About a 3 min. read.
In recognition of Women’s History Month, we are reflecting on the important role that women have played in CMB’s success and what we can do to continue to celebrate and uplift women both within our company and beyond.
Did you know that CMB was co-founded by a woman? We’re very proud of this fact! In 1984, Anne Bailey Berman and John Martin co-founded CMB in Boston’s Leather District. Under her leadership (with the help of many women along the way), CMB was recognized as a Top 100 Women-led Business by The Commonwealth Institute and the Boston Globe Magazine for several years. Anne led CMB until her retirement in 2017, when she continued as Chair of our Board from 2017 to 2020. Anne was instrumental in creating the foundation of CMB’s culture, and many of her efforts ring true today.
CMB’s history might not be that surprising given that the market research industry is woman-dominated, with about 60% of the industry comprised of women full-time employees (Insights Association IDEA Council, 2022). CMB is currently above that average with 67% of our full-time workforce identifying as female (and 1% identify as non-binary or gender nonconforming). Further, while the US average of women in senior leadership positions (Vice-President, Director, C-Suite) is 32%, 53% of CMB’s Senior Leadership are women (Senior Vice-President, Vice-President, Assistance Vice-President, C-Suite).
Despite our majority in the industry, women—especially those of color—are too often overlooked, undervalued, and underserved in our society. It’s critical to support and uplift women in our friendships, families, communities, and organizations.
So, how does CMB honor its woman-founded history and advance the contributions of women today?
In 2023, we founded the Women’s Affinity Group to help formalize our efforts to advance and uplift those who self-identify as women at CMB and in the greater community. Our members aim to make a positive impact on women through various initiatives, including regular all-hands meetings, topic-based discussions (including salary negotiation, confidence, imposter syndrome, and mentoring), volunteering through our volunteer time off (VTO) benefit, and more. Most recently, we hosted a VTO opportunity through LiveYourDream.org during which we wrote empowering messages to girls through the Dream It, Be It initiative.
In addition to our Affinity Group, CMB has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2023, CMB conducted a pay equity audit in partnership with Salary.com’s Compensation Consulting Team. This commitment to equal pay, increased pay transparency, and more inclusive hiring practices and policies has led to numerous changes in our organization, including the addition of a wellness stipend, a fully paid 3-week sabbatical program, increased parental leave, and more.
Equitable insights are a big focus for our industry and our clients. Through our larger DEI Committee, CMB works hard to ensure that our teams are apprised of the latest-and-greatest inclusive best practices and are accounting for these throughout our research design and execution (sampling, questionnaire design, moderating, reporting, etc.).
In addition, CMBers are encouraged to participate in various industry and non-market research programs and events that focus on the advancement of DEI at large and women specifically (such as the Insights Association IDEA Council, Women in Research (WIRe), The Diversity Movement, and YW Boston). Through CMB’s Foundation for Charitable Giving, CMB also contributes one percent of our fiscal year operating income annually to organizations making a difference in these areas. In 2023, this included supporting WIRe’s Women in Color program.
At CMB, we’re excited to see the positive impact our Women’s Affinity Group will continue to make as we expand and mature. We’ll continue to celebrate women’s contributions, foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community, and advocate for one another relentlessly.
In recognition of Women’s History Month, and Gender Equality Month, we challenge you to think about how you can support women, and those who are gender non-binary or nonconforming, both within the workplace and beyond. And if you’re interested in working for CMB, learn more about CMB’s culture and why you should work at CMB.