ON TRACK
Creating Space for Reflection
Why the transition to parenthood disproportionately shapes women’s careers. Across careers, cultures, and sectors, one transition shapes women’s professional trajectories more than any other: the arrival of a first child. While decades of progress in education, access, and pay equity have narrowed many gender gaps, one remains stubbornly persistent. Research shows that in developed economies, the “child penalty”—borne primarily by mothers—has become a dominant driver of remaining gender inequality. Germany ranks among the highest-penalty countries in Europe: more than 70% of the gender earnings gap is explained by child-related penalties. This is often misattributed to lower ambition or capability. While policy and childcare constraints play a role, the deeper cause lies in entrenched social norms that continue to shape how couples, managers, and organizations respond to motherhood. This is the context for ON TRACK: a unique, proven one-year program designed to support women in navigating this critical phase with clarity, confidence, and connection.
“We’re never going to have gender equality until we also have couple equity.”*
*Nobel Laureate Claudia Goldin
ON TRACK invites the INSEAD alumni community to be part of that shift. ON TRACK focuses on the pivotal moment when many female careers quietly diverge: the transition to motherhood. The program offers a trusted, peer-based space for reflection, dialogue, and learning—bringing together alumnae, senior role models, and leading thinkers to surface social norms and challenge inherited assumptions about ambition, caregiving, and success. ON TRACK is not a quick fix—and not a program “for women only.” It is an invitation to the wider alumni community to strengthen how we support each other through ambitious, life-rich phases. Making norms discussable enables better choices—for mothers, fathers, partners, teams, and organizations. With an NPS above 90%, more than 100 alumnae, and friendships that last a lifetime, participants remain on track—in their careers, families, and leadership journeys. As a proven format, ON TRACK is offered at a preferential rate to IAAG members, reflecting IAAG’s commitment to lifelong learning and community.
