In today’s crowded marketplace, consumers are becoming more discerning about where they choose to spend their money. They are not only looking for price and quality, but they also want to support companies that align with their values and invest in genuine, authentic marketing. And the consumers making these decisions are most likely women.
According to NielsenIQ, women in 2024 control about $31.8 trillion of spending worldwide. They are increasingly making economic decisions for their families and have a 70 to 80 percent influence on all consumer spending.
More than half of women in the U.S. are employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and yet McKinsey found that women only make up 29 percent of C-suite positions in 2025. It is imperative, therefore, that companies understand that hiring and promoting women is a smart business decision.
“Companies that support women leaders and create cultures where women can thrive often perform better because culture shapes the brand.” Stacey Ross Cohen, CEO of Co-Communications and an adjunct marketing professor at Fordham University, told Newsweek. “When women feel supported at work, it leads to clearer messaging, better storytelling and more trust with customers.”
Over the last four years, Newsweek has highlighted hundreds of companies across various industries that are taking measurable actions to support women in the workplace.
Newsweek's ranking of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women 2026, in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group, is based on a survey of more than 89,000 female employees who completed over one million reviews of U.S. companies with over 1,000 employees.
Each company on the ranking was scored across different categories, including mental well-being, job security, work-life balance, working environment, company image, community and belonging, sustainability, compensation and benefits, training and career progression and corporate culture. HR analytics firm Aniline also analyzed more than 37 million data points across 120 key performance indicators, giving particular weight to factors related to gender equality, fairness and inclusion.
In 2026, there were over 70 new companies on the list, including household names like Allstate, Five Below, IBM, Little Caesars, Microsoft, Nissan, Morgan Stanley, Novartis, PNC, Starbucks, Six Flags, Target, Tupperware and Uber.
At The Campbell’s Company, a 4.5-star company that debuted on the ranking this year, there is a legacy of women in leadership going back to Pepperidge Farm founder Margaret Rudkin, who was the first woman to serve on Campbell’s Board of Directors in 1961.
“That legacy is very much alive today, with women well represented on our Board and across our leadership team,” Campbell’s Executive Vice President and Chief People and Culture Officer Diane Johnson May told Newsweek in a statement. “This recognition really belongs to our people, who show up every day to create a workplace where everyone has the chance to grow, lead and reach their full potential.”
When a company not only employs women but is led by women, it is better equipped to meet one of the most important demographics. Rebecca Horan is a brand consultant and the founder of Rebecca Horan Consulting and Fingerprint Brands. She said that women control the majority of consumer purchases, but “their needs aren’t being met.”
“Whether it’s product innovation or anticipating how a tagline will land, having different voices in the mix matters,” she said. “When customers feel that a brand gets them—that it’s creating for them and speaking to them—affinity builds, then trust, and eventually loyalty.”
For example, at Chipotle, one of the new companies added to the list in 2026 with a 4-star rating, women hold more than half of the restaurant leadership positions, according to Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Laurie Schalow.
She told Newsweek in a statement that Chipotle has a culture where women are supported, empowered and able to grow at every stage of their career. This recognition, she added, “reflecting the voices and experiences of women across our organization—reinforces our commitment to equity, fairness and opportunity.”
And that same adage applies to women across the company. Horan said that workplaces that support female employees are more likely to attract and retain women, which makes it more likely for women to rise to power within the organization.
“That, in turn, increases the odds that companies build products and services for—and market to—the very people who influence most consumer purchasing decisions, driving stronger brand performance over time,” she said.
At Nissan, debuting on the ranking with a 4-star rating, the company said it’s done intentional work to create an environment where women can grow and lead, Laura Gillespie, the director of talent management for Nissan Americas, told Newsweek. She said there is an executive mentoring program, coaching support for newly promoted individuals and a women’s employee resource group.
“When we invest in people and build an inclusive culture, everyone benefits—our employees, our customers and our business,” she said.
Hospitals and Health Care companies dominated the ranking, which is not surprising considering that health care is one of the most female-dominated industries in the country.
One of the top-rated health systems that is new to the ranking is City of Hope, a private, non-profit clinical research center and hospital based in California.
“We invest deeply in our people through inclusive leadership practices and development opportunities that promote personal and professional well‑being and work‑life balance,” Joline Treanor, City of Hope’s system chief human resources officer, told Newsweek. “Guided by our core values of compassion, integrity, inclusion and trailblazing, we are proud to be an organization where women can grow, lead and make a lasting impact in advancing cancer care and research for patients everywhere.”
Many traditionally male-dominated industries, like software development, IT services and consulting and financial services also had a strong showing on the 2026 ranking.
Retail is a broad industry on the list that includes grocery and department stores, discount stores like Five Below and higher-end appeal brands like Ralph Lauren. According to Morning Consult, women and younger generations are the demographics most likely to be shopping in-store as opposed to online.
Brand consultant Rebecca Horan said brands that have women in leadership positions have the strategic advantage of what she calls “built-in market intelligence.” While you don’t have to be a woman to market to women, she said, “someone with the lived experience of the person they’re building for is naturally going to have a better feel for nuance.”
Fabletics Brand President Meera Bhatia told Newsweek that the company is committed to creating an environment where women can build fulfilling careers at every level.
“Women hold a majority of our management roles, two-thirds of our internal promotions last year were women, and one in six corporate employees actively participates in our women’s ERG, reflecting a culture where women are supported, connected and growing," she said.
The company, which appeared for the first time on the Greatest Workplaces for Women ranking with a 4.5-star rating, has 120 stores globally and a line of functional and fashionable active wear that "champions confidence, inclusion and self-expression for everyone and every body."
Whether they are managing stores, designing products or leading strategic discussions in the boardroom, having women at all levels of leadership is not only improving corporate culture, it's a smart business move.
"The bottom line is when companies support women from within, they not only do what’s right, they also build brands that are more human, trusted and successful," Ross Cohen said.
