1.
December 7, 2014
Casey Dawes
Media Director
Missoula Businesswomen’s Network
PO Box 4524
Missoula, MT 59806
Dear Ms. Dawes,
This information kit is being provided to you to introduce Catalyst, a nonprofit organization that
seeks to expand opportunities for women in business and encourage organizations to promote
diversity in the workplace.
The purpose of this kit is to offer a brief summary of what our organization does and to help
promote our newest campaign, #DisruptTheDefault, which seeks to enlist the help of
individuals, groups, and organizations to further women and diversity in business. The
information kit includes:
 A backgrounder on Catalyst
 A news release detailing our new partnership with Japan
 A fact sheet about our #DisruptTheDefault campaign
 A position statement on women in the STEM industry
 A brochure for Catalyst highlighting Catalyst’s Awards and Practices
You are welcome to use any and all of the information provided in this kid. After reviewing
these materials, you will find Catalyst to be of interest to your organization and partnerships. We
hope you utilize this information and share in the efforts to create a workplace full of diversity
and inclusion.
If you have any questions about the materials in this kit or would like to learn more about
Catalyst and #DisruptTheDefault, please contact me at (646)388-7744.
Sincerely,
Summer Bruso
Public Relations Contact Person
120 Wall Street, Floor 15 New York, NY 10005
Tel: (212)514‐7600 Fax: (212)514‐8470 Web: catalyst.org

2. 120 Wall Street, Floor 15 New York, NY 10005
Tel: (212)514‐7600 Fax: (212)514‐8470 Email: info@catalyst.org
About Catalyst
Catalyst is a nonprofit organization that seeks to expand opportunities for women in business and
encourage organizations to promote diversity in the workplace. Catalyst was founded in 1962 by
Felice N. Schwartz who saw the inequity women faced in the work environment and sought out
ways to improve the situation. Catalyst invites men, women, and organizations to come together
to foster an environment of inclusion that will change business and society for the better.
Catalyst serves many regions across the globe including the United States, Canada, Europe,
India, and Japan. Global participation allows Catalyst to reach a variety of cultures and
organizations. (Catalyst)
Catalyst believes knowledge is power, therefore, research is the cornerstone of Catalyst’s
mission. This research serves to provide information about women and minorities participation
in the business world. In addition to research, Catalyst provides other tools and services – such
as the Catalyst Award, consulting services, and training seminars – that raise awareness of the
benefits of diversity in business. (Catalyst)
Since its inception, Catalyst membership has grown. There are over 700 member organizations
that participate in and support Catalyst’s mission. Member organizations provide practical,
proven methods of diversity and inclusion practices that others can incorporate in their own
organizations. These member organizations have come together to create a community of
experts who wish to share goals, experience, and knowledge with other individuals and
organizations. (Catalyst)
For more information about Catalyst or to become a member, visit catalyst.org or call
(212)514-7600.
#####

3. September 28, 2014
Media Contact Japan: Natsuko Mochizuki
Email: catalyst@moonlightwave.com
Media Contact US: Ellen Parlapiano
Phone: (646) 388-7778
“Catalyst Enters Japan Marketplace”
-Honors Prime Minister Abe-
(Tokyo, Japan) – Catalyst announced today that they are entering the Japanese market, bringing global
expertise in expanding opportunities for women in business. During the USJC-ACCJ* Women in
Business Summit, Catalyst presented Prime Minister Shinzō
Abe with a commendation for his contribution to furthering the advancement of women in the workplace.
US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy was also in attendance.
This announcement comes just ten days after the United States celebrates the 94th
anniversary of the
passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution granting all American women suffrage.
Japan is seeing dramatic changes in their demographics. With a low-fertility rate and a shrinking
working-age population and over-all population, Japan is seeing the need, economically and socially, for
encouraging women to participate in the workforce. Many Japanese women would like to stay in the
workforce, however, 60 percent stop working after the birth of their first child (Catalyst, 2014).
By partnering with Catalyst, the Japanese business community and government will be better equipped
with the tools necessary to advance diversity and gender equality in the workplace. Catalyst Japan will
help develop programs to help women realize their full working potential and financial independence.
“Japan is making the serious connection between women’s advancement and economic growth, and our
entry into the country supports and celebrates this...” said Deborah Gillis, President and CEO of Catalyst.
Catalyst is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing opportunities for women in business.
Catalyst has offices in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and India. Catalyst provides education,
research, information, and advice about women in the workplace to more than 500 member organizations
dedicated to promoting diversity in the workplace. Catalyst honors the exemplary initiatives of these
organizations, and is excited to have Japan join in the mission.
For more information about Catalyst and Catalyst Japan, visit www.catalyst.org.
* US-Japan Council-American Chamber of Commerce in Japan
# # #

4. NEWS from
Catalyst: Changing workplaces. Changing lives
Media Contact: Susan Nierenberg
(646)388-7744 snierenberg@catalyst.org
October 12, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Catalyst Launches #DisruptTheDefault Campaign
To Encourage Organizations to Get Involved in the Advancement of Women
Advancing women in the workplace is Catalyst’s ultimate goal. By developing
#DisrupttheDefault, Catalyst seeks to encourage active participation by individuals and
organizations to promote and develop initiatives to advance women’s roles in business.
“Pointing out the problem is not enough. You have to be part of the solution” Deborah Gillis,
President & CEO, Catalyst (Catalyst)
1. What is Catalyst?
Catalyst is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing opportunities for women in business.
Catalyst has offices in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and India. Catalyst provides
education, research, information, and advice about women in the workplace to more than 500
member organizations dedicated to promoting diversity in the workplace. Catalyst honors the
exemplary initiatives of these organizations.
2. What is #DistruptTheDefault?
#DistruptTheDefault was launched on October 1, 2014. It seeks to enlist the help of individuals,
groups, and organizations to further women and diversity in business. #DisruptTheDefault is an
action oriented initiative that seeks immediate, meaningful change and involvement from the
business community and individuals within organizations. #DisruptTheDefault is an outreach
initiative that seeks to quash the traditional views of women’s roles in the workplace by offering
tips, statistics, and various ways to expand opportunities for women.
3. How can I get involved?
It is easy for you to get involved any time, any where! You can attend business meetings,
conferences, or training seminars hosted by your company, asking questions about new methods
to recruit qualified women. Talk to others about the issues women in business encounter.
Speak with men and encourage them to promote diversity in their workplace. YOU can make a
difference in your community by defining and personalizing these issues. YOU have the ability
to speak at business meetings, church conferences, neighborhood events, book club, even at the

5. dinner table. Have confidence that you are qualified, influential, and relevant to create
awareness and make a change. (Gillis, 2014)
4. How can I share information regarding #DisruptTheDefault?
Catalyst encourages you to take the pledge to #DisruptTheDefault by submitting to us the ways
in which you promise to make an impact. Share this pledge with other individuals and
organizations on your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. Social media is a great tool to
spread messages quickly and broadly.
5. What are some issues women encounter in the workplace?
There are several obstacles women must navigate. Women in post-MBA entry level positions
make an average of $4,600 less than their male counter-parts
(Silva & Carter, 2010). Men are often given high-visibility, mission-critical projects that elevate
their experience and role in an organization. Women, on the other hand, are tasked with less
important projects and are often given limited resources such as budget and supporting staff
(Silva, Carter & Beninger, 2012). Women are often held to higher standards than their male
counterparts but receive smaller rewards. Women must advance based on their performance
history rather than their performance potential (Catalyst, 2007).
6. Why is it important for men to #DisruptTheDefault?
Men hold 85 percent of the executive positions and 96 percent of the CEO positions in the
United States. They are critical in changing the status quo. Since men hold the vast majority of
executive and management positions, it is imperative that men be involved in facilitating change
within organizations. If men are aware of gender bias in the workplace, they are more likely to
recognize it and affect change in their organizational culture. Men need to understand that
equality in the workplace furthers the organizations mission and, in the long run, their overall
success within the organization (Catalyst, 2012).
7. How can men make get involved?
There are many organizations men can be a part of: Men Against Sexism, National Coalition
Against Domestic Violence, Fostering Caring Masculinities, and many more. All of these
organizations promote gender equality and provide education and outreach programs to
communities and organizations. As individuals, men can make a huge difference in the lives of
women they work with by listening to their concerns, speaking out against gender bias, pay
attention and listen to what they have to say (Catalyst, 2012).
8. Are there available resources I can use to #DisruptTheDefault?
YES! Catalyst has a vast quantity of resources available to anyone who wishes to use. We have
an experienced staff and outside contributors that continually research and publish relevant and
current data. Catalyst has an expansive knowledge center where a variety topics can be
researched. We encourage you to do your own research and develop your own initiatives for
advancing women in the workplace.
###

6.
A Catalyst Position Paper
Women in the STEM Industry
The STEM industry – science, technology, engineering, math – is projected to grow by
17 percent from 2008 to 2018 (Langdon, McKittrick, Beede, Khan, & Dorms, 2014).
While women participation in the STEM industry has grown since the 1970’s they still
make up only 27 percent of the STEM workforce (Huhman, 2012). Catalyst believes
more needs to be done to encourage women to enter this growing field as well as to
remain within the field.
Our Observations about Women in the STEM industry…
Women make up half of the total workforce yet remain an underutilized talent across the STEM
industry spectrum. Women hold 41.3 percent of all STEM degrees (Landivar, 2013, p. 19). We
believe the lack of female role models, outsider mentality, and unclear evaluation standards have
an effect on the reasons why women do not enter or stay in these fields. We further contend that,
even with the same education as men, women in entry-level STEM positions enter the workforce
with in lower level positions, thus creating a pay and position gap from the beginning of their
career.
…STEM history
Women have, in general, been
underrepresented in the workforce. However,
this disparity is seen more clearly in STEM
industries. Even though women hold 60
percent of all bachelor’s degrees, only 20
percent have STEM degrees. This affects a
wide array of organizations and the public
because women’s talents are not being
recognized or encouraged. Television and
movies often portray women as successful
doctors or lawyers, however, the male
stereotype of computer programmers,
engineers, and technicians still endures
(Huhman, 2012).
In 1970, 3 percent of women were
engineers, 14 percent physical scientists, 15
percent mathematicians, 15 percent computer
scientists, and 17 percent social scientist.
While women’s involvement in social science
has increased to 61 percent participation,
math, physical and computer science, and
engineering have not seen much improvement
with 47, 41, 27, and 13 percent respectively.
(Landivar, 2013, pp. 5-6)
This trend is continuing. More and more,
women are being left behind in the STEM
industry. For example, women have seen a
decrease in computer science participation
since the 1990’s (Landivar, 2013).
…the barriers
Jocelyn Goldfein, director of engineering
at Facebook, said in an interview, “The reason
there aren’t more women in computer sciences
is because there aren’t more women in
computer science” (Huhman, 2012). One of
the main barriers women face is the lack of
Contact: Susan Neirenberg
snierenberg@catalyst.org

7. female role models in the industry, which
leads to women feeling like outsiders within
their organization. Because the STEM
industries are male
dominated fields,
women feel like they do
not fit in with not only
their teams but with the
organization. Women
say they feel different
then their co-workers.
This feeling of being an
outsider affects job
performance and ultimately, lead to women
leaving the field (Beninger, 2014, p. 5). If
women leave the industry, they do not gain the
experience or the notoriety necessary to act as
mentors for younger generations or role
models girls aspiring to STEM careers.
Another barrier we found is that women
do not perceive clear evaluation standards
provided to them by the organization. Women
believe their supervisors do not set clear
expectations of their role and performance.
Again, not having other women to work with
or female role models to look to, women rely
on transparency on how they will be evaluated
(Beninger, 2014, p. 7).
The most significant barrier women face
in the STEM industry is that often, they are
awarded lower-level entry positions than their
male counterparts. 55 percent of women
compared to 39 percent of men will start in an
entry-level position even though women have
comparable education backgrounds. This
position gap leads to a gap in pay and
advancement opportunities. Lower-level
positions pay less and are farther from top-
level positions meaning a woman must work
harder and longer to achieve the same results
as men (Beninger, 2014, p. 2).
Our Response…
At Catalyst, we believe women have a
unique perspective to offer the workplace.
They are just as
intelligent, motivated,
educated, and creative as
their male counterparts.
For these reasons, we
believe there needs to be
more done to promote
and encourage women to
participate in the STEM
industries.
There are many ways in which
individuals, organizations, and industries can
reach out and recruit successful women and
maintain a growth of participation. Catalyst
works diligently across the globe to promote
diversity in the workplace. We seek to
empower women – and men – to seek ways to
diversify their world.
Recommendations…
First, early education and inspiration for
girls and young women is critical. By creating
curriculum in primary schools, girls may
develop an interest in the STEM industry.
Bring female experts into the schools. Girls
need to be provided with a female role model
and given the expectation that she can
succeed. Also, schools need to develop
programs and encourage female participation
that give them the skills, experience, and
confidence to perform in the STEM industry.
Second, provide equal pay for equal
experience and educational background. This
will provide motivation for women to
participate in their field. Also, women need to
be awarded the position levels afforded to men
in the beginning of their career.
Finally, organizations need to set clear
expectations and evaluation criteria.
Transparency is important when women feel
like outsiders with no one they can relate to.

8. Who is Catalyst?
Founded in 1962 by social activist Felice
N. Schwartz, Catalyst is a non-profit
organization whose mission seeks to
develop opportunities and advance women
in the business community. Catalyst
provides research, education, support,
tools, and outreach programs to help men,
women, and organizations around the
world promote diversity and inclusion in
the workforce. Catalyst seeks to make a
global impact for women with offices in
the United States, Canada, Europe, India,
Japan, and Australia and partners with
other organizations in many other
countries and regions.
Catalyst Awards and
Practices
Get Involved and Be
Recognized!
Catalyst
120 Wall Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10005
phone: +1 212 514 7600
fax: +1 212 514 8470
Practices@catalyst.org
For further information about Catalyst and
our programs, visit us on the web
www.catalyst.org
Interested in nominating your or another’s
organization?
Contact us!

9. Need assistance developing
and analyzing your
organization’s Practices?
Catalyst can help! Catalyst can provide
your organization with assistance in de-
veloping new organizational Practices.
Further, Catalyst provides example Prac-
tices from organizations around the
world to use as inspiration or frameworks
for your organization.
There are many activities your organiza-
tion’s Practices can focus on:
 Diversity Recruitment
 Leadership Development
 Mentoring and Sponsorship
 Board Preparation Programs
 Work/Life Effectiveness Support
Catalyst Practices
Catalyst defines its Practices as strate-
gies that support diversity and inclusion
efforts, including both programs specific
to a group or region, and broad, compa-
ny-wide strategies that further the ad-
vancement of women and other diverse
groups.
Percent of Practices each region contributes
Catalyst Award
Has your organization made positive,
proven, measurable cultural changes that
advance women and diversity?
Every year since 1987, Catalyst
recognizes organizations that develop
innovative ideas which promote the
advancement of women and encourage
diversity. Winners of the Catalyst Award
must demonstrate proven, measurable
success of their diversity initiatives
ranging in scope from race and gender, to
religion, nationality, and disability. An
organization can be big or small and
located in any part of the world. If you
are interested in being a Catalyst Award
candidate, you can nominate your own
organization. However, many candidates
are located through Catalyst’s research
efforts.