Gender Diversity in Corporate Britain: A Setback

The representation of women in executive roles in Britain's top companies has declined for the first time in eight years, potentially delaying gender equality. Despite women holding significant accountant roles, leadership positions like CEOs remain predominantly male, posing a challenge for progression.

In a notable reversal, the representation of women in executive roles across corporate Britain has decreased for the first time in eight years. This change, labeled "unacceptable" by a consultancy, threatens to postpone gender parity for another five generations.

The Pipeline's analysis reveals that women's presence on executive committees within Britain's top 350 listed companies fell to 32% in 2024, from a revised figure of 33% in 2023. Although the decline seems minor, Geeta Nargund of The Pipeline stressed the gap between male and female leadership numbers and advocated for greater inclusion of female talent in decision-making roles.

Despite the necessity of fair gender representation for business success, with studies linking it to a 22% likelihood of profit improvement, women still hold only 9% of CEO positions and 18% of CFO positions in FTSE 350 firms. This underrepresentation persists even with women accounting for over 44% of chartered accountant roles, as highlighted by The Pipeline's 2024 Women Count report.

(With inputs from agencies.)