Verizon, Disney, Walmart and others are teaming up to advance the careers of women

Although strides have been made to advance the progress of women in the workplace, there’s still a long way to go when it comes to helping women maintain their careers.

Mobile giant Verizon has called on other large employers like the Walt Disney Company, Walmart, Estee Lauder and the United Nations to create the Women’s CoLab, an organization that provides resources and tools to working women to help them succeed professionally and boost their careers.

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“Women’s CoLab was developed by our fearless female leaders here at Verizon, after seeing the real devastation that the pandemic wreaked on working women of all levels,” says Samantha Hammock, senior vice president of global talent at Verizon. “We saw Women’s CoLab as an opportunity and responsibility to lift women in the workplace. Rather than give into the “she-cession,” we sprang into action.”

Approximately 5.4 million jobs were lost by women in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, according to data from the National Women’s Law Center. Remaining a part of — and even rejoining — the workforce isn’t an easy task for women who are already juggling their responsibilities beyond the workplace.

The CoLab is a free resource for women to seek out training and development, education, mentorship and peer-to-peer support through interactive communities to help members build a virtual support system that will help them stay determined and career-focused. Members of the CoLab will also have access to guest essays from workplace leaders, live Q&As and events and specialized workshops.

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“Our vision is to develop a network powered by women, for women,” Hammock says. “We’re calling on our partners to create a broader community of support that will ultimately shape a more equitable future.”

The end goal of the community is to not only keep women in the workforce but help them achieve the highest level of advancement.

“Women belong in every room, at every table, and deserve to be seen and heard as equals,” Hammock says. “As employers, we know there’s a competitive advantage to having a diverse and robust representation of women at every level within our organizations, including at the highest level of leadership.”