Today, there is a strong focus on improving ties between the public sector, academia, and industry – with substantial investments into hospital and research infrastructure, and not least a strong political commitment as health and life science finally breaks into Norway’s core export strategy. The industry is poised for growth, so long as we ensure sustainability and competitiveness across research, development, and access initiatives.

Talent also emerges as a central focus, both attracting and retaining top talent, as well as tapping into existing latent potential. But what about female talent, specifically?

Launched in February 2024, Women in Life Science Norway (WiLD Norway) is dedicated to advancing the role of women in leadership and board positions in health and life sciences, from industry, academia, and healthcare. Inspired by Women in Life Science Denmark (WiLD), WiLD Norway’s inception is rooted in the continued disparities faced by female professionals across industries and aims to take concrete measures towards improving today’s statistics.

Norway has long led the dialogue and attempts at addressing gender equality and was the first nation globally to implement a board quota for public limited companies in 2006, mandating at least 40% female representation. Like its Nordic neighbors, Norway holds a leading position (number two) in the 2023 World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report, which contends that the gender gap is now 87.9% closed. However, look deeper and statistics reveal that this gap closure is not reflected across corporate leadership, board representation, female foundership, or in the scale of investments made in female-led and female-focused companies.

In fact, looking at board and CEO roles across limited, public limited, and founder positions, the only area in which women are close to the 40% gender-balance mark is the one area in which mandates exist.”

In fact, looking at board and CEO roles across limited, public limited, and founder positions, the only area in which women are close to the 40% gender-balance mark is the one area in which mandates exist.

As of 2024, new mandates by the Norwegian government will generate approximately 6,600 new board seats in the first phase by December 31, with the majority of those seats for women. These numbers will continue to increase as the requirements progress towards the final phase in 2028. While these mandates apply to all industries, WiLD Norway hopes to help bridge the gap between regulation and reality in health and life science.

Informal quotas have existed for centuries to the benefit of men. Why not use them to benefit women as well?”

Mandates are controversial, but to paraphrase Margrethe Vestager, EU Commissioner and EVP of the EU Commission, who spoke in March at a private event in Copenhagen hosted by Women in Life Science Denmark and Dansk Biotek, “Informal quotas have existed for centuries to the benefit of men. Why not use them to benefit women as well?”

With a tailored mentorship program, WiLD Norway will pair seasoned professionals with emerging female leaders, and train both mentors and mentees on how to maximize their mutual engagement.”

At the core of WiLD Norway’s mission is letting the ladder down and creating a supportive ecosystem of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration. With a tailored mentorship program, WiLD Norway will pair seasoned professionals with emerging female leaders, and train both mentors and mentees on how to maximize their mutual engagement. WiLD Norway also aims to address systemic barriers by offering dedicated board training for women and by addressing cultural hidden biases that hinder equality today.

In terms of the latter, WiLD Norway aims to build a base of male ambassadors who will join the network, events, and discussions. Men’s involvement in gender equity is a critical to success, as men play a crucial role in identifying and dismantling systemic barriers, in creating environments where women can thrive professionally, and for understanding challenges that also exist for men. Widening gaps that will shape the future are equally important, as over 62% of women in Norway aged 25-30 have completed higher education, whereas less than 40% of young men have. This underscores the importance of collaboration to not only address today’s imbalances, but also to work proactively towards tomorrow.

Our collective responsibility is to create a new ceiling for the generations of tomorrow. Because every ceiling reached becomes a new floor.”

WiLD Norway is a call to action for employers, industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and ambassadors. It is more than an organization – rather a movement in which we address the ceiling and the floor. Women today have a foundation that was once the ceiling of the women who stood before. Our collective responsibility is to create a new ceiling for the generations of tomorrow. Because every ceiling reached becomes a new floor.

Until the world is so balanced that no such initiatives are needed, our message is clear: women belong at the forefront, as leaders, visionaries, and changemakers. Where can you act to improve diversity, inclusion, and equality in your environment?

ABOUT the author

Chelsea Ranger is the Founder & Chairwoman of WiLD Norway, and owner of C. Ranger Consulting. She is also leader of Investor Relations & Business Development for The Life Science Cluster.