Profiles of Women's Organizations - Women Helping Women

Since 2002 Carlson has been a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and National Women’s Business Owners Corporation.

Carlson’s published Mission Statement: “To continuously build better and more inclusive relationships with employees, customers, owners and suppliers.”

This mission is clearly being met in the number of women- and minority-owned business Carlson works with. And, according to Carlson Industries 2006 Annual Diversity Report, which includes all U.S.-based Carlson employees and owned/managed hotels (but not does not include their franchisees) the company is comprised of 56% women and 34% minorities.

In 1962, Felice N. Schwartz founded Catalyst to help women enter the workforce. The first board of directors consisted of five college presidents from Lawrence, Mills, Sarah Lawrence, Smith, and Wellesley. Together they began an organization whose work would go on to expand options for women in business and in the work force.

The organization known today as WITI Professional Association was founded by Carolyn Leighton in 1989. Leighton created the organization to “help women advance by providing access to - and support from - other professional women working in all sectors of technology.

Her business expertise and vision has made WITI the premiere global organization empowering women in business and technology today.

Mission Statement: “WITI's mission is to empower women worldwide to achieve unimagined possibilities and transformations through technology, leadership and economic prosperity.”

If you think fitness and social club when you hear “YWCA” you’d be conjuring the wrong image. The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) is the oldest and largest multicultural women's organization in the world.

The YWCA advocates for women and minorities on many levels both internationally and in the U.S. The YWCA offers safe havens for women that suffer domestic violence, rape crisis counseling, and even job training and career counseling. The YWCA also helps women with childcare, and of course, health and fitness programs, too.