Progress Celebrates International Women’s Day; Reaffirms Support for Gender Equality

Progress, the trusted provider of infrastructure software, announced that the company is kicking off a series of initiatives throughout the month of March to celebrate women and those who identify as women, in recognition of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. The effort is tied to Progress’ overall commitment to inclusion and diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Progress supports the development of its community of women by providing opportunities for networking, leadership and career development, focusing on increasing women’s representation in leadership and removing barriers to advancement. Currently, 50% of Progress’ director-level positions and above in the US are held by women, and more than 200 women were promoted globally in 2021. The company was also recognized by 50/50 Women on Boards™ as a “3+” company for having three or more women on its Board of Directors.

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The Employee Resource Group (ERG), Progress for Her, will kick off a series of events in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History month that will run through March. Activities include a Progress Women’s Leadership Panel discussion and fundraising for Women Who Code. Progress will also celebrate International Women’s Day again as a paid holiday for its entire global workforce and has encouraged employees to use the day as a way to further gender equality in their local communities.

“We’re excited to celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, and recognize innumerable contributions of women in our company, and in society at large,” said Yogesh Gupta, CEO, Progress. “At Progress we have a long-standing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and an emphasis on creating a culture of belonging for everyone. We recognize the importance of diverse perspectives and opinions, and the positive impact they have on our continued success.”

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In the last year, Progress has launched new programs or has expanded initiatives that include:

• Progress for Her: The company-wide ERG now has more than 150 active members. In the last year, this group was responsible for creating a series of events and training opportunities for women and their allies globally, including a highly successful Board of Director series where employees worldwide were invited to virtual Q&As with members of Progress’ Board of Directors. The topics ranged from imposter syndrome and mentorship to the impact inclusion and diversity has on a business’ success.
• Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer (CIDO): The hiring of Progress’ first CIDO, Dr. Shirley Knowles, who is responsible for cultivating a culture of inclusion, diversity and belonging so Progress people are empowered to be their best.
• Training and Development: The launch of key growth and development opportunities including:
  • A company-wide mentorship program in which 54% of mentees and 43% of mentors are women.
  • Inclusion training for managers: how to be an inclusive manager, inclusive hiring practices, the negative impacts of unconscious bias, appreciating our individual differences and how to be a better ally in the workplace.
  • Inclusion training for employees, sessions on what inclusion and belonging looks like, the importance of intersectionality and what leaders can do to support and grow talent from all backgrounds.

• The Progress Women in STEM Scholarship series: In 2021, Progress extended its scholarship program with the first Progress Software Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM in India, adding to the Women in Tech Scholarship in Bulgaria and US-based Progress Mary Székely Scholarship for Women in STEM, which is currently accepting applications for the upcoming academic year. The deadline to submit is March 11, 2022.
• Organizational and Event Support: Progress@ is a proud member of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria, an organization dedicated to the professional development of women in small and medium businesses. The company has also supported and sponsored groups including:
  • Catalyst, a non-profit focused on women in leadership.
  • The Boston Club, a community of executives and professionals invested in elevating women to leadership. Progress proudly sponsors the membership of four of its leaders in this group.
  • Girls Who Code, whose mission is to close the gender gap in technology.

“While we are pleased with our progress striving for greater inclusiveness and gender equality, attracting and advancing talented women employees continues to be a priority for us,” said Loren Jarrett, EVP & GM Developer Tools Business and executive co-sponsor of Progress for Her, at Progress. “We will continue to take comprehensive action to create a culture of belonging, where everyone, regardless of gender, race or other identity, can advance and thrive.”

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