FTSE 100: Women on boards reaches almost 45 per cent
FTSE 100 firms are making steps towards greater female representation with a new report revealing that 44.7 per cent of board seats are going to women.
However, progress was much slower for executive positions, with women making up only 32.7 per cent of FTSE 100 executive committee roles, according to the latest FTSE Women Leaders Review.
For the wider FTSE 350, the number of women on boards has increased at a similar rate to 43 per cent, up from a staggeringly low 9.5 per cent in 2011.
In addition, for the first time ever, women made up more than half (50.1 per cent), of non-executive directors sitting on FTSE 100 boards, closely followed by 49.8 per cent of FTSE 250 firms.
Progress has been much slower in private firms – women make up only 30.5 per cent of the boards of the 50 largest private companies, with all-male boards increasing from five to seven since last year.
Despite improving board representation, the number of women in leadership positions at FTSE 350 firms has also struggled to keep up, coming in at 35.3 per cent.
“With six out of ten companies now having over 33 per cent women in leadership, we are within striking distance of the 40 per cent target, but this may not be achieved until beyond 2025 as some companies still have less than a third of their leadership roles held by women,” the report noted.
“Some of our targets have already been met. Balance on boards for the FTSE 350 has been delivered. Some remain challenging, such as achieving balance in executive leadership by 2025, and will require a step up in commitment,” said Penny James and Nimesh Patel, the co-chairs of the FTSE Women Leaders Review.
“It has become increasingly evident that diverse leadership teams are not just a matter of fairness— they are essential for fostering innovation, driving performance and ensuring sustainable growth,” said minister of state for women and equalities Anneliese Dodds and secretary of state for business and trade Jonathan Reynolds.
“Seeking gender equality is not a gimmick, it is a business imperative,” they added.