Gender diversity is being led from the top according to research by Deloitte, which found that companies with a female CEO or board chair have almost twice as many women on the board as companies led by men
Deloitte’s Women in the Boardroom report, which tracks the efforts of 64 countries to promote boardroom gender diversity, found that 29% of board positions are held by women in companies with a female CEO. This compares to 15% in companies with a male CEO.
However, the firm’s analysis shows that overall, women are still largely under represented on corporate boards, despite continued efforts to improve inclusion.
Only 15% of board seats worldwide are held by women, a modest increase from the 12% reported in previous report published in 2015.
Norway has the largest share of board seats held by women at 42%, followed by France (33%) and Sweden (32%). The UK is 12th with 20%, an increase from 15.6% in 2015.
New Zealand has achieved the strongest growth since 2015, with the number of board seats held by women increasing to 28% from 18% and the number of female chairs increasing to 11% from five %.
In contrast, in the US, only 14% of board seats are held by women, a 2% increase from the 2015 edition. The percentage of female board chairs has not progressed, remaining at just under 4%.
Nick Owen, chairman of Deloitte North West Europe, said: ‘As the number of female CEOs and board chairs climbs, it is likely to spur greater board diversity and build a culture of inclusion.
‘This is not just about token representation, but active participation by women on boards. Making boards and organisations inclusive is crucial to make sure that all perspectives are taken into account.
‘As organisations navigate technological and societal shifts which are transforming the future of work, boards will have a critical role to play. Diversity of thought and people will be critical to ensure that board members are exploring challenges from every angle and consistently bringing a fresh point of view.’
