Where passion meets purpose: ZS’s partnership with Working for Women
At ZS, we believe our work should always improve life and how we live it. One of the most inspiring ways we’ve accomplished this has been in our partnership with Working for Women (W4W), a U.S. nonprofit that helps women who are economically marginalized achieve financial independence.
Since becoming W4W’s first corporate partner in 2018, ZS has mobilized expertise across its offices to drive meaningful, long-term impact for women and their communities.
Driving economic mobility through corporate-nonprofit partnership
W4W’s mission is simple but powerful: connect women to jobs, invest in upward mobility and shift the narrative around women’s path into the workforce. But this important work can’t be done alone. Over the last several years, ZSers have expanded W4W’s programming. Together we’ve:
- Broadened negotiation skills workshops to reach hundreds of women. These workshops provide specialized training to help women overcome gender-specific barriers, increase confidence and build skills for career advancement. With support from ZS, these programs have grown beyond collaborative negotiation and effective communication to include open conversations about challenges immigrant women and women of color face in the workforce.
- Supported career-building pathways by helping women earn professional certificates and connect to job opportunities.
- Elevated conversations about gender and racial wealth gaps through pro bono consulting projects that use data and storytelling to develop regional wealth visualizations and hosting panel discussions on topics such as women’s health equity.
In recognition of this sustained collaboration, ZS and W4W were honored with the inaugural Corporate Ally Award in 2024 from Women’s Way, Philadelphia’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of women. This milestone reflects the power of our aligned purpose.
Championing financial independence for women
Beth Bengtson, founder and CEO of W4W, has been a champion of this collaboration since day one. Her vision for economic empowerment is both grounded and aspirational.
“When women are financially empowered, entire communities thrive. Our partnership with ZS shows what’s possible when business brings its resources and people to the table.” — Beth Bengtson
Beth’s belief that business and social impact are not separate pursuits, but mutually beneficial forces, continues to shape how we engage across teams. “Real change happens when we invest not just money, but our time, skills and attention. That’s what ZS has brought to this work,” Beth says.
How pro bono consulting strengthens workforce inclusion
Our involvement with W4W is more than volunteerism; it’s a development experience. For our people, W4W creates opportunities to build leadership, coaching and communication skills while bettering the communities around them. This work deepens the empathy and perspective that W4W carries into client engagements.
For ZS, it reinforces our culture of inclusion and our commitment to treating people right—not just in principle, but in practice. And for our clients, it sharpens what we bring to the table: a deeper understanding of workforce inclusion, access and human-centered solutions.
When ZSers apply their skills in service of economic mobility, they get to network with colleagues who share similar passions. The opportunity to apply skills in a new setting allows ZSers to return to work more thoughtful, grounded and better equipped to help clients solve complex challenges with lasting impact.
If you’re looking for a place where your deep expertise can drive meaningful change, ZS is the next step. No matter where you are in your career, you’ll find opportunities to learn, lead and contribute to work that matters. Explore our open roles and see how you can put your passion to work at ZS.
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