BoardEx, the premier provider of global leadership intelligence, released a new study: Global Gender Balance Report 2021. In its second edition, the report examines the progress that was made in advancing gender equity on the boards of major corporations across 26 global indices. The report also uncovers that these gender equity advancements have not been uniform around the world, with some countries taking a notable lead in these efforts.
The BoardEx Global Gender Balance Report finds gender equity advancements have not been uniform around the world, with some countries taking a notable lead in these efforts.
There is evidence that having more women in board-level positions improves non-board gender balance.
This comparative study, which began in 2014, evaluates the progress of increasing female participation at the board, executive director and non-executive director levels. The report includes an analysis of more than 16,000 directors from more than 1,400 different organizations.
BoardEx’s Global Gender Balance Report 2021 reveals:
- The US made significant progress in gender balance at the board level since the study first began in 2014 with a gain of 10 percentage points. The US finds itself it 16th place in this year’s report with 29% female participation.
- The UK gained 2.6 percentage points since last year to close 2020 with 36.3% female participation and moved to sixth place in the global rankings.
- France takes the top spot with 44% of board positions being held by women.
- Japan has more than tripled its female board representation from 4% to 14% in the 6 years since this study began.
- Ireland has made the largest percentage-point gain since 2014 and the percentage of women on ISEQ-20 boards sits at 31%.
- Only 4.4% of the organizations from the study have more than 50% female participation on the board.
- There remains a sharp contrast between the rates of female participation for executive and non-executive directors.
- There is evidence that having more women in board-level positions improves non-board gender balance.
For the complete findings included in the Global Gender Balance Report 2021, download the full report here.
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