Women hold over 32% of board positions in the largest and most traded companies in EU countries, according to a recent report by the Finnish Chambers of Commerce. The proportion of women on boards is growing rapidly, with over 30% of board members in more than half of the member states being female. However, the growth rate of women in executive roles is not as fast, and women are still rare as CEOs and board chairs.
Finland is among the top countries in the EU for women's representation on boards and executive teams, along with other Nordic countries. The report shows that Iceland, Norway, and France are the best-performing countries for women's representation in boards and executive teams, while Sweden and Finland are next in line. The report also highlights that self-regulation has led Finland and Sweden to the top of the rankings, while quota legislation has not necessarily led to increased representation of women in executive roles in many other countries.
The report notes that women's representation as CEOs and board chairs is still very low, and in Finland, for example, women are board chairs in only one out of every ten listed companies. Although women hold a relatively high percentage of board positions in Finland, board chairs in Finland are still mostly men. The report shows that women hold only 9% of CEO positions in listed companies in Finland. Overall, the report highlights the need for continued efforts to promote gender equality in the corporate world, as quota legislation alone is not enough to achieve this goal.
HT
