HeForShe in Academia: NYU Stern Students Pioneering Change Through Male Allyship Programs

Gender equality in the workplace is more than an aspiration—it’s an imperative. Yet despite years of advocacy and progress, significant disparities persist. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that for every dollar a man earns, a woman earns only $0.83. The reality is even starker for women of color: Black women earn $0.66 and Latina women just $0.52 for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. HeForShe recognizes that these challenges cannot be addressed by women alone. Achieving workplace equity requires the active participation and support of men as allies. Through the HeForShe Alliance, men in leadership are encouraged to drive systemic change within their organizations. But how do we know if these male allyship programs are working? 

To answer this question, HeForShe partnered with NYU Stern School of Business students to tackle a critical issue: the need for concrete measurement frameworks to assess the effectiveness of male allyship initiatives. While the HeForShe Alliance has successfully engaged numerous private sector leaders, a key gap remains—there is no standardized way to measure progress before and after implementing male allyship programs. Without data-driven insights, organizations struggle to gauge the success of their efforts or refine their strategies. 

NYU Stern students took on this challenge, working to develop tools and recommendations that could empower companies to measure the impact of their allyship programs. This collaboration bridges theory and practice, demonstrating how academia can contribute meaningfully to global movements for equality. 

Key Findings and Recommendations 

After conducting interviews with HeForShe Alliance members and analyzing current practices, the NYU Stern team identified several critical needs: 

1. Concrete Accountability Measures: Male allyship programs need clear benchmarks and accountability mechanisms to track progress. 

2. Addressing Barriers: Men often face barriers to engaging in allyship roles, such as fear of making mistakes or lack of institutional support. Strategies to address these challenges are essential. 

3. Intersectionality: Effective allyship must account for the overlapping forms of discrimination that women face, particularly women of color.