Four in ten businesses worldwide have no women in senior management
The latest findings from the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR), released today to coincide with International Women’s Day, reveal that 38% of businesses do not have any women in senior management roles, a figure which has remained unchanged since 2004. The survey, which covers the opinions of 7,200 privately held businesses in 32 countries, represents 81% of global GDP.
Businesses with women in senior management
97% of businesses in the Philippines1 have women in senior management positions, the highest in the survey, in contrast to the lowest Japan, with only 25%. Four out of the five countries with the lowest figures are in Europe: the Netherlands (27%), Luxembourg (37%), Germany (41%) and Italy (42%).
In total, over half of all European businesses surveyed (52%) have women participating in senior management, while in NAFTA countries 68% of businesses have females in senior roles. Compared with three years ago European businesses have 4% more women in senior management, whereas NAFTA countries have 6% more.
Since 2004 the global figure for businesses with ‘no women’ in senior management positions has remained unchanged at 38%. Countries with businesses reporting a fall in businesses with female senior managers, include Mexico (a drop of 24%), Russia (15%), Poland (9%), Italy (6%), New Zealand (6%) and the US (6%). Countries which report increased participation of women in senior levels are: Spain (16%), India (14%), Taiwan and the Philippines (13%) and Hong Kong and Sweden (both 9%).
Percentage of women in senior management roles
The percentage of women in senior managerial positions globally has grown slightly from 19% to 22% since 2004. The Philippines comes out top with 50% of managerial positions being held by females, ahead of Brazil (42%) and two other Asian countries - Thailand (39%) and Hong Kong (35%). Lowest in the table is Japan with just 7%, below three European countries Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands at 10%, 12% and 13% respectively.
The EU's proportion of women in senior management has remained static at 17%, while NAFTA's figure has increased from 20% to 23%. 
Commenting on the results, April Mackenzie, executive director of public policy for Grant Thornton International, said: “It is disappointing that the participation of women in senior business management has not increased more dramatically over the last three years. It is however encouraging to see some of the Asian economies leading the way. North American and European businesses in particular continue to disappoint. Hopefully we will see this change in coming years as more women play increasingly prominent roles in business and public life such as Indra Nooyi, the new chief executive officer of PepsiCo, Angela Merkel, German chancellor, Margaret Whitman, chief executive and president of eBay and Anne Lauvergeon, chief executive of France's state-owned nuclear group Areva.”
126% of respondents in the Philippines did not respond to this particular question. Therefore, the results are based on a robust sample of businesses who provided a response to this question.
NB The Global and East Asia figures exclude mainland China in order to make a like-for-like comparison with the 2004.
Ends
Notes to editors
Grant Thornton International started a major annual survey of the attitudes and expectations of small and medium-sized businesses in 1992 called the European Business Survey (EBS). In 2003 the research project was widened to an international perspective covering medium-sized businesses and renamed the International Business Owners Survey (IBOS).
In 2007, the survey’s name was changed from IBOS to the International Business Report (IBR). The IBR survey draws upon 15 years of trend data for original EBS participants and 5 years for original IBOS countries. 15 year trend data is available for: France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the UK, while 5 year trend data is available for Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa and the US.
Grant Thornton International will donate US$5 to UNICEF for every completed IBR questionnaire. In 2007 this will result in a donation of over US$35,000.
The research was conducted by Experian Business Strategies Limited and Harris Interactive. All figures were correct at time of going to press. To find out more about IBR and to obtain details of IBR reports and results please visit www.internationalbusinessreport.com.
About Grant Thornton International
Grant Thornton International is one of the world's leading organisations of independently owned and managed accounting and consulting firms providing assurance, tax and specialist business advice to privately held businesses and public interest entities. The strength of each local firm is reflected in the quality of the international organisation. All Grant Thornton International member firms share a commitment to providing the same high quality service to their clients wherever they choose to do business.
Grant Thornton International is a non-practising international umbrella organisation and does not deliver services in its own name or otherwise. Each member and correspondent firm in Grant Thornton International is a separate national firm. These firms are not members of one international partnership or otherwise legal partners with each other (with the exception of certain limited instances), nor is any one firm responsible for the services or activities of any other.
For further information please contact:
Neil Bird
IBR project manager
Grant Thornton International
T: +44 (0)20 7391 9516
Contact us
To find out more information about Grant Thornton International contact us.