Call to close boardroom gender gap

Businesses have been told to do more to improve gender diversity with new researching showing women make up less than of a fifth (17.3%) of FTSE-100’s board directors.

Consultancy Female Quotient said several firms are struggling to address diversity effectively, citing studies showing that while women hold two in five first-line FTSE-100 management positions, this figures plummets to just 15% at mid-management level.

Firms with more females in boardroom roles outperform those with the least by 53% based on return on equity, 66% based on return on capital invested and 42% based on return on sales. Nearly three-quarters of all graduates are expected to be female by 2015.

Amanda Street, co-founder of Female Quotient, said that if a working woman has a child, which four-fifths will, her chances of being hired sink by 79% and she is half as likely to be promoted. Ms Street said this cannot continue, adding:

“It’s no longer about what’s best for women, it’s about what’s best for business. The right mix of men and women at all levels will drive business success.”

IBB’s Employment Team provides advice on the employment aspects of all major business decisions. To contact a member of the team for advice, call us on 01895 207892 or email employment@ibblaw.co.uk