4 science-backed interventions to advance women leaders

Decades of research show the benefits of women in leadership are invaluable. Females embody a more transformational leadership style fostering mission-driven cultures. Female presence also improves team dynamics, with better collaboration and collective intelligence; the greater the ratio of women, the greater equality is seen in conversations, thus capitalizing on the team’s full knowledge and skillsets. All this translates into measurable results: meta-analyses link female leadership with improved sales, and their representation on the board of directors is also directly associated with financial performance. 

The largest study of women in corporate America marked its 10th anniversary and has found gains fragile, especially for women of color. The Women in the Workplace 2024 report from McKinsey and Lean In shows representation of women has improved at every level of management, but equity is still decades away. Despite the gains still to be made, corporate America’s prioritization of gender diversity has declined. Yet there would be a 22% increase in global human capital wealth if there was equal participation of women in just the healthcare industry alone! 

A trailblazing example

The recipient of the nutraceutical industry’s first female leadership award, Trailblazing Woman of the Year Yasmeen Nkrumah-Elie, PhD, exemplifies the transformative leadership that women bring to the table. Recognized for pioneering groundbreaking industry-academia collaborations, Nkrumah-Elie was selected by the Council of Responsible Nutrition and my company, Radicle Science, for her passion for “advancing science, promoting diversity, and mentoring the next generation of female leaders.”

The global director for external research at ChromaDex spearheaded the company’s industry-leading collaborative research program which has resulted in approximately $100 million in third-party funded research with 300 research collaborations, including Harvard, Mayo Clinic, and National Institute on Aging. 

When Nkrumah-Elie received her award, she used the moment to celebrate another trailblazer:  Chioma Ikonte, PhD, the first Black woman to become a chief scientific officer in the nutraceutical industry. This type of championing and community building also helps address one of the biggest challenges women face in business: limited access to resources and networks.

Evidence-based interventions

Nkrumah-Elie’s experiences align closely with the best practices highlighted in McKinsey’s report surveying 280 organizations, as well as a meta-analysis published in the medical journal The Lancet reviewing 91 studies across six continents. 

These sources converge on four evidence-backed interventions to advance women in leadership:

1. Structured processes for awareness and engagement  

Intentional leadership accountability and equitable policies are essential for addressing systemic barriers. McKinsey identifies bias tracking and bias reminders in hiring and performance reviews as among the most effective practices.

Nkrumah-Elie reflects on her experiences: “I walked into my interview with 100% my authentic self, and I’ve been accepted for who I am and what I stand for every single day that I’ve been in the company. It’s wonderful to be somewhere where I’m celebrated, not just tolerated.”

2.  Mentoring and networking

Mentorship is critical for fostering women’s leadership. The benefits are not just seen in individual career advancement, but across the entire organization, including better employee retention, engagement, and knowledge-sharing.

Nkrumah-Elie emphasizes mentorship as a cornerstone of her philosophy: “Being a mentor is one of the greatest gifts, whether it is formal or informal…In our supplement industry, that means we are joining organizations like Women in Nutraceuticals that are helping elevate women in the industry.”

3. Leadership development programs  

​​Effective programs address systemic barriers while simultaneously building women’s leadership skills. Co-designing these initiatives with stakeholders ensures alignment with organizational and individual needs.

Nkrumah-Elie shares how she was encouraged to grow as an industry leader: “When things were happening around 2020 and I started to present myself as a voice, as a voice for women, for intentionally marginalized groups, I was so worried I would lose my position. My mentor said, “You can say this at the NBJ meeting [the nutrition industry’s C-suite summit] and have these conversations and be listened to.” I think that’s unique to our industry. I question how many industries are continuing to take that perspective and hearing that voice, but their employees and consumers are the beauty of that diversity in America.”

4.  Support tools

When integrated within broader strategies, support tools can identify and address gender inequities. Training managers to support employee well-being is among McKinsey’s best practices. Interventions, such as menopause support, with a strong focus on measurable impact, are also key differentiators in high-performing organizations.

Understanding women have different needs, Nkrumah-Elie calls for integrating women into all parts of research and development in her industry: “That means we are advancing the science that’s studying and including women in all stages of life…we should not be excluding women because of differences in our biology, which has been done for hundreds of years. Now it’s time to say there is a right for women to be included in all aspects of this process.”

Sustaining progress

Most importantly, for any intervention to be effective and sustainable, there must be organizational support across all levels. Echoing the Lancet meta-analysis, McKinsey found that commitment and engagement, specifically with gender and racial diversity being a strategic priority, were among the top differentiators for the best performing companies. 

The science is clear. Companies committed to investing in structured processes, mentorship, leadership development programs, and tailored support tools are not just advancing equity in female leadership—they’re positioning themselves for better performance and long-term growth.

As we celebrate the incredible women who are changing the world, we remember that each of us has a role to play. Whether it’s through mentorship, allyship, or simply amplifying women’s voices, together we can build a future where everyone’s potential is recognized and celebrated.

Jeff Chen, MD, MBA is cofounder and CEO of Radicle Science.

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