NEW YORK — Glenn Hubbard, Dean of Columbia Business School, issued the statement below following today’s announcement by the White House:

“Columbia Business School has long believed that empowering women to reach their full professional potential will create tremendous value for the global economy and society at large. Stemming from this belief, we are excited to work with the White House to expand opportunities for women in the 21st century executive workforce.

“Creating an even playing field will require work in every stage of a prospective businesswoman’s career, and business schools are uniquely situated to effect change. Ensuring that women – and all students – can succeed and reach their full potential is a core characteristic of the School, one that is embedded throughout our entire culture. We take this responsibility seriously, and we look forward to working with the White House, the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the business community, and fellow business schools to see that this important effort continues to flourish at campuses across the country.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Columbia Business School has long been a leader in identifying and building a pipeline that encourages and supports female leaders. A collection of efforts that demonstrate this commitment include:

• Faculty Research and Leadership on the State of Diversity in Business: Our faculty continues to demonstrate unparalleled thought leadership by conducting cutting-edge research on gender equality and its implications on business. Over the past few years, original research has illuminated several challenges facing women in the workforce, as well as showcased the tangible benefits women bring to decision-making and profitability. Eye-opening research from the School’s faculty has also shown that women account for nearly half of the nation’s overall workforce yet hold only six percent of corporate CEO and high-level executive roles. At the same time, our faculty has demonstrated that firms that promote women to senior management positions enjoy economically superior performance than those that do not.
• Community Support from the Ground Up: One of the School’s longest standing and most active clubs on campus, the Columbia Women in Business (CWiB) club works to raise awareness by hosting regular seminars and workshops about critical issues most relevant to women in business and to build stronger networks between female students and alumnae.
• Career Success for Women and All Students: With more than 96 percent of our graduates receiving offers for full-time employment three months after graduation, women and all students know that our investment goes far beyond their education and extends to their future careers.
• Part of A Culture-Changing Network: To change the culture of women in business, the School partners with leading equality organizations such as Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women Initiative, which provides underserved women from around the world with access to business and management education. Another way the School is working for change is by partnering with the Forte Foundation to increase the number of women who serve on the boards of major companies and raise awareness about the negative consequences of having so few women on corporate boards.

Learn more about the best practices for business schools to lead in expanding opportunities for women in business.

###

About Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School is the only world-class, Ivy League business school that delivers a learning experience where academic excellence meets with real-time exposure to the pulse of global business. Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the School’s transformative curriculum bridges academic theory with unparalleled exposure to real-world business practice, equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset that allows them to recognize, capture, and create opportunity in any business environment. The thought leadership of the School’s faculty and staff, combined with the accomplishments of its distinguished alumni and position in the center of global business, means that the School’s efforts have an immediate, measurable impact on the forces shaping business every day. To learn more about Columbia Business School’s position at the very center of business, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu.