Women Who Lead celebrates 10 years of W Certified Company
The certification improves women’s inclusion in Puerto Rican workplaces.
Women Who Lead, the only firm in Puerto Rico specializing in female talent and consumers, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of W Certified Company, the certification that has transformed how businesses approach women’s inclusion in the workplace.
A decade ago, when the lack of female talent in senior management positions was evident in Puerto Rico, Women Who Lead launched W Certified Company to begin making a difference.
“This rigorous process has become an indispensable tool for global and local companies to measure the impact of their programs on their female talent,” said Frances Ríos, CEO of Women Who Lead. “This certification has been the voice of female talent in Puerto Rico, identifying and recognizing companies genuinely committed to the development and inclusion of women.”
With more than 100 certified companies and 100 committed leaders sharing best practices, and reaching more than 10,000 professional women, W Certified Company “continues to shape the future of female leadership,” the news release assured.
The 2024 edition has been updated and vows to take female talent inclusion to new heights, empowering professional women to attain higher positions and achieve greater compensation.
“We are proud to have been pioneers in this field and to have helped transform the business perspective on female talent,” said Damaris Sánchez, co-creator of the test and a human resources veteran on the island. “When we started, companies barely had women in leadership roles, and today, certified companies have an average of 45% women in senior management.”
Melissa Rivera-Roena, general manager for ManpowerGroup in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, which according to the release is “one of the Top 5 companies,” said, “Being part of W Certified Company has allowed us to strengthen our commitment to gender equity and has provided us with a framework to implement inclusive practices that benefit not only our female talent but also our clients, creating a ripple effect on and off the island.”
“Companies that do not participate in W Certified and do not measure their workplace environment concerning their efforts to promote safe work environments for women risk not only costly lawsuits but also talent drain and an adverse impact on their company’s reputation,” concluded Alberto Estrella, managing Partner of Estrella LLC, who has been part of the test since its inception.
Companies seeking to measure and be recognized for promoting women’s inclusion should visit the following website. The registration deadline for W Certified Company and W Survey is June 30. The assessment period will take place Aug. 14-15, and the Celebrate Excellence event is scheduled for Nov. 2.
