Network of Executive Women

About NEW

Our Mission

The mission of the Network of Executive Women is to attract, retain and advance women in the retail and consumer products industry through education, leadership and business development.

Our efforts are concentrated in the following areas:

• Facilitating leadership development
• Offering networking and business opportunities
• Providing mentoring and support
• Offering educational programs
• Championing diversity
• Enhancing our industry’s image

Our Background

The Network of Executive Women was incorporated in May 2001. We are a 501C3 not-for-profit educational organization. In our short history, NEW has grown to more than 1,100 members and is supported by more than 300 corporations and more than 30 corporate sponsors.

The Need

Women account for more than 80 percent of all consumer goods purchased. Yet they are greatly underrepresented in the top roles of retail and consumer goods and service suppliers. By fostering diversity awareness and support in our industry, we can help our industry become an "employer of choice" for women entering the workforce and help retain women as they progress throughout their careers.

Although women account for 47% of the U.S. labor force, they have secured only 15.7% of the corporate officer positions within the Fortune 500 companies. Food manufacturing, retailing, and wholesaling in total rank below the Fortune 500 average with a combined average of 14.4% of corporate officer positions held by women. Women hold only 9.9% of corporate line officer positions within the Fortune 500.

Women report that the predominant barriers to success are exclusion from informal networks, female stereotyping and inhospitable corporate cultures. Networks and support groups have been proven to help reduce turnover for women and minorities. Recruitment and retraining for a key manager can cost 3 to 5 times their overall compensation, not to mention lost productivity and goodwill.

Our Members

NEW members are a cross-section of the retail/consumer goods industry, representing executive level and emerging leaders from retail, supplier/manufacturers, service providers, consultants, trade associations and media.

The Value

NEW offers professional development programs for your employees that complement the development objectives you set. Your company receives well-deserved industry recognition as a diversity advocate. You also gain access to the most talented women in the Network, including attraction of university students into our industry. As a sponsor, your company is investing in the current and future talent pool.

Through efficient personal and professional development of female executives across the country, NEW positions each of its sponsoring companies as an “employer of choice.”

NEW provides:

• "Activation" program and employee participation scorecard
• Employee action learning plan that entitles sponsor-selected individuals to become NEW members without paying an annual membership fee
• NEW’s commitment to organize and stage regional events
• Access to the NEW Mentoring Program at the member rate
• Individual development/training events, such as "Lunch and Learn"
• Ability to post unlimited jobs on NEW’s interactive Job Bank
• "Best Practice" reports on relevant attraction, retention and advancement topics

Plus

• Leveraging the scale of the industry to advance diversity practices
• Helping retailers better understand consumer and workforce diversity
• Facilitating business relationships with diverse supply chain partners
• Fostering relationship development and networking to achieve goals
• Learning how to support women and foster retention of all staff
• Score carding of NEW impact on organization

The Value of Sponsorship

As a NEW sponsor, your company is investing in the future of your employees, your company and your industry.
NEW professional development programs complement your own employee development objectives, give your company access to the most talented women in the Network, and help attract university students to our industry.

NEW sponsorship brings you well-deserved industry recognition as a diversity advocate. Sponsorship enables you to advance women in industry-leading companies, resulting in greater selling power. Through efficient personal and professional development of female executives across the country, NEW helps position each of its sponsoring companies as an "employer of choice."

Our Programs

NEW Annual Leadership Summit
Facilitated Mentoring Program
Regional Leadership Development Events
Online Speakers Bureau
Interactive Database/Job Bank
NetworkNEWs, our monthly online magazine
Women of Color–Best Practices

NEW ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Each fall, several hundred executives from around the country gather to invest in their personal and professional development and sharpen their networking skills. The Annual Leadership Summit provides a meeting point for NEW members and guests to hear first-rate speakers, refresh their leadership commitment, and expand their networks of retail/CPG industry executives.

MENTOR PROGRAM

NEW’s facilitated mentoring program was initiated in March 2002. We have now trained more than one hundred mentor/protégé pairs. Through the use of a skills/needs assessment, we pair mentors and protégés who commit to a one-year partnership. Mentoring provides a multitude of benefits, including exposure to role models, perspective and an experienced point of view for the protégé. Mentors often benefit from exposure to a different corporate culture, enhanced networking opportunities and being able to “turn and pull” and advise an emerging industry leader.

REGIONAL EVENTS/LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

NEW’s outreach to women around the country starts at the local and regional levels, in response to requests from our members and their companies. NEW is committed to bringing programming and networking opportunities to members and guests in major market areas. NEW has launched regional networking committees and events in Chicago, southern California, the San Francisco Bay area, Dallas, the Mid-Atlantic region, New York City, Portland, Boston and northwest Arkansas. In each market, a group of NEW volunteers develops programming, marketing, funding and outreach to provide the greatest possible benefit to attendees. We invite you to join an existing market committee or form a new one, with guidance and assistance from NEW’s staff.

INDUSTRY OUTREACH

In addition to hosting our own events, NEW is frequently called on to speak on diversity issues at events in the retail/CPG industry. We have partnered with every major industry trade association on speaking engagements to help bring the word of diversity – and NEW – to a wider audience. NEW is also asked to refer speakers through our Speakers Bureau. If we can help you select from our lists of industry leaders and professional speakers for your next event, please let us know.

NEW DATABASE AND WEBSITE

One of the most exciting projects we’ve undertaken at NEW is the development of our interactive member database and website, re-launched in September 2004. Members are now able to access online membership profiles, a searchable membership directory, online event registration, an online Speakers Bureau, our Job Bank database, links to our sponsors, industry news and trends, and much more.

VOLUNTEER OUTREACH

A cornerstone of NEW is the belief in “action learning,” the mastery of skill by doing. We help our members to identify skill gaps and offer volunteer opportunities that build those skills. By helping the association, NEW members benefit by building their expertise in a friendly and supportive environment. NEW is a volunteer-driven association. All our programs are dependent on help from our volunteer members. We invite you to help make a difference and help us serve you better.

Corporate Sponsor Benefits

ALL SPONSORSHIP LEVELS

• Membership privileges, including registration for NEW events at the member-rate
• "Action learning" opportunities to develop emerging leaders through committee assignments
• Promotional tools: sponsor logo on NEW brochures, website, recognition at industry events
• Recognition of effective diversity practices
• Access to online NEW Speakers Bureau
• Access to interactive membership database
• Ability to post jobs in online recruitment bank

TITLE LEVEL—$50,000.00 and above

• NEW Scorecard of company goals and involvement
• NEW consultation on effective practices (i.e., women of color, internal mentoring program, internal affinity groups)
• NetworkNEWs–feature article and members featured in “Who‘s NEW“
• “Branding" of a NEW event or program with your company logo, i.e., "People Supporting Women," Mentoring Program, Scholarship Program, Regional Event programs
• Champion status for an executive in your company
• NEW will host a diversity development workshop for your company
• Membership privileges for up to 100 employees
• Hosting of regional event
• Sponsorship recognition seal to use on collateral material, business cards and trade communications

PLATINUM LEVEL— $25,000.00 - $49,000.00

• NEW Scorecard of company goals and involvement
• NEW consultation on effective practices (i.e., women of color,
  internal mentoring program, internal affinity groups)
• NetworkNEWs–feature article and members featured in “Who's NEW”
• Membership privileges for up to 50 employees
• Hosting of regional event
• Sponsorship recognition seal–to use on collateral material, business cards and trade communications

GOLD SPONSOR–$12,500.00 - $24,000.00

• Membership privileges for up to 25 employees
• Members featured in “Who’s NEW” in NetworkNEWs
• Sponsorship recognition seal–to use on collateral material, business cards and trade communications

SILVER SPONSOR $7,500.00 - $12,500.00

• Membership privileges for up to 15 employees
• Members featured in ”Who‘s NEW“ in NetworkNEWs
• Sponsorship recognition seal–to use on collateral material, business cards and trade communications

© Copyright 2007 by the Network of Executive Women. All rights reserved. About this site.