Women Leaders Are Redefining Ambition And The Future Of Work – Forbes

Report on the Rise of Portfolio Careers Among Senior Women Leaders and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

A recent national survey conducted by Chief and The Harris Poll reveals a significant shift in the career trajectories of senior women executives. This trend towards building “portfolio careers” demonstrates a redefinition of ambition and leadership that directly supports the achievement of several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Key Findings: Ambition and Career Redefinition

The survey, which included over 1,000 women in Vice President-level positions and above, indicates a departure from traditional, linear career paths. This evolution is driven by a desire for greater impact and alignment with personal values, contributing to more inclusive and sustainable economic models.

Statistical Overview of Ambition

• 86% of women executives report feeling more ambitious today than they did five years ago.
• 96% have made bold career moves in recent years, with 71% doing so by choice rather than necessity.
• 83% believe the traditional career playbook from two decades ago is no longer applicable.

Motivations Driving Career Shifts

The primary motivators for these career changes align with the principles of sustainable and equitable development:

1. Growth Opportunities: 50% of respondents cited the pursuit of new growth avenues.
2. Meaningful Impact: 47% were motivated by the desire to make a more significant impact.
3. Alignment with Personal Values: 45% sought careers that better reflected their personal values.

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The emergence of portfolio careers, where senior women leaders simultaneously hold an average of three professional identities (e.g., corporate roles, board service, entrepreneurship, consulting), is a powerful mechanism for advancing the SDG agenda.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

This trend directly promotes women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in economic life.

• Challenging Structural Barriers: By creating their own opportunities, women are bypassing traditional corporate structures that have historically limited female advancement.
• Building New Influence Centers: 93% of respondents believe they have the collective power to build new “centers of influence,” creating alternative power structures that champion gender equality.
• Investing in Women: Experienced leaders are investing capital and expertise in female-founded ventures, directly addressing systemic biases in funding.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Senior women leaders are leveraging decades of corporate experience to foster entrepreneurship and create stable, innovative businesses that contribute to sustainable economic growth.

• Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development: Women with 20+ years of experience are launching ventures, advising early-stage companies, and creating jobs.
• Focus on Sustainable Business Models: These founders often prioritize building profitable, stable companies over pursuing high-risk, high-growth models, contributing to resilient local economies and decent work.
• Market Disruption as Opportunity: 82% of senior women leaders view market disruption as a motivator to explore new directions, fostering innovation and economic dynamism.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

A critical impact of this movement is its potential to reduce gender-based economic inequalities, particularly the significant disparity in venture capital funding.

• Addressing the Gender Funding Gap: In 2024, women founders received only 2.3% of total venture capital funding. Senior women leaders acting as angel investors and fund managers can direct capital towards underfunded female entrepreneurs.
• Creating Inclusive Workplaces: As business owners and board members, these leaders are in a position to implement policies and cultivate cultures that support women and working mothers, reducing workplace inequality.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The research highlights a collaborative, rather than competitive, approach among women leaders, which is the essence of building partnerships for sustainable development.

• Peer Networks as Accelerators: 94% of respondents stated that being around other ambitious women fuels their own drive.
• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Two-thirds reported that their problem-solving accelerates when brainstorming with other women leaders.
• Building Support Structures: Women are actively creating mentorship programs, investment networks, and professional communities designed to support other women, forming powerful partnerships for collective advancement.

Conclusion and Corporate Implications

The shift towards portfolio careers among senior women is not an abandonment of ambition but an expansion of its definition. This trend represents a significant force for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by fostering gender equality, promoting decent work and economic growth, and reducing systemic inequalities. For corporations, these findings signal an urgent need to update retention strategies. To retain top female talent, organizations must offer greater flexibility, support intrapreneurial ventures, and recognize that impactful careers are no longer confined to a single, linear path. Failure to adapt will result in the loss of experienced leaders who are actively building a more equitable and sustainable economic future elsewhere.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article’s central theme is the professional advancement and changing career trajectories of senior women leaders. It directly addresses issues of women’s leadership, ambition, and economic empowerment, as well as the systemic barriers they face, such as the gender funding gap in venture capital. This aligns perfectly with the goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article discusses a shift from traditional corporate careers to “portfolio careers,” which include entrepreneurship, consulting, and board service. It highlights how senior women are creating new ventures, building stable companies, and generating jobs. This focus on entrepreneurship, job creation, and redefining productive employment connects directly to promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The discussion revolves around innovation and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. It points out how experienced women leaders are launching new ventures, advising startups, and investing in early-stage companies, thereby driving innovation. The article also highlights a critical infrastructure issue: the lack of access to financial services (venture capital) for women-led businesses, which is a key component of this goal.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article explicitly points out the significant inequality in the distribution of venture capital, where women founders receive a disproportionately small share. The efforts of senior women leaders to invest in and mentor other female founders are direct actions aimed at reducing this economic inequality and promoting the inclusion of women in high-growth sectors.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
    
    Explanation: The article is entirely focused on women in senior leadership roles (VP-level, C-Suite, board members) and their active participation in the economy. It discusses how they are not stepping back but are redefining leadership through “portfolio careers,” which include entrepreneurship and board service, directly addressing their participation in economic decision-making.
  • Target 5.a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over… financial services.
    
    Explanation: The article highlights the “gender funding gap,” where women founders struggle to access venture capital. It states they receive only 2.3% of total VC funding. The actions of senior women leaders to write “angel checks” and raise funds for women-led ventures are attempts to improve access to these crucial financial services.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  • Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation… including through access to financial services.
    
    Explanation: The article describes how senior women are leaving traditional roles to pursue entrepreneurship, start companies, and advise startups. It notes that they “tend to build profitable businesses rather than chase billion-dollar valuations,” which “creates stable companies and jobs.” This directly supports the promotion of entrepreneurship and job creation.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  • Target 9.3: Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises… to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.
    
    Explanation: The article’s focus on women-led ventures and startups, which are often small-scale enterprises, and their severe lack of access to venture capital (a key financial service) directly relates to this target. The efforts by senior women to fund these ventures are a direct attempt to address this gap.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… sex.
    
    Explanation: The entire narrative is about the economic empowerment and inclusion of senior women leaders. By building companies, investing in female founders, and creating professional communities, these women are actively promoting their own economic inclusion and that of the women who follow them.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG Target 5.5 (Women in leadership):

  • Indicator: Proportion of women in senior management positions.
    
    Evidence: The article is based on a “survey of over 1,000 women in VP-level and above positions” and notes that “more than half of C-Suite executives—52%—maintain portfolio careers.” This data directly measures the presence of women in top leadership roles.

• For SDG Targets 5.a, 9.3, and 10.2 (Access to finance and economic inequality):

  • Indicator: Proportion of total venture capital funding allocated to women-led ventures.
    
    Evidence: The article provides a precise statistic from PitchBook data: “Women founders raised $38.8 billion in venture capital in 2024… That amount constitutes just 2.3% of total VC funding.” This is a direct and powerful indicator of the inequality in access to financial resources.

• For SDG Target 8.3 (Entrepreneurship):

  • Indicator: Rate of new business creation and entrepreneurial activity among women.
    
    Evidence: While not a single number, the article implies a strong trend. It states that “96% [of women executives] made bold career moves in recent years,” with many “starting companies, joining boards, advising startups, and building consulting practices.” It also notes that senior women now hold an “average of three professional identities at the same time,” indicating a high level of entrepreneurial and related activity.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: forbes.com