Company Culture
The numbers are in on companies that support women and same-sex couples when it comes to in vitro fertilization (IVF). A survey of 30,000 IVF patients by FertilityIQ found that tech companies rank highest, with Analog Devices ( 4.2 stars ), eBay ( 3.4 ), Spotify ( 3.5 stars ), and Adobe ( 3.6 stars ) topping the list when it comes to IVF coverage and pre-authorization requirements (basically insurance approval for services). TechCrunch
Nike ( 3.3 stars ) has launched a new campaign called “Dream Crazier,” highlighting women athletes and narrated by Serena Williams — and just in time for Women’s History Month. But the sportswear company doesn’t intend to stop there. In fact, Nike has decided that 2019 will be its year for women. Forbes
In more Nike news that isn’t Zion Williamson’s exploding shoe, a federal judge has dismissed Nike’s request to stop current and former employees from filing a class-action lawsuit against the company. Four former female Nike employees have brought legal action against Nike for alleged pay discrimination, stifling career growth, and ignoring sexual harassment. A lawyer for the plaintiffs said she expects at least 500 women to join the suit. Bloomberg
Amazon’s ( 3.0 stars ) working moms are pushing for company childcare support. A group of 1,800 so-called Momazonians are asking the tech company to provide backup childcare solutions when normal arrangements fall through. Their current campaign is also lobbying HR to identify and deal with parental concerns over the long run by interviewing current and exiting employees about their childcare challenges. If the Momazonians prevail, changes would bring Amazon up to speed with Apple ( 3.5 stars ), Microsoft ( 3.5 stars ), Facebook ( 4.0 stars ), and Alphabet, which currently offer backup childcare options. Bloomberg .
Lastly, let’s talk boards: Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo ( 3.0 stars ), will join Amazon’s board of directors. With the addition of Nooyi, 45 percent of Amazon’s board will be women — a far cry from the 17 percent average for tech companies ( Fortune ). Admiral Michelle J. Howard will take on a new role as a member of IBM’s ( 3.3 stars ) board. Howard is the first woman to have earned a 4-star admiral and the first black woman to command a US Navy ship ( CNBC ). Nordstrom ( 3.2 stars ) has just added two new female board members — Kirsten Green, founder and managing director of Forerunner Ventures and Glenda McNeal, president of strategic partnerships at American Express ( 3.9 stars ) ( Nordstrom ).
Quick Hits
It’s Friday night and you and the girls are split between two restaurants to go to for dinner. They both sound amazing, so how do you choose? Would it make a difference if you knew one of those restaurants is woman-owned? This is the idea behind Yelp’s newest feature. In collaboration with Female Founders Collective, the restaurant and shopping review platform will allow businesses to identify themselves as woman-owned in an effort to connect consumers with women’s businesses. Fortune
Last week, Bloomberg’s editorial board released an impassioned article imploring Congress to do more to protect America’s Indigenous women. Native women are more than two times as likely as white women to be raped in their lifetime, and homicide is the leading cause of death for those girls and women between the ages of 15–24. The article ends by demanding that Congress pass “Savanna’s Act,” a piece of legislation reintroduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (NV) to devote resources to ending this violence against Native women. Bloomberg
After a tight mayoral election in Chicago, former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle — both of whom are black women — will compete in a runoff election April 2. It’s hard to say which candidate will come out on top, but one thing is certain: The winner will make history as the first black woman mayor of Chicago. Fortune
Marvel’s ( 2.9 stars ) first feature film starring a woman hero, “Captain Marvel” hits theaters Friday! The studio has been criticized in recent years for failing to make a single movie about its female heroes while churning out movie after movie starring male protagonists. That being said, it’s clear that there’s a lot riding on the performance of “Captain Marvel.” Women will be eager to see the title character (played by Brie Larson) as a fitting feminist icon, and comic book misogynists will be just as keen to see her fail. This New York Times article sums up the long path that led up to the film. NY Times
Around the World
Thailand: For every man that attends university in Thailand, 1.41 women attend — ranking first in the world in terms of female enrollment in higher education. When it comes to business, women make up 40 percent of chief executives and 34 percent of chief financial officers. This paints a pretty good picture when it comes to female representation in Thailand….mostly. While the country does well in most representation metrics, it has an abysmal ratio of men to women in its governing body. Of the country’s 240 seats in parliament, just 13 are occupied by women. Why is there such a discrepancy between business and politics? Bloomberg unpacks some of the reasons. Bloomberg
India: Thai women may face a long road to political representation, but in India another kind of political glass ceiling for women has been broken. Meet Apsara Reddy, the trans woman who just became a leader in India’s oldest political party. BBC
Saudi Arabia: The Saudi government has announced that the women’s rights activists that have been detained since May will go to trial. The activists were arrested shortly before the ban on women driving was lifted, but not all were released afterwards. Some of the remaining activists have been subjected to mistreatment, including torture and sexual abuse. The Guardian
