The Global Ambassadors Program was developed by Bank of America in 2012 in partnership with Vital Voices, based on a shared belief in the need to invest in women who are creating economic and social progress around the world. The program pairs emerging talent from small and medium businesses and non-profit organizations with senior women executives in various industries for a week of one-on-one, group and peer mentoring. The program also provides strategic workshops focused on building: access to markets, organizational management, financial acumen and leadership skills. Those within the program are working to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges – the climate crisis, gender-based violence, and economic and racial inequalities – all while boosting their local economies and creating a positive social impact in their communities.
To celebrate the October 2021 gathering, we planned a week of social media content to elevate the stories of the women participants, while also demonstrating Bank of America's commitment to supporting diverse entrepreneurs around the globe.
In October 2021, Bank of America and Vital Voices hosted the 21st Global Ambassadors Program gathering in Washington, D.C. The event brought together 20 women social entrepreneurs from around the world, representing business and nonprofit leaders who were at a tipping point in their professional, business and leadership paths. Each was paired with an established women executive who acted as their mentor throughout the program.
In order to share the stories of these incredible women with a wide audience, we planned a week of social media content that began with pre-event teaser posts on Instagram, LinkedIn and X. We also published a LinkedIn long-form article from Bank of America's Chief Human Resources Officer, Sheri Bronstein, focused on the historic partnership and the impact the program has had on more than 400 women.
We also used this opportunity to leverage LinkedIn Live. The Live was a conversation between a mentor and mentee pair - globally renowned journalist Elise Labott and Ukranian small business owner Olga Kudinenko. The two spoke about the power of the program and what they'd learned from each other, as well as their fellow participants.
Immediately following the program, 70% of mentees expressed increased confidence in their leadership, and more than 90% of mentees updated their strategic business plan and implemented changes to their organization.
We also found that mentees implemented the structures of the Global Ambassadors Program into their own businesses and organizations. Sixty percent of mentees made new connections they can lean on for further support, and 65% of mentees have become mentors to others.
This “ripple effect” in the participants building connections, sharing knowledge and providing support for other women is exactly the kind of engagement we aimed for when we created this program.
Social media content was extremely well received. The LinkedIn Live had more than 600 participants, while Instagram, LinkedIn and X content generated thousands of impressions.
