How & Why We Empower Women at Work

In 1948, a century after the Seneca Falls Convention that marked the beginning of the women's rights movement, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 71 percent of the U.S. workforce was male. Now, over 70 years later, women make up nearly half of the American workforce.

But there's still a long way to go to achieve gender parity in the workplace. A recent 'Women in the Workplace' report from McKinsey & Co. and Lean In found that women are still underrepresented at every level of corporate America. According to the report, women are less likely than men to get hired for entry-level jobs and reach senior levels of leadership in the workplace. In fact, the findings indicate that for every 100 men promoted to a manager-level positions, only 79 women receive the same opportunities. The result? Only 38 percent of managerial positions in today's workforce are held by women.

Giving can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people — you can give your time, your money, a gift or a hug, or even give someone a good idea or sound advice. There are countless ways to give, but what remains true across all forms of giving is the immense value people who give can bring to our world.

Here, we will learn from four leading women who are quite familiar with the power of giving and know the importance of giving back — be it through their jobs, expertise or personal passions.