One of the things I love the most about being a professional skin therapist is that this industry creates great opportunities for women. A new study just validates that women in business are a good influence on the world at large. I’m not surprised—are you?

Wendy Beecham, CEO of the Forum or Women Entrepreneurs & Executives, a San Francisco group which recently partnered with UC Davis on a study of female CEOS, feels that women at the helm can make a difference, especially when a business is in crisis. She is quoted in The San Francisco Chronicle as follows: “Research shows there are differences in how women manage risk. Women also tend to be able to look at things from many different angles at the same time.”

The study in which she participated was the annual Study of California Women Business Leaders, conducted by UC Davis Graduate School of Management. The study concluded that companies with women leaders may be more socially responsible than all-male organizations, especially in regard to the environment.

Of 62 companies examined in the study, those that had no women directors or executives had the poorest environmental performance. Firms that had both women managers and directors had the best environmental performance.

But don’t worry—it’s not all warm and fuzzy tree-hugging stuff. It’s the hard-core bottom line as well. The study identifies the following companies as some of Calfornia’s most financially successful, all of which engage women in senior executive capacities: JACK IN THE BOX, EDISON INTERNATIONAL, CLOROX, PEET’S COFFEE & TEA, HEALTH NET and THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY. Not exactly small potatoes.

“The business world is in dire need of a greater number of connected, empowered and effective women leaders,” says Wendy Beecham. Listening, ladies?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 10:24 am and is filed under under my skin with jane wurwand, founder of dermalogica.