The RiseUP Women Leadership Accelerator is a program created by the team in Bulgaria, bringing together the necessary expertise and subsequently adopted in other locations. The target group is women before their first leadership role and newly appointed managers. The program aims to develop the leadership skills of women within IBM. RiseUP spans over 6 months and consists of a series of practical training sessions and collaborative projects, providing participants with the opportunity to gain confidence in their current/future roles. The program was launched in 2021 for women from our IBM Client Innovation Centers in Sofia and Zagreb and, to date, operates globally. The goal of the program is to address a global issue with local relevance for the company – fostering more women leaders.

Brigham Young once said, "When you educate a man, you educate an individual. When you educate a woman, you educate a generation." The call for gender equality has been on the global agenda for decades. The primary goal of RiseUP, launched over three years ago by the team in Bulgaria, is to encourage women to pursue leadership paths and continue to develop their skills. Over 50 women have already completed the program, with 30% promotion rate and 90% retention rate.

The program launched in 2021 for women in our IBM Client Innovation Centers in Bulgaria & Croatia. Due to its success, RiseUp expanded to include women from IBM WW. In 2022, our 2nd edition commenced with the participation of 17 women from 6 countries, and in 2023, we successfully concluded the 3rd edition. A total of 50 women completed the 6-month program for women leaders. The program aims to address both a global and local issue in the sector – the shortage of women leaders in companies.

In the 3 years, a total of 50 women have participated in the program. The program has a duration of 6 months, with a commitment of 10-12 hours per month. Participant selection is based on nominations and feedback from the experienced management team. The program includes seminars, training sessions, experience-sharing sessions, and a final project. The seminars focus on topics such as emotional intelligence, resilience, building effective relationships, and presentation skills. In the experience-sharing sessions, successful women leaders from the global IBM community share their career paths, the challenges they have faced, and how they have overcome them. The last module of the program involves working on a project, which is 100% practical. Participants collaborate with mentors on a predetermined theme. At the end, they present their projects to high-level IBM managers (Vice President team). The best projects are implemented in a real-world setting- 2 projects already realized from the program. Among the main benefits of the program are increased confidence among participants, expansion of their network of contacts, and improvement of their skills in key leadership competencies.

50 ladies went through the program- for 2023, 18 women, for 2022, 17 women, and in 2021, 15 women. Among them, 30% received promotions, and 90% choose to stay with the company for the 4th consecutive year. Participants have the unique opportunity to draw experience from high-level leaders in the company - Vice Presidents, Directors. This not only improves various skills but also provides visibility. A framework for training women leaders has been established, currently operating globally within the company. The program combines experienced IBM experts in various fields and inspiring personalities both within and outside the company. This approach builds an enthusiastic team, engaging and encouraging