Watch Our Childcare Expert on PBS NC
UNC-Chapel Hill professor and Kenan Institute expert Iheoma U. Iruka took part in a roundtable discussion on the "childcare cliff" on PBS NC’s “State Lines” July 5. The episode is available online.
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Universal Childcare Boosts Mothers’ Careers, Firms’ Bottom Lines
Universal childcare reform implemented in Quebec, Canada, in the late 1990s boosted the careers and earnings of new mothers and produced positive outcomes for some companies as well.
Panel Recap: The Business of Women’s Health
The Kenan Institute recaps a panel on the business of women's health from the Center for Business of Health's November 2022 conference.
Going Further Together: The Unique Power of Mixed-Gender Coalitions Advocating for Gender Equity
Research indicates that groups are most effective at achieving gender equity goals when men and women advocate together.
Trio of Experts Talks Child Care, Economy for ‘On the Record’
Three institute-associated experts provided analysis for the July 30 edition of WRAL-TV’s “On the Record” news program. In a segment on dwindling child care options in the Raleigh area, Director of Research Paige Ouimet talked about how child care access affects the ability of women to work.
A Clear-Eyed Look at Salary Transparency Laws
Seventeen states have enacted salary transparency laws to combat pay gaps historically experienced by people of color and women, but the laws take different forms and have produced varying results. How does requiring companies to provide summary salary statistics compare with, for example, preventing companies from asking applicants about their previous salaries? Can such laws actually work against employees? Two experts address these questions and more in this week’s Kenan Insight.
Reimagining the Business of Childcare
With the school year winding down, we invited Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute Fellow and UNC-Chapel Hill Public Policy Research Professor Iheoma Iruka to join us for a discussion on the business of childcare and early education – as well as the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted families’ expectations and workers’ needs
Could Female-Specific Benefits Bring Women Back to Work?
Female involvement in the workforce remains important to the U.S. economy, but COVID-19 has only exacerbated a drop in participation rates. To reverse the trend, businesses are enhancing maternity leave, child care services and access to fertility and family-planning services, according to research by UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School experts.
Strategies for Diversifying Corporate Leadership
Firms continue to strive for greater representation on corporate boards. One California law, attempting to mandate such greater representation, has encountered a recent setback. Two experts discuss obstacles to more diverse corporate leadership and offer approaches for surmounting them.
Dean’s Speaker Series — Hope Bryant
On Tuesday, March 29th, First Citizens Bank Vice Chairwoman Hope Bryant joined UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Dean Doug Shackelford for a fireside chat. Bryant discussed the history of First Citizens Bank, the impacts of COVID-19 on the workforce and her experiences as a woman in a leadership position.
A Different Business Case for Diversity
Greater focus on social justice has brought systemic inequities in the corporate sector to light, leading companies to step up their efforts in attracting and retaining a diverse workforce – but many challenges remain in implementing those goals. Following a joint report between the Kenan Institute and EY, this week’s Kenan Insight breaks down some challenges companies may face while trying to reach their diversity, equity and inclusion goals.
New Institute for Private Capital Tool Helps Companies Evaluate DEI Goals
The Institute for Private Capital’s newly-released interactive model that aims to help private equity leaders assess diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals was featured in a report by Ernst & Young.
Could Policies Aiming to Close the Gender Pay Gap be Lowering Wages for All?
While the gender pay gap has received significant attention in recent years, little progress has been made to close it; in fact, in 2019, women still earned only 82 cents for every dollar received by their male counterparts for equal work. Policymakers in recent years have developed creative solutions aiming to close the gap, including bans prohibiting employers from asking for a job applicant’s salary history. However, in this week’s Kenan Insight, new research from our experts examines whether such well-intentioned bans are inadvertently lowering wages for all employees.
Biden’s Build Back Better: A Brighter Future for Black Families?
While the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating for many, research shows its impact was not felt equally. Black Americans experienced disproportionate health and economic ramifications, which compounded the financial, social and psychological strain many felt pre-pandemic, and have contributed to growing inter-generational wealth disparities. In today’s Kenan Insight, our experts explore whether the multi-trillion dollar “Build Back Better” plan proposed by the Biden administration holds the potential to begin closing pervasive gaps in American society.
Fixing the Leaky Gender Equality Pipeline
Much has been written about the disproportionate number of women who have suffered pandemic-related job losses during COVID-19, but a related consequence has not been as well explored: the serious disruption of women’s careers, particularly in fields in which “path dependence” matters for success. In this Kenan Insight, we examine this more subtle asymmetry in the pandemic’s impact as indicative of far broader issues for women’s advancement in the workplace.
Dean’s Speaker Series — Michele Buck
On Thursday, April 8, Hershey Company Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Michele Buck joined UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Dean Doug Shackelford for an exclusive virtual discussion. Buck discussed the challenges and opportunities of leading one of America's most-loved brands along with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food industry and barriers to leadership facing women today.
May 17, 2026
Virtual Event: Dean’s Speaker Series — Michele Buck
Please join us for an exclusive conversation with Hershey's Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Michele Buck on Wednesday, April 8. This virtual experience is part of the Dean’s Speaker Series, hosted by UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Dean Doug Shackelford.
Organizational Equity: Your Missing Metric for Success
Most organizational leaders have come to recognize that hiring and retaining a diverse workforce is a business imperative. But many struggle to achieve their diversity goals. In this Kenan Insight, we explore how organizations can measure their “organizational equity” — that is, their internal distribution of power and resources — and build a diverse workforce that leads to greater organizational success.
Establishing Reputational Equity for the Nursing Profession
The nursing profession in the United States was experiencing a labor shortage and facing diversity and inclusion challenges prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Magnifying these problems was a shift in the nation’s population, both geographically and demographically. The result was changes in both where nurses are needed in the healthcare system and the nursing skill set required to address healthcare needs of a far more diverse clientele of patients—in terms of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, age, living arrangements, socioeconomic status and primary language.
Challenges and Solutions to Recruiting, Hiring and Retaining a Diverse Workforce
Workplaces are under pressure to be more inclusive due to public demands and rapidly changing demographics in the U.S. workforce. These commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) aren't just moral, they're crucial to business prosperity. In this Kenan Insight, we explore strategies for startups to employ and explain why starting early is key to success.
May 17, 2026
Press Briefing: Decoding the Worst Quarter in Economic History
A panel of experts convened by UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and its affiliated Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise will be offering a press briefing via webinar on recent economic data releases which show the nation’s largest ever declines in business activity, employment and aggregate wages. Join tomorrow, Tuesday, May 12, at 11 a.m. EDT to hear from the following experts: