Research shows women ‘hugely outnumbered’ on boards

A new report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) shows that fewer than half of companies have increased the number of women on their boards.

The research reveals that despite a recent push to get more women in UK boardrooms, only 47% actually placed more females in top-level positions over the 2012/12 to 2013/14 period. Another 46% of companies maintained the same level or even decreased the proportion of women.

Even in firms where the number of women on the board went up, 36% of those were a case of reducing the overall board size rather than hiring more women.

One of the reasons put forward by the report is that the ‘old boys’ board culture is still prevalent today. Many companies rely on current members’ personal networks and contacts to find new candidates, meaning the majority of those put forward are men. Only 2% of firms publicise non-executive roles to the public.

The report comes following findings from the CIPD that only 28% of employers conduct an analysis of the gap in pay between male and female employees in similar roles. The Women and Equalities Select Committee has also highlighted that although the gender pay gap has fallen significantly in recent years, its decline has flat lined at just under 20%.

Read the original article from HR Magazine at bit.ly/1pJGY2v