Forbes Recognizes Kaiser Permanente as One of America’s Best Employers for Women

Forbes has named Kaiser Permanente to its inaugural America’s best employers for women list. This honor recognizes Kaiser Permanente’s focus on attracting and enabling women to contribute to the success of the organization while building successful careers.

“Kaiser Permanente has a long history of empowering and supporting women, both in and out of the workplace,” said Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO. “We are intentional about career satisfaction and advancement for women, evidenced by the leadership roles women play throughout the organization. The great work we do each day to make lives healthier would not be possible without our diverse workforce and the women of Kaiser Permanente serving in critical roles.”

Seventy-five percent of Kaiser Permanente’s employees are women. In our eight regions, three Permanente Medical Groups are led by female executive medical directors and five Kaiser Permanente Health Plan and Hospitals regional presidents are women. In May 2018, DiversityInc named Kaiser Permanente the top company for executive women.

“There were many ways Kaiser Permanente paved the way for me to be successful and advance in my career through training, mentoring, challenging assignments and thoughtful approaches to work-life integration,” said Julie Miller-Phipps, Southern California regional president for Kaiser Permanente Health Plan and Hospitals. “I’m proud to be part of an organization that is truly committed to an environment and business practices that result in equitable development and advancement.”

As one of several programs designed to support women in the workplace, WE@KP (the Women Empowered @ KP business resource group)  provides women opportunities for education, networking and development of leadership skills that enhance their work and life experiences. Among the physician groups, the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, for example, hosts an annual Women in Medicine symposium that provides networking opportunities and encourages female physicians to pursue leadership roles in medicine.

“To be honored and included in Forbes’ list of the best employers for women is a testament to Kaiser Permanente for upholding its foundational commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Mary Wilson, MD, MPH, executive medical director of The Southeast Permanente Medical Group and a pediatrician. “The Permanente Medical Groups strive to treat all physicians equally, judging them on the quality of their work, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or other differences.”

Among the top 300 large companies that span all industries, Kaiser Permanente is one of 24 health care companies on the list. To compile the list, Forbes, in partnership with market research company Statista, surveyed 40,000 employees — including 25,000 women —  from companies with more than 1,000 employees. Respondents anonymously rated their companies and shared their opinions about working conditions, diversity and how likely they would be to recommend their employer to others. Female participants also answered questions about parental leave policies, pay equity, and other topics of interest to women.