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Kearney Launches Women's Health Healthcare and Life Sciences Index

On March 5, 2026, Kearney—a global management consultancy—unveiled the [w]Health Healthcare and Life Sciences Index, aimed at setting a crucial baseline for women's health across various sectors. In collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA), this innovative index seeks to track the integration of gender-responsive healthcare practices across the pharmaceutical, MedTech, consumer health, payor, provider, and investment landscapes.

The belief that women's health is a reflection of societal health underpins this initiative. By identifying how gender-based practices are embedded within value chains, the index hopes to foster transparency and accountability in women's healthcare, offering a roadmap for measurable advancements in women's health. Initially launched at Davos in 2024, this year's report gathered data from hundreds of organizations, analyzing their performance in promoting women's health across six key areas: public health, medical education, research and development, care delivery, investment, and data usage.

Dr. Nigina Muntean from UNFPA underscores the utility of the index, stating, "The [w]Health Index is a practical framework for accountability and progress across sectors." The call to action emphasizes the need for sustained leadership commitment to prioritize women's health on a global scale, recognizing how this focus can strengthen resilience and drive shared prosperity.

Key Insights from the Index

The report highlights the maturity levels of various sectors regarding their commitment to advancing women's health, marking consumer health as the leader with 55 percent of companies in mature stages. In contrast, the investment sector remains the most underdeveloped, with only 30 percent showing progress. Notably, fewer than 25 percent of funds apply a gender-lens strategy during investment decisions, underlining a significant gap.

Among the sectors evaluated, larger organizations consistently demonstrated higher maturity levels. In examining the findings, Kearney partner Paula Bellostas Muguerza noted that while progress has been made, especially in consumer health, much work remains: "Integration into systems and strategy is still incomplete."

The report urges companies and organizations to take action in the following areas:

• - Embedding gender considerations into operational frameworks
• - Strengthening data collection and accountability measures
• - Expanding equitable access to healthcare services

According to Mary Stutts, CEO of HBA, chronic neglect towards women's health has led to systematic biases, leaving women at a disadvantage when it comes to healthcare outcomes. "For half of the global population, it is imperative that we tackle their health needs—not only as a public health necessity but also as a fundamental business imperative."

Broader Implications

Findings from the index reveal that overall, only 38 percent of organizations have progressed to mature stages in addressing women's health. Consumer health companies, followed by MedTech and then pharma, are pushing ahead. However, pharma and MedTech still struggle with providing women-centric care and inclusive research, while payors and providers lag in creating equitable benefit designs and reimbursement frameworks.

Conclusion

The [w]Health Healthcare and Life Sciences Index serves as a vital catalyst for change, equipping organizations with the necessary frameworks and benchmarks to make real strides toward closing the gender gap in women's healthcare. With a strong call to action for industry leaders, Kearney’s initiative hopes to create a more gender-equitable future where women's health is prioritized, advancing not just individual well-being but societal health as a whole.

For a comprehensive understanding, access the full report on the [w]Health Healthcare and Life Sciences Index.