The Proof is in the Pudding: Mentorship and Sponsorship in Action
Even in today’s complex and often polarized political climate—where DEI efforts are increasingly scrutinized—mentorship programs remain a vital, non-negotiable tool for building an innovative and resilient workforce. As companies navigate changing regulations and shifting cultural dynamics, mentorship offers a powerful, people-centered strategy that transcends politics. It’s not just about inclusion; it’s about performance. Whether formal or informal, mentorship cultivates knowledge transfer, strengthens talent pipelines, and increases retention—especially for those historically excluded from leadership tracks. The following examples highlight how organizations across industries are successfully implementing mentorship programs that deliver measurable impact while fostering growth, connection, and equity at every level.
Mentoring Programs in Action
T-Mobile
After merging with Sprint, T-Mobile launched a company-wide mentorship program to unite over 70,000 employees across the U.S. They used an online platform (Chronus) to match early-career employees with more experienced mentors, fostering cross-team learning and connection in a dispersed workforcelinkedin.com. The program is formal and one-on-one, with employees building profiles to be paired based on their development goals.
The results have been striking: participants in T-Mobile’s mentorship program had a 78% retention rate versus only 41% for non-participantssuccess.com. This translates to a 37% improvement in employee retention after introducing the programsuccess.com. Mentored employees also saw faster career growth – they were 26% more likely to earn promotions or move into new roles within a yearsuccess.com. These outcomes underscore how a well-structured, company-supported mentoring initiative can boost engagement and loyalty.
Google and Apple
Tech leaders like Google and Apple also invest heavily in mentorship. Google offers a variety of mentorship programs (for example, matching new hires with “buddies” and providing project-specific mentors) to help employees immerse in the company culture and grow professionally. Apple’s internal Diversity Network Associations include mentoring circles across 67 chapters (with 55,000 members worldwide) to support career development for underrepresented groups. These programs are typically formal and often one-on-one (with some group mentorship in circles), pairing mentees and mentors intentionally to transfer knowledge.
While specific outcomes are proprietary, Google credits mentorship as contributing to high employee satisfaction and retention rates. Apple’s decade-long program longevity (10+ years with 800 participants in one women’s mentoring program at Apple’s partner company, Moody’s), suggests sustained success.
Sponsorship is a powerful but often underutilized driver of career advancement, particularly for women and underrepresented professionals. Unlike mentorship, which centers on providing guidance, feedback, and emotional support, sponsorship is about direct advocacy. A sponsor is typically a senior leader who not only believes in an individual’s potential but also actively promotes their visibility and advancement. Sponsors speak sponsees’ names in rooms they’ve yet to enter, recommend them for stretch assignments, and put their reputation behind a sponsee’s readiness for leadership. Companies have come to understand that while mentorship builds skills, sponsorship accelerates careers – and both are necessary to close leadership gaps.
Sponsorship in Action
Sponsorship is a powerful but often underutilized driver of career advancement, particularly for women and underrepresented professionals. Unlike mentorship, which centers on providing guidance, feedback, and emotional support, sponsorship is about direct advocacy. A sponsor is typically a senior leader who not only believes in an individual’s potential but also actively promotes their visibility and advancement. Sponsors speak sponsees’ names in rooms they’ve yet to enter, recommend them for stretch assignments, and put their reputation behind a sponsee’s readiness for leadership. Companies have come to understand that while mentorship builds skills, sponsorship accelerates careers – and both are necessary to close leadership gaps.
Cisco
Their Multiplier Effect programs empower employees from all backgrounds to grow, connect, and innovate at Cisco. Every Cisco Vice President and above has committed to sponsoring diverse talent. Since launch, over 2,000 sponsors and 3,000 sponsees have participated—advancing careers and building a more inclusive future at every level.
Focus: Open to employees of all identities.
GE
GE has long been known for its performance-driven sponsorship culture, particularly through programs like the Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP) and other programs for their verticals, like the Digital Technology Leadership Program for GE Aerospace or The Commercial Leadership Program for GE Healthcare.
How it works: These programs identify high-potential employees from all backgrounds and assign senior sponsors who advocate for their visibility in succession plans, ensure stretch assignments, and promote them for senior roles.
PepsiCo.
Through their pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) strategy, PepsiCo is creating meaningful career paths and growth opportunities for employees at every stage. Their approach combines access to skill development, higher education, cross-functional experiences, and new roles that foster advancement. At the heart of this strategy are robust global leadership and management programs—immersive, hands-on experiences where participants tackle real business challenges alongside peers from around the world. These programs leave learners empowered to lead differently, aligned with PepsiCo’s global vision, and deeply connected to a network of fellow leaders. Importantly, PepsiCo leaders play an active role in the learning journey, offering mentorship and support in both formal and informal settings to ensure top talent from all backgrounds rises through the ranks.
Note: While PepsiCo also has had programs for women and underrepresented groups, the core sponsorship system applies to all emerging leaders globally.
While many companies have invested in sponsorship programs to address representation gaps, there is a growing trend toward integrated sponsorship models that serve all high-potential employees—regardless of identity. These systems are often tied to leadership accountability, succession planning, and business unit performance, making sponsorship part of how companies identify, grow, and retain their future leaders.
Mentorship as a Precursor to Sponsorship
Mentorship can indeed transform into sponsorship when the mentor begins to advocate for the mentee. At this point, the mentor is viewed as a sponsor and the mentee becomes the protégé. Sponsorship introduces a new and effective way of improving professional development in an organization. For organizations that are considering integrating the programs, here are resources to consider when structuring mentorship to sponsorship programs.
The Ten Thousand Coffees Blog
Highlights the importance of setting employees up with official sponsors at work.