Women's Breakfast: Transformational Philanthropy

Historical Context & Human Capital Evolution

• The United States led global education from the 1860s to the 1960s, adding one year of formal schooling annually; however, other nations have since caught up and surpassed the U.S.
• In the 1830s to mid-1960s, major firms like Deloitte (founded 1830s) barred women from employment and offices.
• Nobel Prize winner Gary Becker estimated human capital (individual productivity) constitutes 75% of a society's real assets.
• Economist Kevin Murphy posits human capital may represent as much as 90% of a country's total assets.
• The three primary drivers for increasing human capital are identified as: education, health/medicine (extending life quality), and immigration.
• Over the last 114 years, global life expectancy has increased by 39 years, compared to an 11-year gain over the preceding 4 million years.

Education & Global Inequity (Wendy Kopp & Teach for All)

• Educational inequity is a global phenomenon where "where kids are born" dictates life outcomes.
• Teach for America receives 50,000–60,000 annual applications for 5,000–6,000 teaching slots.
• In the UK, Teach First has become the top graduate employer, recruiting top talent for two-year commitments in high-need communities.
• Long-term data from London shows disadvantaged children now have better educational outcomes than the average child in the rest of the UK.
• The Teach for All network now operates in 35 countries, sharing solutions to accelerate progress.
• In Pakistan, Teach for All fellows challenge girls to meet higher academic standards (e.g., 8th-grade goals in 7th grade) to expand opportunities.
• Basic infrastructure barriers, such as lack of sanitary facilities, contribute significantly to female student dropout rates in South African schools.

STEM & Inclusive Economics (Alexis)

• U.S. Labor Statistics project that 9 out of 10 jobs in the next decade will require a STEM component.
• Current STEM job market demand in the U.S. exceeds supply by an estimated 73 million available positions.
• In the 1950s, only 20% of U.S. jobs required a skill; today, 65% of jobs in developed nations require skilled labor.
• Alexis donated $100,000 over three years to Imperial College London to fund women-led innovation in STEM fields.
• The initiative includes mentorship, coaching, and cash prizes to encourage women to stay in STEM and launch companies.
• 5 of the top 20 global bioscience universities are located in the UK (Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh).
• Venture-backed deals led by women are disproportionately low in pharma, biotech, and software sectors.
• Women-led IPOs represented only 2.6% of exits in 2013.

Philanthropy in Sub-Saharan Africa (Precious)

• Precious and her husband Patrice joined "The Giving Pledge" in early 2021 to recommit to their work since 1999.
• Their foundation funded 400 students in tertiary STEM education in South Africa in a single year, covering full tuition, boarding, and academic needs.
• Sub-Saharan Africa's youth population (ages 15–29) comprises 44% of the region, compared to 16% in Europe.
• 6 or 7 of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies this century are located in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa has increased by 50% in one generation; the average age is 19, compared to 30s in the U.S. and Europe.
• Rwanda ranks 7th globally on the Gender Equality Index, surpassing the U.S. (20th) and UK (26th).
• The foundation utilizes a joint-venture model where equity returns from successful women-owned businesses fund future ventures.

Healthcare, Bioscience & Acceleration (Margaret)

• 80% of healthcare decisions in the U.S. are made by women.
• The Pediatric AIDS Foundation reduced the probability of HIV transmission from mother to child from 90% to 2%.
• Approximately 2/3 of people living with HIV/AIDS globally reside in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• There are 10,000 known diseases; treatments currently exist for only 500.
• Faster Cures has created the Philanthropy Advisory Service Project to help medical philanthropists establish metrics for impact.
• Bioscience has accounted for approximately 50% of all global economic growth over the last 200 years.

Financial Sector & Access to Capital

• Credit Suisse supports Teach First and Room to Read by donating employee time, frequent flyer miles, and office space to reduce overhead costs for non-profits.
• Credit Suisse has deployed 56 global citizen volunteers to build capacity within the Teach for All network.
• The 30% Club has grown to 114 supporters in the UK (106 men, 8 women), focusing on increasing women on boards.
• Women hold only 71% of the economic opportunity available to men in the UK.
• The 30% Club has expanded to the US (led by Bloomberg's Peter Grauer), Hong Kong, Canada, and Ireland.
• Only 1 in $23 of conventional small business loans goes to women-owned businesses in the U.S.
• Women represent 30% of U.S. small businesses but receive only 16% of conventional loans and 17% of SBA loans.
• Three of the world's largest companies (General Motors, IBM, Lockheed Martin) currently have female CEOs.

The Girl Effect & Multi-Asset Approach (Nike Foundation)

• The Girl Effect argues for a "horizontal" approach, addressing education, health, and economic opportunity simultaneously rather than vertically.
• Global assets flowing specifically to girls and women remain "incredibly small" relative to the scale of need.
• Adolescence is identified as the critical transition period where girls are most vulnerable to dropping out.

Educational Completion & Dropout Rates

• 86% of students from the top income quartile graduate college within six years.
• Only 8% of students from the bottom income quartile graduate college within six years.
• The Milken Family Foundation's Scholars Program reports a 351-out-of-353 success rate (graduation and graduate school entry) for underprivileged students.

Corporate & Institutional Initiatives

• The Milken Institute and The Family Foundation launched the Women Financial Scholars Program in 1989.
• Two selected scholars spend a year at the Milken Institute training in finance and capital markets.
• Credit Suisse employees are encouraged to use vacation time to immerse themselves with partner organizations (e.g., Teach for All locations).

Forward-Looking Statements & Strategic Priorities

• Patience and Persistence: Long-term success in transforming society requires sustained commitment over decades.
• Role Modeling: Increasing visibility of successful women (e.g., CEOs, scientists) is critical to inspiring the next generation.
• Technology as Substitution: Developing technologies to reduce women's domestic labor (water filters, clean cooking fuels) is essential to freeing time for education and work.
• Global Collaboration: Philanthropists must move beyond siloed efforts to create shared, horizontal partnerships that address the full spectrum of girl's needs.
• Inclusive Economics: The future economy depends on closing the STEM and funding gaps for women to meet the projected 90% STEM job requirement.