Maintaining Gender Equality Grows Revenue, Expands Staffing and Increases Exports

A global study from Grant Thornton found that firms maintaining gender-equality initiatives and adding new ones were significantly more likely to grow revenue, expand staffing and increase exports in 2026, reinforcing a business case that many employers are now treating less as policy and more as performance strategy.

At a time when some large employers are scaling back formal diversity efforts, mid-size companies that continue investing in women’s advancement are reporting stronger business results and increasingly using visible female leadership as a competitive advantage.

Discover how the business case for women leaders just got stronger even as overall gains slow, the global study shows.