Leading the Way
We leverage the power of research, thought leadership, and development to advance equity in the corporate sector and beyond.
Our Work
ATLAS 2026
Ascend’s landmark study uncovers what truly motivates today’s workforce—and how organizations can act on these insights.
Latest Report
For over 20 years, Ascend has shaped the future, transforming talent, workplaces, and the communities we live in. With such a milestone, it felt fitting to take a moment to reflect on the impact we’ve had in those two decades.
To learn more about what we offer and what we’ve accomplished, we invite you to read our 2025 Impact Report.
Research Library
Elevating Asian-Black Allyship in Corporate America
This paper highlights the areas needing greater attention in the workplace to promote better relations between different multicultural groups, especially for AAPIs and Blacks in the United States (U.S.).
2021 Women CEOs in America Report
Ascend, C200, Catalyst, and Women Business Collaborative (WBC) released the second annual report highlighting Women CEOs in America. The number for women in leadership moved up to 8.2% in the Fortune 500 from 6.6% in 2019.
Model Minority Myth & The Double-Edged Sword
This paper addresses the narrative of Asian Americans being perceived as the "model minority" and how this stereotype masks the bias that Asian Americans face in the workplace, in schools, and in the communities.
Race, Gender & The Double Glass Ceiling: An Analysis of EEOC National Workforce Data
Analysis of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) data (2018) Executive Parity Index (EPI) highlights the causes that are limiting advancement for Asians, Blacks and Latinx into executive levels.
The Illusion of Asian Success: Scant Progress for Minorities in Cracking the Glass Ceiling from 2007-2015
Analysis of the aggregate EEOC tech workforce 2007-2015 data for Asians, Hispanics and Blacks in the San Francisco Bay Area finds scant progress in improving upward management mobility for minority men and women.
Lost in Aggregation: The Asian Reflection in the Glass Ceiling
This report takes a closer analysis of U.S. EEOC workplace data sets disaggregated by race and gender and finds that professional Asian American men and women are the least likely to become executives in industry.