to connect through inclusion.

She is a graduate of Florida A&M University and has over 15 years of experience across multiple media, sales and market research roles. As VP, Inclusive Insights at Nielsen, Charlene is the lead researcher for Black/African American audiences on the Business Impact, Inclusion & Belonging Thought Leadership Team. Charlene’s work has been featured on Good Morning America, Essence, eMarketer, Cannes Lions, SXSW and more.

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Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

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Tara Van Bommel, Senior Director, Head of Research, Catalyst

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In this episode

1:10 | Trends in women behind & on the screen. Tara, Victoria, and Charlene break down the latest data.
4:32 | Where's the best representation on TV? Charlene shares her favorite shows where women get to lead and break the mold.
13:55 | Nostalgic shows, Gen Z, and work. How do throwback series like Friends shape what Gen Z expects from work today?
21:48 | The influence of caretaking portrayals. How shows like Bluey are changing the game.
26:01 | Media moments that shifted the narrative. Iconic shows and movies that made us rethink what women’s leadership can look like.
28:24 | Balancing entertainment & accuracy. Mixing real-life issues with entertainment can actually help break down barriers at work.

Favorite moments

13:10 | Charlene: On the other hand, the magic of television, film, and media is also about showing aspiration. I love the example—maybe it was last year or a couple of years ago—about Generation Connie: just seeing Connie Chung on screen delivering the news inspired an entire generation of Asian women to be named Connie. Sometimes, simply seeing a path or something to aspire to is so critical. My personal example is seeing A Different World on screen—that’s a big part of why I chose to attend an HBCU. Seeing that environment and the centering of my culture was really foundational for me. So I think that matters just as much as shining a light on the real things happening to real women.
15:03 | Charlene: [Throwback television shows] are like the archival footage showing how things used to be, along with outdated behaviors. I hope that Gen Z is evaluating them through a modern lens and saying, "My gosh, is that what they used to say? Is that how they used to act? Let’s not do some of those things and maybe break those patterns.” I think it’s an opportunity to audit how we used to be—carry forward the good and find opportunities to improve.
18:25 | Charlene: When I think about early career experiences, and how being in an office or moving to a new city shaped my lifestyle and how I learned to be part of a company—that might not be the standard anymore. Media may actually be filling in a lot of those gaps now. Like, how do I step into a negotiation? Should I ask for a raise? Those might be questions answered or inspired by the content we consume today.
22:23 | Charlene: One of the things I really love about [Bluey] is how active the father is. There are times when the mom is out working and it’s the dad’s turn to lead. It subtly repositions some legacy thinking around whose career takes priority, what caregiving and childcare should look like, or what parental leave might be. And again, it’s not hitting you over the head—but for this to be one of the most streamed programs, it’s showing some really healthy, modern ways of parenting and caregiving… even though it’s about blue dogs from Australia.
28:47 | Charlene: One of the risks [in prioritizing entertainment over accuracy] is that we continue to miss moments where, in everyday life, I might not have the chance to interact with someone facing a particular issue or experience. But through this program, I might learn about a historical barrier or a trend that’s now showing up in today’s workplace. There’s an opportunity to tell stories rooted in reality that introduce people to perspectives they might otherwise miss. And that’s one of the magical things about media and storytelling—when it’s grounded in accuracy, it just hits differently.
30:50 | Charlene: The magic [of TV], of course, is that you can also show up in a wild, imaginary world—as the captain of a starship or a morally gray attorney. There are all these ways women can continue to show up, break barriers and defy stereotypes. I think the sweet spot is mixing a little bit of that reality with the fantastical to really grab and hold people’s attention.

Mentioned on the Pod

SDSU Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film: Boxed In: Women On Screen and Behind the Scenes on Broadcast and Streaming Television in 2023-24
Deadline: ‘Bluey’ Tops Streaming Rankings Dominated By Acquired Titles From ‘Supernatural’ To ‘South Park’ In First Half Of 2025, Nielsen Says
Nielsen: Connecting through culture with Black audiences

Catalyst insights you can use

The state of play for women in business

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Season 1, episode 10 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode marks the end of our first season and is called The state of play for women in business.

In 2025 so far, conversations about workplace culture are increasingly shaped by debates over leadership styles and gender dynamics. Some argue that corporate culture needs to re-embrace so-called "masculine energy," while others advocate for a more inclusive approach.

But what does this mean for women in the workplace today?

In this season finale, host Victoria Kuketz sits down with Emma Hinchliffe, reporter for Fortune’s Most Powerful Women daily newsletter, to discuss the current landscape for women at work. They'll explore the rise of women in leadership—including the record-breaking number of women Fortune 500 CEOs— and highlight some of the most influential people Emma has profiled in recent months. Plus, they’ll examine promising trends in women’s sports and business, and what these shifts signal for the future of the workplace.

Join us for an insightful conversation on the challenges, victories, and next steps for women in the workforce.

The views expressed by our guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Catalyst.

Host and guests

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

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Emma Hinchliffe, Senior Writer, Fortune and Co-chair, Fortune Most Powerful Women

Emma Hinchliffe is a senior writer at Fortune, where she covers women in business and gender issues across business, politics, and culture. Emma is the author of Most Powerful Women Daily (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily newsletter for and about the women leading the business world. She is a co-chair of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, where she’s interviewed everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs and US politicians to Hollywood stars, and previously co-chaired Fortune’s MPW Next Gen Summit and the Fortune/US Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership. Her work, which includes magazine features with subjects ranging from Meta and CVS Health to Canva and the WNBA, has been honored by the Silurians Press Club. Before joining Fortune, she worked as a reporter for Mashable and the Houston Chronicle. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

LinkedIn profile

In this episode

1:48 | Tell us about yourself! Emma talks about her work at Fortune and its longtime commitment to featuring women in business.
3:10 | The comeback of “masculine energy?” 2025 started off with a surprising cultural shift—Emma and Victoria break it down.
6:42 | Women leaders hit record high. Is the recent uptick in women leading Fortune 500 companies a trend or anomaly?
9:10 | A positive trend for 2025: women’s sports. This fast-growing, high-impact audience is a big opportunity for brands.
12:29 | The leading women in business. Emma breaks down some of her favorite profiles on influential women, including Savannah James and Emma Bates.
17:17 | How does Fortune break with tradition? Emma talks about the impactful history of the Most Powerful Women community.

Favorite moments

4:09 | Emma: When I think about “masculine energy,” it’s a pretty narrow definition of masculinity—This idea of aggression and bringing aggression into the workplace. I think we’ve seen a lot of positive depictions of masculinity over the past several years, whether it’s supportive spouses supporting their partners in their career, supportive fathers, or just men supporting women around them who they have no familial relationship to at all.
9:15 | Emma: Well, sports has been a really interesting place over the past few years, because as a lot of folks have pointed out, while the legal landscape has changed, the research around what consumers want has not... It's an audience where you get a bang for your buck. The price tags on these spots and team sponsorships are still much, much lower than in men's sports, but they have really significant outcomes for businesses depending on what their business goals are. It is an area that is fast-growing and has a lot of potential for businesses.
10:24 | Victoria: Women's sports is a space where women can recognize the opportunity to step up, support one another, and invest their dollars, intention, time, and attention into these initiatives.
11:10 | Emma: When you're looking at the influencer landscape and influencer marketing, female athletes are the most effective category of influencer, bar none. They move product like no one else... And that's something about the respect that people have for female athletes. They know that they're up against challenges. And so, people really trust what these female athletes have to say, which is a huge opportunity for brands.
14:36 | Victoria: In our modern day, we often define ourselves by what we do between 9 and 5, when in reality, our identities are so much more. And despite our progress, we still tend to undervalue the role that women who create successful homes play in our corporate spheres as well.

Workplace inclusion in the age of AI

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Season 1, episode 9 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode was filmed live at 2024 Catalyst Honours and is called Workplace inclusion in the age of AI.

The way we approach workplace inclusion is evolving at lightning speed, driven by socio-political pressures and the rapid advancement of AI.

Without careful design, AI can reinforce existing biases—elevating some perspectives while sidelining others and creating new challenges for distinct groups, such as Black communities. But when used intentionally, AI can be a powerful force for innovation, helping businesses attract top talent and build stronger, more diverse teams.

Join host Victoria Kuketz as she sits down with Patrice Njoh, Partner, Deloitte Canada and Kike Ojo-Thompson, Partner, Human Capital at Deloitte, to explore the risks and opportunities AI presents for workplace inclusion. Together, they dive into some of the latest research, including the role of inclusive leadership and strategies for companies to harness AI as a tool for innovation and fairness.

AI is changing the way we work—let’s make sure it changes our work for the better. Tune in now and be part of the conversation.

Host and guests

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

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Patrice Njoh, Partner, Deloitte Canada

Patrice Njoh is a Partner in Deloitte’s Technology & Transformation Consulting Practice with over 15 years of experience in strategic consulting, change management, and transformation. She specializes in leading large-scale change efforts, particularly in financial services and the public sector. Patrice focuses on aligning clients' business objectives with technology-driven transformations and high-performance culture shifts. She advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion, co-leading Deloitte’s Black Action Council. She is also a certified PMP and PROSCI professional, contributing to Deloitte’s transformation initiatives across Canada. Patrice has authored several white papers on transformational change, leadership, and EDI.

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Kike Ojo-Thompson, Partner, Human Capital, Deloitte LLP

Kike Ojo-Thompson is an award-winning equity thought leader, renowned for her expertise in organizational and system change. For more than 25 years, she has guided public and private organizations across a broad range of sectors toward more equitable outcomes.

Eager to bring her transformative impact to more organizations, Kike founded the KOJO Institute, which has now joined Deloitte Canada, where Kike is Partner in the Human Capital practice. For every client, Kike develops and facilitates bespoke DEI strategies designed to address inequities while supporting critical business outcomes like diverse recruitment and retention, employee engagement, and establishing an equity-informed organizational culture.

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In this episode

1:12 | Tell us about yourselves! Patrice and Kike talk about how they work with digital transformation at Deloitte and why.
3:53 | Breaking down the research. New reports from Deloitte provide guidance for inclusion professionals on how to intentionally implement AI.
7:52 | AI challenges for Black communities. How do we navigate the existing trust gaps while also exploring the opportunities that AI has to offer?
14:15 | What does responsible AI look like? Using outcomes to drive design, mitigating bias, democratize access, safeguard data and privacy, and more.
16:35 | AI literacy. Where do we start, and how do we approach upskilling and reskilling our employees to use AI?
20:27 | New opportunities for inclusion professionals. What upskilling and reskilling opportunities exist specifically for inclusion-focused employees?
24:44 | The future of AI in the inclusion landscape. Personalization, breaking down barriers, and improving data.

Favorite moments

6:33 | Kike: What Chief Diversity Offers (CDOs) are going to need to be clear about is that being responsive is a critical part of the role. What I mean by that is a really simple question: 'What problem or problems am I trying to solve?' So, we're not just doing an inclusion program for the sake of it—it needs to be responsive. This is a very serious point in our journey with equity work, and the work has to be responsive to data, responsive to outcomes, naming the issues, naming the direction we're trying to head in, and being clear. Exposure, reach, and access—all of that is going to be really important for CDOs going forward.
9:27 | Patrice: When we think about the spoils and benefits of AI, who is it benefiting and who is it not? Those roles are predominantly held by equity-deserving individuals. We're talking about front-end food counter support attendants and some general business-support roles, where we see an overrepresentation of Black professionals. If we're looking at the future and saying these things are going to be automated, how are we proactively upskilling, reskilling, or redesigning work in a way that takes advantage of all the unique skills these individuals have and hopefully repositioning them in a different way?
14:25 | Patrice: I think responsible AI means intentionally thinking about how we design, use, and continue to grow these solutions in a way that supports our society. The word ‘intentional’ is by design—it means we’re not letting AI happen to us, but rather thoughtfully shaping its outcomes. That requires designing the future in collaboration, considering bias mitigation, community engagement, data privacy, and the sources of our data—where they come from, how they’re generated, and how we ensure their completeness and representation.
16:50 | Patrice:We’ve been having conversations with executives and leaders about how to bring people along the adoption curve, but the real starting point is trust. Before even thinking about scaling AI tools, we need to get people comfortable using them. It’s like when we first got iPhones—there was hesitation. Can I touch the screen? Will it break? That initial uncertainty is natural. The more we expose people to AI tools and involve them in their application, the more we build trust and confidence in using them effectively.
18:45 | Kike: We were already sitting on a digital divide for particular communities. Add poverty into the mix, and you have a problematic starting place. Now, with AI, we’re at risk of the divide expanding significantly and very quickly. We can't take an equality approach to exposure—we have to take an equity approach, meaning we must be more responsive, especially to those who have historically lacked access to digital resources.
27:04 | Kike: DEI work has progressed because of evidence, data, and research—our ability to access these resources has been crucial. AI has the potential to catapult our work, making us faster, more responsive, and more effective. From that perspective, I’m excited. AI will be a powerful tool for DEI professionals, enhancing the work they do and the work they need to do in the future.

Mentioned on the Pod

Deloitte: DEI and AI: Building systems without bias
Deloitte: The future is equitable: Balancing the impact of GenAI on Canada's Black communities
Government of Canada: Diversity of boards of directors and senior management of federal distributing corporations – 2023 annual report
Statistics Canada: Experimental estimates of potential artificial intelligence occupational exposure in canada
UNESCO: One in three researchers is a woman
World Economic Forum: How to stop women falling behind on generative AI in the workplace

Catalyst insights you can use

Reimagining wellness for a healthier workplace

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Season 1, episode 8 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called Reimagining wellness for a healthier workplace.

What does it mean to design your workplace with human well-being at the forefront, especially when burnout is costing businesses between $125 billion and $190 billion annually in healthcare expenses and an estimated $2 trillion in lost productivity?

Join host Erin Souza-Rezendes and guest Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella, creator of 'Health at Work & People' on LinkedIn, as they take a deep dive into how innovative workplace design can create better workplaces and boost productivity. Together they explore how companies can personalize benefits to meet individual employee needs—whether addressing mental health, physical well-being, or financial security—rather than defaulting to a one-size-fits-all model.

Take a seat and listen to learn how to better craft benefits and cultures that prioritize holistic well-being, create trust through transparency, and address the pressing issues of employee engagement. Discover how companies can move beyond reactive solutions and build a resilient, healthy workforce for the future that strengthens their bottom line.

Host and guests

Erin Souza-Rezendes, Vice President, Global Communications, Catalyst

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Jaqueline Oliveira-Cella is a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in the health, employee benefits, and insurance sectors. Jaqueline has held influential positions at global firms such as IBM, Aon, WTW, AIG, and the World Bank Consulting Group, where her commitment to client-centric solutions is enhanced by her actuarial background, design thinking advocacy and compassionate leadership management.

Jaqueline founded wellBe Consulting and initiated the ‘Health at Work & People’ newsletter on LinkedIn. These collaborations focus on delivering actionable self-advocacy and practical insights into pressing workplace issues like menopause at work, mental fitness, chronic illness, and more.

LinkedIn

In this episode

1:45 | Tell us about yourself! Jaqueline breaks down her background and her personal definition of “well-being.”
6:13 | Burnout costs $$$. What are some first steps companies can take to address it at a systemic level?
15:29 | Benefits shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. How can companies personalize benefits to meet employees where they’re at, especially caregivers?
23:59 | What does a truly supportive workplace look like? Jaqueline offers her wish list for the workplaces of the future.

Favorite moments

3:46 | Jaqueline: When I think about individual well-being, here is what comes to mind: “I feel good. I feel valued. I feel safe. I feel loved.” And that includes my individual professional, physical, emotional, social, mental, financial, and spiritual well-being... When I think about corporate well-being, instead of saying “I,” we say “we”: “We feel good. We feel valued. We feel connected. We feel safe. We feel like we can flourish at work.”
8:06 | Jaqueline: You don't start addressing burnout by going to the solutions. You start by understanding the root causes... Start with the groups that are most vulnerable to burnout, including high performers, and understand what the challenges are.
16:13 | Jaqueline: In terms of personalizing benefits, I always start with curiosity... Capture the voice of the employee through surveys, conjoint analysis, interviews—understand all the issues and how it’s impacting them. Then, build the voice of the market. What are the best practices? What are market trends, how is the industry evolving? How do I compete for talent? Third, consider the voice of the business: affordability, sustainability, alignment between benefits and values.
25:44 | Jaqueline: The number one action that I would love to see more and more is, let’s understand and train people managers. They are in that beautiful space between business pressure and asks of employees. You need to provide them with the training, the space to succeed, and be rewarded as such.
25:44 | Jaqueline: Well-being should be part of ways of working. It should be part of how companies structure their business, how companies structure rewards to employees—how companies work.

Mentioned on the Pod

Business Insider: Employee disengagement could be costing the economy nearly $2 trillion
Commonwealth Fund: Healthcare affordability in america
SHRM: Special needs - Win employees loyalty and productivity by helping them care for their disabled or chronically ill children
Gallup: 42% of employee turnover is preventable but often ignored
Forbes: Why 5% of patients create 50% of health care costs

Catalyst insights you can use

AI and the Future of Pink-Collar Jobs

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Welcome to season 1, episode 7 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called AI and the Future of Pink-Collar Jobs.

As AI technology rapidly evolves, a troubling new gender gap has emerged, especially among younger workers: 71% of men ages 18-24 say they use generative AI weekly, compared with 59% of women. This gap threatens to widen existing disparities, especially frontline women in “pink-collar” sectors such as customer service, healthcare, and education.

Join host Victoria Kuketz as she chats with Ana Kreacic, Partner and Chief Knowledge Officer of Oliver Wyman Group and COO of the Oliver Wyman Forum, and Terry Stone, Managing Partner Global Health and Life Sciences and Former Managing Director, Americas, Oliver Wyman to discuss the urgent and important need for inclusive upskilling initiatives, incorporating AI into companies’ future vision, and tapping the leadership of Gen Z.

Tune in as we unpack how generative AI could both displace and empower, and what steps companies can take to create a more equitable future of work for all.

Host and guest

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Ana Kreacic is a Partner and Chief Knowledge Officer of Oliver Wyman and COO of the Oliver Wyman Forum – the think tank and platform for engaging business, public policy, and societal leaders to act on shared challenges. With over 20 years of consulting and operating experience, Ana is known for her ability to blend customer insight with business strategy and leadership effectiveness. A frequent speaker and author, Ana’s work has been featured in the World Economic Forum, Wall Street Journal, and MIT Sloan, to name a few. Ana is passionate about empowering women and youth.

LinkedIn | Website

Terry Stone is Vice Chair and Interim Global Lead taking on two strategic priorities for Oliver Wyman. One is as interim Global Leader for Health and Life Sciences focused on accelerating the growth of our Life Sciences businesses in the US and Europe. A second critical firm priority which Terry leads is a project for our CEO to accelerate the transformation of OW’s own business and operating model in response to Artificial Intelligence. Our priority is to identify how consulting overall, and our OW’s business is likely to be impacted by the opportunity and threats that AI creates for strategic advisory businesses.

LinkedIn | Website

In this episode

1:41 | Tell us about yourselves! Ana and Terry fill us in on what excites them as AI practitioners.
4:29 | The AI gender gap. Our guests break down the emerging AI usage gap between men and woman.
8:22 | "Pink-collar" sectors and AI. Terry defines what a “pink-collar” job is and how they’re perceiving new AI technology.
14:49 | Performing at the top of your license. How can we convince reticent AI users of its huge potential for positive change?
20:11 | AI tips & tricks. Terry reflects on her experience and what works on implementing AI policies at work. Ana brings in the “pink-collar” specificity.

Favorite moments

2:17 | Ana: For me, [the exciting part about AI] is the opportunity for positive change... It’s a time that requires a lot of reflection if we’re going to get it right.
3:21 | Terry: AI is going to be the single biggest, disruptive force or catalyst for change in business in my entire career.
11:50 | Terry: When [AI use is] done well, you can easily see 15-20% productivity improvements in key areas.
12:19 | Terry: There's still a lot of fixation on AI as “driving efficiency.” I think the best companies are thinking about “How does AI serve as a catalyst for me to reimagine everything we do?”
15:25 | Ana: When ChatGPT was launched, all of the assessments said it was a very smart eight-year-old... Now we’re getting in the realm of it being an average, maybe C-level PhD student.
16:22 | Ana: If you look by gender, women on average will say that they are less aware, in the same company, of AI initiatives. They are less aware of changes their company has made. They are less likely to participate in trainings.
18:44 | Terry: The truth of the matter is, AI is going to impact your job. So, you getting smarter about AI will enable you to use it to do your job better... The more you lean in, the more you’ll get out of it.
22:02 | Terry: [When it comes to AI implementation], you have to think about both breakthrough business impact and things that are broad-based and easy but that make everyday users’ lives’ easier.
25:46 | Ana: How is it that 40% of Gen Z prefer an AI manager? Part of the reason is because they have no fear of asking any question to AI. And the way they ask the question, they know they’re not going to be judged for how they’re asking the question or what they’re asking about. Also, it’s available any time.

Mentioned on the Pod

World Economic Forum: How to stop women falling behind on generative AI in the workplace
Oliver Wyman Forum: How generative AI is transforming business and society
Forbes: 46% of Gen Z leans more on AI than their managers, says new study

Research you can use

Blog: Global CEOs share insights on AI implementation
Blog: What is ‘responsible AI’? Panelists weigh in
Blog: Leverage AI while avoiding its risks and biases
Webinar recording: How to use generative AI free of gender and racial bias (Supporter Only)
Explainer: Responsible artificial intelligence for inclusive workplaces (Supporter Only)
Tool: Use AI to attract a more diverse candidate pool (Supporter Only)

From Taboo to Topical: Menopause in the Workplace

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 17:00:00 -0400

Breaking with Tradition is diving into a topic that’s been long overlooked but is now coming to the forefront of workplace conversations: menopause. Welcome to season 1, episode 6.

According to Catalyst’s recent report, nearly three-quarters (72%) of employees have hidden their menopause symptoms at work. Additionally, 36% perceive a stigma against talking about menopause in the workplace. With celebrities like Naomi Watts and Michelle Obama also speaking out, menopause is no longer overlooked in the culture at large—so why should it be in the workplace?

Join Catalyst's Victoria Kuketz as she speaks with Janet Ko, President and Co-Founder, The Menopause Foundation of Canada to bust some myths about menopause and flip the workplace taboo on its head. Learn why it’s an essential issue for companies to address and how the stigma impacts women’s earning potential and career trajectories.

Take the first step to join the movement. Learn how your organization can get involved and create a more inclusive work environment for everyone.

Host and guest

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Janet Ko is President and Co-Founder of The Menopause Foundation of Canada, a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to breaking the silence and the stigma of menopause. Together with co-founder Trish Barbato and a medical advisory board of the country’s top menopause specialists, she launched the Menopause Foundation of Canada to lead a national conversation on menopause and to advocate for concrete action to improve women’s health.

Janet has held numerous leadership roles including Senior Vice President, Communications in the global life sciences and senior care sectors. She is dedicated to helping women thrive through their menopausal years and is a passionate speaker and menopause advocate. Janet is honoured to be one of the top 25 Women of Influence Award recipients for 2023.

In this episode

1:35 | Tell us about yourself! Janet tells us about her health journey and what led her to co-founding the Menopause Foundation of Canada.
3:52 | Workplace taboos: from mental health to menopause. Why does something that impacts millions of employees remain so stigmatized?
6:34 | Let's bust some myths! Menopause looks different for everyone—and a large knowledge gap exists.
10:12 | Women spend half their lives in menopause. How can women be more proactive about their health at this time?
14:59 | Menopause stigma costs the economy $3.5 billion. Janet breaks down the staggering economic and career impact for women.
17:43 | How to get started. Take the first step to supporting women impacted by menopause in your workplace.
20:59 | BONUS: Creating new traditions. Janet flips our last question on its head.

Favorite moments

4:21 | Janet: [Menopause] has been a taboo subject not just in workplaces, but everywhere. I think one of the significant reasons driving that is the reality of ageism that disproportionately has a negative impact on women. Women, as we get older, there’s this view that we’re in a stage of decline. That doesn’t happen to men necessarily.
5:15 | Janet: As organizations focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, looking at how they can retain top talent, supporting women to break through the glass ceiling... You cannot consider those factors without looking at supporting women at this stage of life in the prime of their career.
8:07 | Janet: A myth that I would love to break is that menopause is about period changes, hot flashes, and the end of your reproductive life. While that is true, focusing on just those things really does women this tremendous disservice. And it keeps us all in the dark about what menopause truly is, which is this profound hormonal shift that happens in midlife that can impact every organ in your body, because we have estrogen receptors all over the body.
9:28 | Janet: I’m hoping that we can change the narrative in our conversation, from menopause being something that you don’t look forward to, to shifting it to something that’s very positive, an important milestone where we recognize and honor women for stepping into the peak of their lives, where they have the most wisdom, experience, and contributions to make.
11:37 | Janet: It's about time that we empower ourselves with knowledge, which I think is happening thanks to generation X. Gen X women will be the last women to be in the dark about menopause. And we know that the Millennials and the generations after us, their expectations of an experience at work, their openness and willingness to share is quite different from previous generations. So, we are going to definitely see a change, as we know it’s happening right now, because menopause is a hot topic and it’s turned into a movement.
14:18 | Janet: It is women who are demanding better care, women who are demanding a change in the conversation and the narrative. And because of our very large numbers, 10 million over the age of 40 in Canada, quarter of the workforce, we are seeing employers really step up to support women in the prime of their lives.
16:15 | Janet: You have to recognize that menopause intersects with that critical career stage between the ages of 45 and 55, where women are assuming greater leadership roles. And if you do not understand the changes that are happening to you, and you’re struggling with symptoms... You can have years of struggling and not being at your best... Employers cannot afford to lose their expertise, their wisdom, their leadership, their knowledge.
18:16 | Janet: One of the first things that employers can do, which isn’t a heavy lift, is to break the conversation, change your culture and your communications, really focusing on normalizing this topic.
20:13 | Janet: Reasonable accommodations, looking at your policies, all of those things can make a big, big difference... Women are really just looking for some openness in the workplace, some respect for what they’re experiencing, greater flexibility, and choice as they go through this.
22:18 | Janet: I truly believe that menopause is a disruptor in a woman’s life. You know, it’s a great moment for you to take a breath, to prioritize yourself, to reflect on who you are and who you want to be. Women end up doing amazing things in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond... We just have to make sure that our health is there to allow us to achieve that.

Mentioned on the Pod

Menopause Foundation of Canada: Menopause- What Everyone Should Know
Menopause Foundation of Canada: MenopauseInclusive Workplace Playbook
Menopause Foundation of Canada: Menopause Works Here campaign

Research you can use

Broadening Gender in Workplace DEI

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Season 1, episode 5 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called Broadening Gender in Workplace DEI.

Catalyst has been accelerating progress for women for over 60 years, and our future vision is “workplaces that work for women.” To many women, this vision is a rallying cry because the status quo of workplaces is that they don’t work for women. But where do men fit into the equation in this future workplace? And what about trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) employees?

Join Erin Souza-Rezendes as she sits down with Dani Gomez-Ortega, Senior Manager, Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at McCain Foods, and Mark Greene, a writer, inclusion coach, and host of Remaking Manhood. Together, they tackle the complex subject of gender and how we talk about it in the workplace.

First, we start with the basics: what does “gender equity” mean in today’s world? And how is that reflected in the workplace—or not? Before long, we dive into “Man Box Culture,” how women can be allies to men, and the importance of vulnerability in conversations around gender.

Grab a drink and sit down with our panel to hear their inspiring perspectives on this topic and how we can shift workplace cultures so that nobody is left behind.

Hosts and guest

Erin Souza-Rezendes, VP, Global Communications, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Dani Gomez-Ortega is a global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leader with a passion for empowering others to create more inclusive spaces. Dani has championed inclusion across various sectors for 10 years. Currently, Dani works as a global DEI leader at McCain Foods, where she collaborates with teams across the world to drive inclusion.

Most recently, Dani was featured in the book Global Changemakers for a Feminist Future by Dr. Gayle Kimball and has won multiple awards for her work, including a Bill 7 Award. Dani’s work and commitment to inclusion are shaped by her lived experience as a Venezuelan Latinx, immigrant, transgender woman with an invisible disability.

Mark Greene is an author and activist who speaks, consults, and coaches on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Mark works with organizations and individuals to overcome the challenges created by retrogressive workplace cultures. Mark’s client list includes General Mills, Société Générale, Sephora, AOL, Bank of America, Catalyst, and The Better Man Conference.

Mark is the author of The Little #MeToo Book for Men and Remaking Manhood, and co-author, along with Dr. Saliha Bava, of The Relational Book for Parenting and The Relational Workplace. Mark is co-host of Remaking Manhood, the Healthy Masculinity Podcast, available on all major streaming platforms.

Website | LinkedIn

In this episode

1:24 | What does gender equity mean to you? Spoiler alert: it goes beyond equity for women alone.
5:04 | The “evolution” of gender norms—or not. And have they been reflected in the workplace?
8:56 | Workplaces still aren’t safe for everyone. Where can we look for solutions? What is men’s role?
12:30 | Women can be allies to men, too People of all genders have work to do on how we define masculinity and femininity.
18:34 | We need gender equity inside and outside the workplace. How can we make work more connected and joyful?
20:57 | Closing thoughts (both practical and inspiring). Questions companies can ask to create more gender-inclusive workplaces and personal anecdotes from our panelists about how they show up.

Favorite moments

1:45 | Dani: When we talk about gender equity, it can’t just be about women. It’s also about men, but also about all the other genders that exist in the world.
6:00 | Mark: It’s become evident that if we don’t make space for conversations among men about men, men will continue to fall prey to the single primary purpose of “Man Box Culture,” which is to keep us silent and keep us conforming without ever checking in with each other about where did we learn these ideas about dominant space masculinity?
7:54 | Dani: I think people are slowly but surely starting to realize that [gender norms and gender roles] are made up, right? And they’re not necessarily benefiting us in the way that they might have benefited us in some magical time in the past.
11:44 | Mark: What we need men to hear and do now is that you cannot remain silent any longer because your own mental health, the mental health of your coworkers, of the people in your life, the well-being and future hope of everyone requires that we push through decades of conditioning we’ve had to remain silent by the bullying men around us.
13:20 | Mark: When we start to define male strength as including the full spectrum of human capacities, which we all have, which include things like caregiving, empathy, listening with curiosity… And we invite women at the same time to bring those aspects that are traditionally referred to as masculine, which is strength, leadership, toughness…When everyone is invited to bring their full human capacities, we start to change things.
14:39 | Dani: As women, we need to recognize that men have really high rates of mental health challenges. Especially when we talk about suicide rates. And so, it’s up to us to create space for men where they can be vulnerable and ask for help. Unless we create the space, that space is not going to be created.
15:55 | Mark: Vulnerability means, ultimately, to reveal. And when we reveal, we tap into an incredible resource because our resiliency, our success in the workplace, our capacity to live richer, fuller lives, is co-created with other people.
19:16 | Mark: The question becomes for us as human beings, why can’t we have as rich and meaningful of relationships in the workplace as we have in any other of our communities, in our churches, in our families?
20:28 | Dani: In the workplace, some people need to be able to talk about their lives, talk about their family, talk about their same-sex partners. Other people need privacy to succeed. It’s about recognizing individuality and giving everyone the ability to come to work the way that makes them feel happiest, even if that means being private about some things.
21:06 | Dani: We need to ask more questions. We first need to ask, “Who’s here?” Who’s in our company? It’s not just women—it’s men and non-binary people, Two-Spirit people, etc. Then we need to ask, how are they feeling? We need to segment that data to make sure we capture how different genders are experiencing the workplace. After that, we need to do research around where the gaps are and see what strategies we can enact to ensure that all genders are feeling included.
22:28 | Dani: I try to break with tradition by taking up space, by speaking up, and trying to be as visible as possible as a trans person to ensure that being trans in the workplace is no longer a thing that needs to be highlighted.
23.43 | Mark: Each and every one of us must step outside of our comfort zone and show the kind of courage that a lot of folks are publicly displaying right now in a genuinely unsafe world.

Mentioned on the Pod

Equimundo: The Man Box – A Study on Being a Young Man in the US, UK, and Mexico
Harvard University Press: Deep Secrets – Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Connection
Penguin Random House: Rebels with a Cause – Reimagining Boys, Ourselves, and Our Culture
The Cigna Group: TThe Loneliness Epidemic Persists: A Post-Pandemic Look at the State of Loneliness among U.S. Adults

Research you can use

Women Money Power

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 01:45:00 -0400

Welcome to Season 1, episode 4 of Breaking with Tradition, Catalyst’s podcast that explores trends and ideas that will impact the future of the global workplace. This episode is called Women Money Power.

We know that women across the globe make less money than men. The gap may vary among countries, but it is a persistent pattern caused by a variety of systemic factors including job segregation, differences in education, and a lack of pay transparency, discrimination, and bias.

Some would say, however, that the gender pay gap is because “women aren’t ambitious.” And financial journalist and author Josie Cox has a lot of evidence to the contrary.

Join host Lucy Kallin as she sits down with Josie to discuss her latest book Women Money Power: The Rise and Fall of Economic Equality. Together, they discuss the century-old workplace design that holds back working mothers, recent legislative efforts to make salaries more transparent, as well as the trailblazing women who have contributed to the seismic progress in women’s economic empowerment we have today.

How can companies and employees work collectively to close the gap and create workplaces that better support people of all genders, including men? Listen to find out!

Hosts and guest

Lucy Kallin, Executive Director, EMEA, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Josie Cox is a journalist, author, broadcaster and public speaker. She’s worked on staff for Reuters, The Independent and The Wall Street Journal. As a freelancer, she’s covered the intersection of gender and the economy for The Washington Post, The Spectator, Guardian, Business Insider, MSNBC, Forbes and other publications.

Josie has appeared on CNN, ABC, PBS, CNBC, public radio and a host of other networks. She regularly contributes to the BBC, both as a writer and broadcaster and is a founding editor of The Persistent.

Website | LinkedIn

In this episode

1:04 | Are women less ambitious than men? Josie and Lucy discuss the myth of the "unambitious mother."
6:22 | Breaking away from false perceptions. What can individuals and companies do to combat bias?
12:54 | Trailblazers in Women Money Power Josie talks about some of the women who changed history under the radar.
20:08 | Is gender equity a zero-sum game for men? We still tend to frame gender as a woman’s issue.
24:22 | Pay transparency regulation. Is it effective? What are some of the bright spots?
29:12 | The main takeaway from Women Money Power. Lucy asks Josie what she hopes readers get from her book.

Favorite moments

4:40 | Josie: And I think what we have to do, and it’s our duty as a society, is to recognize that when it looks like a woman might not be as ambitious as a man, we have to ask ourselves: what are the parameters, the constructs, the infrastructure that are preventing her from being able to make the choices that make her look ambitious in the way that we understand ambition?
5:52 | Lucy: It’s not about fixing the women... It’s about changing the infrastructure where women are working and making them more accessible and places where ambitions are allowed to grow, whatever that might look like. Because I do believe that organizations that do that will be the ones that will be around for a long time and will be successful.
6:49 | Josie: We need to be able to have conversations in the workplace that shed a light on the lived experiences of people who are perhaps not always given the opportunity to be the most vocal.
7:44 | Josie: On an operational level, what I would really like to see is organizations that have the courage to really self-reflect and say, okay, why am I doing the things I’m doing? And what is this design rooted in?
10:50 | Josie: And one of the most interesting things that I saw coming out of the pandemic—before corporations snapped back to the pre-COVID way of working—was this openness to hybrid working. We saw a steep rise in women’s labor force participation among women with young kids. And that was because they were finally able to do their work in the paid labor market from home, around their caregiving responsibilities they have.
22:49 | Josie: When we talk about gender inequality, a) we still tend to frame it as a women’s problem. In workplaces, conversations about the gender pay gap still tend to be the domain of women. On the other hand, b) we haven’t really spent enough time considering the role of men in the unpaid labor market and really advocating for changes there. I think it is our duty to address the other side of the equation.
28:06 | Josie: [Companies need to] spell out the effect that pay transparency can have on your organization. If you abide by not just the letter, but also the spirit of
[transparency] laws, if you create that transparency, and therefore that trust within your workforce, you are undoubtedly likely to have a better retention rate.

Mentioned on the Pod

U.S. Department of Labor Mothers’ employment has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, but the child care crisis persists
Business Insider: A History of How the 40-Hour Workweek Became the Norm in America
PBS: Katharine Dexter McCormick (1875-1967)
The New Yorker: The Many Lives of Pauli Murray
Amazon: Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It

Research you can use

What Does Gen Z Want in a Workplace?

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:15:00 -0400

Welcome to a special edition of the Catalyst podcast, Breaking with Tradition filmed live at the 2024 Catalyst Awards! This is season 1, episode 3: What does Gen Z want in a workplace?

Everybody’s talking about the new multigenerational workplace—and for good reason. The newest generation, Generation Z, will soon make up over a third of the global population and a quarter of the global workforce.

Born after 1996, Gen Z is bringing new expectations and priorities to the workplace. From better work-life balance, a bigger investment in mental health, and their preference to work with companies that prioritize DEI, this generation is already making waves.

On this episode, join hosts Lucy and Victoria as they sit down with Remington Bennett, former Content Writer and Producer at The Female Quotient to talk about how the multi-generational workplace will shift future workplace cultures and priorities.

Our conversation will help you learn how companies can successfully manage the challenges a multigenerational workplace brings, while still accelerating diversity, equity, and inclusion progress.

Host and guest

Lucy Kallin, Executive Director, EMEA, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Remington Bennett has diverse work experience spanning multiple industries. At the time of filming, they worked as a Content Producer at The Female Quotient. Prior to that, they held various roles at The New York Times from 2019 to 2022, including Assistant to the Managing Editor, Executive Assistant for Global Enterprise Subscriptions, and Executive Assistant for Advertising. From 2017 to 2019, they were a Production Coordinator to the Chief of Staff at OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network.

Remington Bennett has pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

In this episode

1:44 | About Remington. Who is Remington Bennett and what is The Female Quotient all about?
2:44 | A clash of workplace values. Gen Z (or Gen Zed according to Lucy) is quickly changing the demographics at work—how do their ideas square with older generations?
5:18 | Leaving no one behind. How can the generations work together to accelerate DEI in an evolving workplace?
7:42 | Creating belonging cross-generation. Women in each generation share universal experiences that shape them.
10:34 | Mentorship works both ways. Regardless of age, professionals both young and old have something to teach each other.
11:23 | Misconceptions about Gen Z. How do we “close the gap” of the assumptions and stereotypes older generations may hold of Gen Z?
15:13 | Creating a space of safety, inspiration, and productivity. Prioritizing diversity creates a space where many voices have a seat at the table.
17:28 | Men as advocates for change. Remington shares a story about brinigng together a powerful all-male panel to support gender equity in the workplace.

Favorite moments

4:00 | Remington: Now as we’re starting to come back to work, RTO, returning to the office, is top of mind for a lot of leaders. But younger generations are looking at that and saying, well, what’s happening to this workplace flexibility that we were experiencing before during the pandemic, is that now going to be desolate?
4:52 | Lucy: The dynamics have changed now… there’s [more of a sense that] we want a different world for this new generation that’s coming in.
7:05 | Remington: I think there needs to be more opportunities for mentorship for the two [generations] to come together, because… often there’s no communication between the two.
9:17 | Remington: When we connect with each other, let’s look for what’s similar about your life that’s similar about my life. Even though we exist in different times, how can I relate to you in a way that every human can?
14:03 | Remington: [On assumptions that Gen Z employees are ‘lazy’] ] I think it’s all about reframing how we have these conversations… Instead of assuming that they don’t want to do anything, ask questions first and then lead with empathy, lead with emotion, lead with vulnerability—that’s effective for this new generation.
15:30 | Victoria: When I think about what that really means [to have a truly inclusive workplace], it comes down to feeling safe, feeling inspired, and wanting to create and be productive and do something in the world.
16:13 | Remington: A story is the voices of many, right? And if you only have one type of person telling that story, then to the people reading or watching or looking at that story, they start to feel like their voice doesn’t matter.

Research you can use

Statistics & References

Deloitte: Understanding Generation Z in the workplace
World Economic Forum: Gen Z Demands Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
European Parliament: Next generation or lost generation? Children, young people and the pandemic

It's Not All Doom & Gloom: State of DEI

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:00:00 -0400

It’s easy to become disheartened by the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) movements in the workplace. It’s a time of inflamed political rhetoric and multiple overlapping global crises that threaten to roll back the clock on our efforts to make more equitable work environments for women.

On this episode of Breaking with Tradition, we’re reminded of words from Felice Schwartz as she looked at the radical changes she saw in her lifetime: “We can’t go on the way we have been—living new lives in the old patterns.”

What is the state of DEI in 2024? Is it all doom and gloom, or is there reason to hope for “new patterns” emerging? Our host Erin is flying solo this week and sitting down with Ruchika Tulshyan, expert, speaker and author on DEI and founder and CEO of Candour to discuss her predictions for our work this year and beyond.

Our conversation will tackle some of the biggest Future of Work trends impacting women today. Spoiler alert: There’s a lot to be excited about!

Host and guest

Erin Souza-Rezendes, Vice President, Global Communications, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Ruchika Tulshyan is the best-selling author of Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work (MIT Press). The book was described as “transformative” by Dr. Brené Brown. She is working on her next book: “Uncompete: Dismantling a Competition Mindset to Unlock Liberation, Opportunity, and Peace” (Viking Books).

Ruchika is also the founder of Candour, an inclusion strategy practice. A former international business journalist, Ruchika is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Harvard Business Review and a recognized media commentator on workplace culture.

LinkedIn | Website

In this episode

1:35 | About Ruchika. Who is Ruchika Tulshyan and what is her approach to DEI?
6:01 | Ouch, 2024. It's been rough. Are the DEI doom and gloom headlines true? Ruchika weighs in.
12:57 | What's your advice? How do we shore ourselves up during these challenging times?
18:45 | Imposter syndrome is a systemic issue. Ruchika shares how we can make systems-level change.
25:35 | What does the future of work look like?
30:57 | Sneak Peek. The Catalyst community gets a sneak peek into Ruchika's next book.

Favorite moments

1:51 | Ruchika: I think of the work that I do or my approach to diversity, equity and inclusion as multi-faceted. So much of it is driven by various identities I have and hold throughout my life.
5:48 | Erin: I think it means so much to marry those two things and have both, the personal storytelling and the receipts of the research to uncover what is happening in workplaces around the world, particularly for women.
8:06 | Ruchika: I'd say the most important part of this is that a lot of these attacks are not new. They're not using, they might be using new language, they might be using different packaging around it.
8:21 | Ruchika: Ten years ago, when I was in the technology industry, at that time, even using the words diversity, equity and inclusion were basically completely new.
9:35 | Ruchika: I think actually think now we've come to a place now where it's [microaggressions] so widely understood, we can actually update it to say microaggressions are not that micro. They actually have a very macro impact on people in their lives, on their careers.
10:35 | Ruchika: Some part of this, I think is also the zero-sum thinking that I think a lot of people and leaders and organizations operate with. Like this idea of winner takes all.
11:45 | Erin: If the workplace is a place where women feel like they can show up authentically, where they're going to experience inclusion, whatever that means to them, however that feels to them and be able to succeed on their terms, whatever that means to them. Then that's good for everybody.
22:49 | Ruchika: Once you start to unpack the systemic issues at play it because really hard to keep saying or keep believing that it is an internal issue [imposter syndrome] that you are struggling with.
23:47 | Ruchika: How do you win? Until you stop taking it [imposter syndrome] on as an internal burden?
24:02 | Ruchika: We need to widen the table. We need to show different styles of leadership. We need to show that someone who pounds her fist, especially a woman who pounds her fist or is just her personality is such, that her leadership style is to be you know, strong, commanding, domineering, etc. is just as acceptable as someone who identifies as an introvert who's really quiet, who leads sort of in a different way.
26:22 | Ruchika: Gender inequity isn't necessarily men doing inequity to women. Some of the most challenging and concerning examples of gender bias I've seen in the workplace has been from women upholding very patriarchal very gender-biased norms against other women.
26:52 | Ruchika: I think some of the backlash is the idea of like we're separating people out into groups, we're creating more divisions, rather than understanding that systemic biases impact everyone regardless of their identity.
28:51 | Ruchika: I think these examples of people being able to really be their full, authentic selves is the type of future of work that I really want us to see.
29:39 | Ruchika: To hear from, you know white men to say to me, I identify as an introvert. I don't like speaking up at meetings. And, you know, being so commanding and domineering, it's expected of the workplace that I work at. And since we've sort of been working on inclusion much more thoughtfully and intentionally, I feel like I can bring my more quiet, more introverted self to meetings and to my leadership style.
23:54 | Ruchika: If we are truly going to rise, if we're truly going to create this future where everyone wins, we need to stop believing and stop only focusing on the gains that we can make as individuals or just our own community.
34:22 I Erin: I can think of times in you know, what I would consider fairly inclusive workspaces, being told by bosses like, oh you know, watch out, watch out for her kind of thing. And thinking 20 years ago, that doesn't seem right to me.
35:14 | Ruchika: A lot of what we were conditioned with, a lot of the norms, we were told about the workplace, about society don't hold true anymore.
35:16 | Ruchika: Just because we've done things a certain way, now that we know better we don't have to continue in that way.
36:26 | Ruchika: The opportunity is there, but we have to imagine it.

Mentioned on the Pod

Research you can use

Why The “Why” Matters

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 02:30:00 -0400

Welcome to episode 1, season 1.

Catalyst founder Felice Schwartz embraced a vision for the future of the workplace in her 1992 book Breaking with Tradition based on “fulfillment, both personal and professional,” where everyone is “able to define and pursue their goals freely, regardless of gender.”

From this initial vision, the Catalyst of today strives for “workplaces that work for women.” This is the future of work we at Catalyst seek to create at workplaces everywhere. This is our why.

How an organization communicates its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work makes an impact—both to the outside world in this moment of anti-DEI pushback, and internally to employees who want to know their company cares.

For this first episode of Breaking with Tradition, hosts Lucy, Victoria, and Erin sit down to set the stage and discuss both the Catalyst “why” and why it matters that we talk about it. And as can be expected from a research organization, we bring in some evidence-based insights to back us up!

Hosts

Lucy Kallin, Executive Director, EMEA, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Victoria Kuketz, Director, Corporate Engagement, Canada, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

Erin Souza-Rezendes, Vice President, Global Communications, Catalyst

LinkedIn | Bio

In this episode

1:07 | The origin story. The inspiration for this podcast, Catalyst, founder Felice Schwartz and her 1992 book Breaking with Tradition.
4:28 | Building a human-focused workplace. Women are half the population, but they're also not a monolith. Victoria, Lucy and Erin discuss why gender equity is critical to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
9:35 | Finding your voice. Why it's important for companies to talk about equity and what it looks like.
15:35 | World-class employers. Why some companies are building workplaces that work for women despite the DEI pushback.
19:35 | Modern-day rebels. How our hosts break with tradition.

Favorite moments

1:41 | Erin: As someone who works in communications here at Catalyst, you know, I think about our work as breaking with tradition all the time. Because really, what we're focusing on is our shared humanity.
2:18 | Victoria: From a productivity crisis, AI upskilling and adoption across industries, we're constantly facing new and emerging challenges. So this breaking with tradition theme really resonates with me because we need to innovate and from a DEI perspective, upskill and leverage the entirety of the workforce to meet these challenges...
10:32 | Lucy: 76% of employees want their companies to take action. And I think that's where Catalyst comes in. I'm leaning forward because I'm getting too excited now.
12:33 | Victoria: DEI is for everyone. And it really makes cultures better. It leverages talent, it lets people lean in. Because there is that slippage in that understanding we are seeing DEI backlash.
14:10 | Erin: It's true there is DEI backlash. I won't minimize that. But is it true that companies are stepping back or not fully embracing it? I think for organizations that were committed, they're unapologetically so.
14:35 | Erin: Diversity, equity and inclusion, if it's working well, what does it really look like in someone's life? It looks like sitting here on a podcast at home while my daughter is getting on the school bus because I'm working from home.
16:42 | Lucy: The ones we're working with are the ones that are looking to embed it as a cultural shift. That gives them what I said at the beginning, a competitive edge, a differentiator in the market and an attractiveness to an employee.
17:48 | Victoria: What I'm actually seeing with the incredible supporter organizations that I work with is that they're actually doubling down in these times. They're actually saying that, you know, what's going on social media as a political project is actually not going to affect our commitment to be world-class employers.
21:22 | Lucy: I think I've always broken the tradition because I always start from there. From the why have we always done it that way?
22:47 | Victoria & Erin | You're an Innovator. Yea, that's just your energy.

Fun Facts

93% of employees say that it’s at least somewhat important for their organization to be vocal about its DEI efforts, yet 1 in 4 employees say their senior leaders never or rarely engage in DEI.
76% of employees want their companies to take action – and ensure their workplace is diverse and inclusive to all.
More than 50 countries will go to the polls in 2024.

Research you can use

Your guide to DEI messaging
Shaffer, E. & Torrez, B. (2024). How to talk about diversity with employees to achieve your company’s objectives. Catalyst.

About us

Catalyst is a global nonprofit supported by many of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies to help build workplaces that work for women. Founded in 1962, Catalyst drives change with preeminent thought leadership, actionable solutions, and a galvanized community of multinational corporations to accelerate and advance women into leadership—because progress for women is progress for everyone.