Supporting women in the workplace isn\u2019t just about advice \u2013 it\u2019s about action. Here\u2019s why sponsorship is the key to real progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On International Women\u2019s Day 2025, we reflect on the progress made in advancing women in leadership \u2013 but also on the barriers that persist. Despite decades of mentorship programs and leadership training, women remain underrepresented in senior roles. The theme for this year\u2019s International Women\u2019s Day is Accelerating Action<\/em data-aos=\"fade-up\">, which challenges us to go beyond traditional efforts and implement concrete strategies that drive real results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One critical shift is moving from mentorship to sponsorship. While mentorship provides guidance and advice, sponsorship is about action \u2013 using influence to propel women into leadership roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Michelle Moss<\/a>, Director: Assessments and Leadership Consulting<\/a> at Signium Africa<\/a data-aos=\"fade-up\">, says, <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResearch consistently shows us that women are often over-mentored and under-sponsored, which limits their career advancement. If we truly want to see more women in leadership, we need to create strong sponsorship initiatives that offer women access to high-stakes opportunities, not just prolonged learning programs with no real prospects.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n In the world of learning and development, mentorship has been a prominent buzzword for quite some time. However, many organizations remain oblivious to the term \u2018sponsorship\u2019, and unaware of the potential benefits it presents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCompanies with mentorship programs have their hearts in the right place,\u201d elaborates Moss. \u201cBut ideally, mentorship opportunities need to be paired with sponsorship opportunities. Imagine a young lion learns to hunt from its elders, but then it spends the rest of its life scavenging. In reality, when a young lion shows some measure of competence during play-hunting, it\u2019s eventually tasked with participating in an actual hunt. It\u2019s how they\u2019re given a chance to move up the ranks and establish themselves as contributing members of the pride. This is effectively how mentorship and sponsorship work.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mentorship \u2013 The core of confidence <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mentorship is a supportive relationship where a senior professional offers career advice, coaching, and guidance to a more junior employee. For women at work, mentorship helps to build skills, gain confidence, and navigate workplace challenges and biases. However, mentorship alone does not necessarily lead to promotions or high-visibility assignments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sponsorship \u2013 Taking empowerment one step further <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sponsorship, on the other hand, is a high-stakes, advocacy-based relationship where a senior leader actively works to advance someone\u2019s career. A sponsor not only provides guidance but uses their influence to open doors \u2013 recommending a person for promotions, advocating for them in decision-making rooms, and ensuring they are considered for leadership roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In what is termed the \u201cABCD of sponsorship\u201d, Harvard Business Review<\/a data-aos=\"fade-up\"> describes sponsorship as involving four key actions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although organizations continue to make concerted efforts to make progression opportunities more available to women, a gap in the system persists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Moss comments, \u201cIt\u2019s a complex challenge that relies on people stepping out of their comfort zones on both sides. For the senior leaders who stake their reputation and use their influence to sponsor a woman they deem competent and for women who aspire to be leaders to pursue opportunities, despite hurdles \u2013 these decisions call for a certain amount of courage and grit.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Three prevalent stumbling blocks continue to keep women from progressing as quickly as their male counterparts at work \u2013 these are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Lack of access to high-stakes assignments <\/p>\n\n\n\n A key reason why women fail to break into top leadership roles is their lack of access to mission-critical assignments. According to McKinsey\u2019s latest Women in the Workplace 2024 <\/a data-aos=\"fade-up\">report, men are more likely than women to be assigned projects with larger budgets, higher visibility, and direct C-suite engagement. These projects serve as stepping stones to executive positions, making sponsorship critical to career advancement \u2013 something that women are not being given equal opportunity for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. The \u201cOld Boys\u2019 Club\u201d and unconscious bias <\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditionally, sponsorship was often informal and relationship-based. Moss comments, \u201cResearch shows us that senior executives, who are predominantly male, tend to sponsor people who look like them. This is basic human nature because we trust people who look like us, think like us, and talk like us. Unfortunately, in the executive space, it perpetuates the cycle where men continue to be promoted over women.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Misconceptions about readiness <\/p>\n\n\n\n McKinsey\u2019s report also demonstrates that many women hesitate to put themselves forward for promotions unless they meet 100% of the criteria, whereas men often apply when they meet just 60%. Sponsors can help counter this hesitation by advocating for women and ensuring they are considered for leadership roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Research highlights the tangible benefits of sponsorship for both individuals and organizations. Payscale\u2019s 2023 Report on Sponsored Employees Earning indicates that sponsored employees earn 11.6% more than their non-sponsored peers \u2013 however, men still benefit more than women (12.3% vs. 10.2%). Meanwhile, Hewitt\u2019s 2019 study on sponsorship shows that 53% of senior leaders who sponsor others are promoted within two years, showing that sponsorship also benefits sponsors themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Companies with gender-balanced leadership benefit from greater creativity, innovation, and openness to new ideas. Research<\/a data-aos=\"fade-up\"> shows that diversity in management can boost profits by 5-20%, while gender-balanced boards improve business outcomes by 20%. Additionally, businesses led by female CEOs are better at attracting and retaining top talent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s the difference between mentorship and sponsorship? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The top 3 hurdles that prevent women from sponsorship opportunities <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Sponsorship is a game-changer for everyone <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How an Indonesian company used sponsorship to increase their female CEO footprint <\/h3>\n\n\n\n