
The waiting game is over!
Join LEAD Network and Advance Diversity
The mission of the LEAD Network (Leading Executives Advancing Diversity) is to attract, retain and advance women in the Consumer Goods and Retail sector in Europe through education, leadership and business development.
LEAD Network is convinced organisations can create more sustainable value by leveraging the full talent pool. Our vision is a diverse workforce where both men and women can contribute their full potential and lead their organisations to the next level of value creation. We believe that advancing more women to take on leadership roles is required to face actual business challenges.
As a non-profit organisation we have adopted a unique focus on the Consumer Goods and Retail sector within Europe. To measure how the industry develops in terms of gender equality, every two years we conduct a survey – LEAD Network Gender Diversity Scorecard.
More information on the 2023 LEAD Network Gender Diversity Scorecard here.

Are you enthusiastic? Join now!
Our membership consists of 18,000+ people, representing over 200+ manufacturers and 100+ retailers.
Here are some of the benefits:
- Network with female and male senior leaders & executives to help advance your career
- Access to our “Inspirational Journeys Series” with learning opportunities via articles and videos
- Access to skill-building events and webinars
- Potential talent pool for future female senior leaders & executives
- Insights in examples of implementation of (gender) diversity programs to apply to your organisation
- Get external inspiration and support for you being part of this community formed by like-minded future leaders
Become a member. It is free of charge.
YES!
we have an app

DOWNLOAD THE
LEAD NETWORK
MOBILE APP
Six core values of LEAD Network
We embrace the following values to guide the activities of the LEAD Network
and its community of members, Partners, volunteers and staff.
BLOGS and INTERVIEWS
Stop apologizing and start leading
Keynote speech by Leena Nair
During the LEAD Network Virtual Conference this year, Leena Nair, Chief Human Resource Officer at Unilever, delivered a riveting keynote speech that urged women to “stop apologizing and start leading.” Her speech, introduced by her colleague Hanneke Faber, President Foods & Refreshment at Unilever, was the highest rated of all presentations and generated a storm of responses from our members, even giving rise to the hashtag #wwld (what would Leena do?). Leena’s approach is forthright and outspoken. She challenges the need to make a business case for female leaders.
“Has anyone ever seen a business case for why men are good for business? No. And we don’t want to have one for women.”
WEBINARS and NETWORKING
Watch our LEAD Network Webinar Recordings
At LEAD Network, we host regular webinars focused on 3 different tracks:
D&I Best Practices – learn from our partners about how they are making an impact on gender equality
Personal & Career Development – be inspired by personal stories, develop your leadership skills and drive your own career
Functional & Industry Topics – learn about what’s new in our sector and build your functional skills
D&I Best Practises
Personal & Career development
Functional & Industry Topics
Initiatives, studies & programmes
SUPER POWERS NOW
Involves making a commitment to improve gender parity at the Director level and above.
UNLIMITED POTENTIAL
3 Main reasons for companies to think about flexible working
MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME
High-potential mentees are matched with experienced senior leader mentors from across the European retail and CPG industry for an immersive experience that takes place over an 11-month period.
CEO ENGAGEMENT
We facilitate an active dialogue and direct exchange with our diverse network of around 150 CEOs and Regional Presidents from the industry, under the guidance of our CEO Engagement Committee.
CEO Gender Parity Pledge
Involves making a commitment to improve gender parity at the Director level and above.
CEO Roundtable
Twice yearly we organise interactive virtual CEO Roundtables.
The Journey to 50/50
We issue articles written by our CEO’s in our Journey to 50/50 series.
LEAD Network Partners Interviews
Sponsor Spotlight
Ahold Delhaize
Sponsor Spotlight
P&G
Béatrice Dupuy
President and General Manager France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
Procter & Gamble
A big THANK YOU to our partners
How to partner?
By supporting LEAD, you will be a positioned as a strategic driver in our movement to advance women leaders in our industry. Your company will be recognized as a catalyst for change and an advocate of women’s leadership. You will play an instrumental role in bringing both an intellectual and financial contribution to help build our strategic outlook as well as our educational and professional development programmes.
To find out more about partnering with LEAD, please contact Tetyana Kretova at tetyana.kretova@lead-eu.net