Women in Nutraceuticals (WIN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women’s potential and representation in the nutraceuticals industry, noted that there are some concerning trends in the broader American workplace signaling diminished progress toward gender parity in corporate leadership, following a report by Leanin.org and McKinsey & Company.
 
There were positive trends in the tenth annual “Women in the Workplace” report, such as that women now make up 24% of all c-suite positions, up from 17% in 2015. The report also noted increased efforts to foster inclusion, and significant gains in the portion of companies offering family leave and flexible workplace policies.
 
At the current rate, WIN reports that it will take 50 years to reach parity for all women in the American workplace. Progress remains stagnant at the entry-level (48%) and manager levels (39%), which will prevent sustained progress. Gains at the senior leadership levels were mostly driven by consolidation of line roles, while, in the c-suite, the biggest increase was seen in staff functions, such as chief human resources officer or chief legal officer.
 
Outspoken corporate commitments to gender parity are also declining. In 2024, 78% of companies said that gender diversity was a high priority, down from 87% in 2019. Additionally, 37% of companies offer formal mentorship programs for women, down from 48% only two years ago.
 
“The next phase of change will require even more tenacity, creativity, and optimism—and that starts with rekindling the commitment to diversity and fairness that got us to this point. For senior leaders, it means continuing to champion the important work and challenging yourself and your organization to do better,” the authors of the study wrote.
 
The authors recommended removing bias from the hiring and promotions process, inspiring and equipping employees to curb bias and practice allyship, and provide managers with the power to influence careers and team culture.
 
“Within the nutraceutical industry, we talk about the importance of health and wellness, inclusion and innovation,” said Heather Granato, president of WIN. “One of the greatest drivers of innovation is gender equality throughout an organization, particularly in leadership. WIN is committed to collaborating with individuals and organizations to develop tools and programs that will drive positive change in the nutraceutical industry.”
 
In 2023, WIN published its Gender Representation in Nutraceutical Industry Leadership Survey, which found that 37% of senior leadership roles and 28% of CEO positions in the nutraceutical industry are held by women. This is on par with the 2024 Women in the Workplace statistics for the pharmaceutical industry, which reports 41% female vice presidents, 35% senior vice presidents, and 29% c-suite.
 
WIN’s efforts to support gender parity include a pilot mentorship program this year, the creation of a job board, and the upcoming launch of a training module assessing leadership readiness.