Johnson & Johnson Partners with Leading Organizations to Advance Education of Young Women and Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Manufacturing and Design (STEM2D)

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., June 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is partnering with leading non-profit organizations FHI 360 and JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide to advance the education of young women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Manufacturing and Design (STEM2D). Through these partnerships, the company intends to reach one million girls between the ages of 5 and 18 by 2020. This is part of a broader effort Johnson & Johnson is making to accelerate the development of women leaders and to support women at all stages of their life to improve global health and well-being and drive sustainable economic growth.

Within this age group, Johnson & Johnson aims to spark enchantment with STEM2D disciplines through creative problem-solving and play, leading to a higher success rate of young women enrolling in and completing higher education, and ultimately pursuing careers, in the STEM2D fields.

"We know that there are many barriers that exist for young girls and women to gain exposure to and advancement in STEM2D-related fields," said Kathy Wengel, Worldwide Vice President, Johnson & Johnson Supply Chain. "I'm confident that with the partnership of FHI 360 and Junior Achievement Worldwide, we'll have the global reach and influence to spark interest of girls in these fields to open up brand new possibilities for them." 

Programs for this initiative will be focused on tailored activities that reach young women and girls through multiple approaches across in-school and out-of-school curricular activities and community-based events.

"We're committed to solutions that have positive, long-lasting effects on this generation and for those to come. This collaboration allows us to reach young women and girls in new and unique ways," said Ivan Charner, Director, FHI 360's National Institute for Work and Learning. "Careful research and analytics show that building awareness and increasing girls' knowledge and engagement will help influence their decision to enter STEM2D careers."

"Women's economic equality is good for business, good for the global economy, and good for society," said Asheesh Advani, CEO of JA Worldwide. "JA is already a place for girls to learn entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and workplace readiness skills on equal footing with boys. This partnership allows us to create even more opportunities for girls to specifically build STEM2D skills and confidence. Getting more girls into STEM2D careers will be an increasingly important driver of economic growth in the future."

At the college level, the company also intends to increase enrollment and graduation rates of undergraduate women in STEM2D fields. The company has declared partnerships with the non-profit organization the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) and nine leading academic centers around the world, including Caltech, Harvey Mudd College, Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA - Brazil), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rhode Island School of Design, Rutgers-New Brunswick Honors College, Spelman College, The University of Limerick, and The University of Tokyo. Through the partnership, these institutions will augment their existing undergraduate STEM2D programs by offering scholarships, intensives, mentoring and research opportunities, allowing them to expand and retain an increased number of women entering into their programs.

"Johnson & Johnson supports women inside and outside the company in many ways, from talent recruitment and retention, to women-focused innovation and philanthropy initiatives," said Sandi Peterson, Group Worldwide Chairman. "We're proud of the progress we're making toward building a diverse workforce around the world and the contribution we are making to healthier lives and healthy communities."

SOURCE Johnson & Johnson