Investing in gender equality is a proven driver of performance and a competitive advantage. This year’s Women in Business research shows that midmarket firms that are maintaining their gender equality initiatives and plan to implement new ones were the most likely to report significant growth in revenue and staff numbers. Investors are looking for gender-balanced...
As a DEI professional and a Black woman, I can say with confidence that organizations are failing us. I know firsthand the energy and toll it takes to navigate workplaces rife with bias and systemic inequities. It’s a big part of why I left the nonprofit sector and started my own firm a decade ago....
In collaboration with our exclusive data partner, Equilar, as of Q1 2026, women hold 29.9 percent of Russell 3000 company board seats, slipping below the 30 percent threshold reached in prior quarters and down from the Q1 2025 peak of 30.4 percent. The index included 2,843 active companies and 26,077 board seats. Board composition changed...
Retail leaders already know where simplification and prioritization are needed. The greater challenge is sustaining the focus, alignment and organizational discipline required to protect those priorities as competing demands continue to expand. The result is slower execution, diluted resources, and limited growth. The findings point toward a surprisingly simple playbook: clarify and communicate what matters...
How retailers can provide a best-in-class customer experience via a unified commerce model — and what that means for the bottom line. Retail organizations are being transformed for an evolving and competitive market. Consumers expect seamless, immediate and personalized experiences across every touchpoint with retailers, whether online, in-store, app, social media, AI platforms, etc. The...
Cross-border e-commerce is no longer a niche growth strategy reserved for enterprise retail organizations with seemingly unlimited budgets. It has become an integral channel for retailers seeking new revenue streams, diversified customer bases, and long-term resilience and growth opportunities. As domestic markets mature and competition intensifies, selling internationally offers retailers an opportunity to meet demand...
We are thrilled to present our 16th annual Top Women in Retail report. Like in years past, the 2026 edition of this report features a who’s who in the retail industry. Honorees, who were nominated by Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) members, Inner Circle newsletter subscribers, WIRLC partners, and retail industry insiders, were chosen...
The Look Company, creators of large-scale visual branding for retail, sport and event environments, released its 2026 Retail Design Trends report. The report reveals the five primary trends that will dominate physical store design and in-store experience this year, based on insight from retailers across the U.S. and Canada. The Look Company works with big-box and...
Artificial intelligence is no longer a novelty; it’s become a daily companion. From Gen Z to baby boomers, adoption is accelerating across all age groups, reshaping how consumers live, shop and interact. But as AI becomes mainstream, concerns around trust are rising. From Hype to Habit: How Consumers Are Embracing AI, the latest research brief...
“The board is in agreement. We’d like you to be our next CEO. Congratulations.” Chief financial officers (CFOs) and business leaders of every stripe frequently aspire to hear those words from an organization’s nominating committee (NomCo). Such desire is perfectly understandable. For many people, serving as a chief executive represents the pinnacle of professional achievement....