Towards gender balance in business leadership
The fact that equality between men and women is not only a matter of justice but of economic profitability is amply demonstrated. However, figures still speak of a ‘glass ceiling’ in business. In order to assess causes and consequences, the conference “Towards gender balance in business leadership: opportunities and challenges” was held within the framework of the EEA Grants.
06.04.2016
Global GDP would increase 11% if countries simply register any advance towards gender equality. The presence of three or more women on Boards has proved to improve companies’ results, according to a McKinsey research. Besides, women already represent 60% of the university graduates and they take part in 94% of the purchasing decisions. Despite all his, progress towards gender equality on Boards is very slow in Spain.
These are some of the issues that were discussed in the Conference “Towards gender balance in business leadership: opportunities and challenges”, organized by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality trough the Women’s Institute and for Equal Opportunities, within the EEA Grants Gender Equality Programme.
“A country will find it difficult to be competitive if it doesn’t acknowledge the talent of the 50% of its population”, pointed out Rosa Urbón, Women’s Institute director, in the opening. Norwegian Equality and Antidiscrimination Ombudsman, Hanne Inger Bjurstrom, stressed that despite that Norway, benchmark in equality, has one of the highest ratios of female employment (80%), “this has not translated yet into a higher number of women on top positions”. Norwegian Ambassador, Johan Vibe, explained that “the major economic transformations needed can’t be developed without women”.
Anita Krohn Traaseth, Innovation Norway CEO, talked too about innovation. In her opinion, the countries are bound to do things differently if they do not want to lag behind and “everybody should make a contribution: men, women, young people…”.
Despite the advances towards equality in Spain –the number of women on IBEX 35’ Boards has increased from 10% in 2010 to 20%- there is still much to be done. There are some barriers for faster advance in this field: corporate obstacles, collective and individual mindsets… For this reason, solutions must involve all: policy makers, business and society in general.
The conference brought together company directors, CEOs and key decision-makers. The event was organized within the framework of the Gender Equality Programme, managed by the Women’s Institute and for Equal Opportunities, with the Equality and Antidiscrimination Ombudsman of Norway and donor partner, and financed by the EEA Grants.