Sea-change in UK boardrooms as women make up nearly 40% of FTSE 100 top table roles

February 22, 2022

"There is a major sea-change in attitudes to getting women leaders to the top table of business in the UK.”

The gist:

The data was released in a new report by the government-backed FTSE Women Leaders Review, which monitors women’s representation in 24,000 positions on FTSE 350 Boards and leadership teams of the UK’s biggest companies.

The report bears out this ‘sea change’ in the UK, showing women’s board representation not only increasing in 2021 in the FTSE 100 but in the FTSE 250 (36.8%) and the FTSE 350 (37.6%) as well.

The success is attributed to “the UK government’s voluntary, business-led approach to setting targets for getting more women on boards.” And interestingly, it vaulted the Country (now in 2nd place for female Board leadership) above Countries like Norway, “which enforces a mandatory quota system on businesses.”

Noting that smaller numbers of women leaders across UK business, Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss, said: “We will shortly put forward a range of measures to advance equality for women at work, increasing opportunity, and tackling the issues that are holding women back as we look to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential.”

Find out about the FTSE Women Leaders Review further recommendations + connect with the GOV.UK post here.