United Kingdom: Promotional positions for public administration remain few women

Is it enough to hire more women to access the best in executive positions, even when companies take on leadership roles? A British study challenges this idea. The 25×25 system points out that key positions that allow access to the general management of large companies are held by very few women, including in the same companies where equality is most advanced.

Also, if boards of directors want to improve equality among their leaders, they should “focus on the number of women on the pathways leading to the CEO position”. study . The road to the FTSE 100, which brings together the best-invested British companies listed on the London Stock Exchange, has been long.

Very few division heads and finance directors

A FTSE 100 company now has just nine female chief executives. “Currently, 44% of FTSE 100 CEOs were previously division heads,” but only 19% are women. These promising positions, the study notes in particular.

Only 25% of finance directors are women, despite being the second most popular route to public management, adds 25×25, which aims to increase the number of women at the helm of British companies. The organization has among its members some of the largest British companies such as oil major BP, food and health products company Unilever, Barclays Bank and defense group BAE Systems.

Importance of goals

A study of more than 300 companies found no correlation between the total number of women in a company and the number of women in leadership positions. She logically concludes that the idea that “talented women” will rise to positions of responsibility by sheer numbers is “baseless.”

“On the other hand, if management teams create a strong public statement of purpose and goals, gender equality within management has improved,” notes 25×25. According to several studies, Britain’s largest listed companies have seen progress on their boards, which now include more than 40% women, but the majority are appointed to non-executive positions.

With AFP