Nearly seven out of 10 of the "most powerful jobs in UK business" are given to men, and there's a lot more work to be done to increase female representation in Britain's boardrooms, warns Denise Wilson, the former boss of the FTSE Women Leaders Review.
Denise, who stepped down at the end of March after steering the government-sponsored review for 13 years, acknowledged that while significant progress has been made towards achieving gender parity in UK boardrooms, women continue to face hurdles when it comes to landing top jobs. Back in 2011, when she first took the helm as chief executive of the then-Davies Review, 9% of boardroom positions were occupied by women.
Fast forward to her final report as chief executive of the review earlier this year, and that figure had leapt to 42%. However, she emphasised that there's still a "long, long way to go". Reflecting on the early days of her career, she said: "When I looked up, I could only ever see a sea of senior white men. Now there's more women in leadership positions, although not enough."
"In the equalities space, the work is never done and will never be done," she added. "There's always more to do." The latest findings from the taskforce reveal that women still constitute less than a third (30%) of executive committees in FTSE 100 listed companies with 21 female chief executives in the wider FTSE 350.
Moreover, of the appointments made last year across 26,000 board and leadership roles, around 65% were given to men, according to the review. "They're the most powerful jobs in UK business," she pointed out.
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"With six to seven out of 10 (of these) roles going to men, there's much more to do," was her view. Now serving as the chairwoman of the Girlguiding board of trustees, Ms Wilson stands eager to demonstrate how the organisation can arm young girls with confidence and essential life-skills early in their life, propelling them towards leadership positions in their future careers.
Having herself been a brownie and girl guide, she reflected that it equipped her with priceless experiences which amplified her self-confidence. She characterised her first camping trip as a "liberating experience", one that highlighted: "With enough hard work, determination and the right support, I could do anything and that girls can do anything. That was a revelation to me."
"I do think that's what helped to form some of my confidence in the workplace," she decided. She walked the path less travelled, becoming one of the few women to hold senior appointments in her sector, boasting stints at British Gas, BG Group and Transco after they split apart, later moving on to National Grid.
At National Grid, she took charge of investor relations and global audit departments while also acting as global transformation director during her time at the enterprise. Reflecting on the significance of her Girlguiding journey, she said that it granted her the confidence to take up posts typically occupied by men.
"It was those early experiences that gave me that confidence," she acknowledged. Acknowledging the existing obstacles blocking girls and women from ascending the ranks, she pointed out factors like the lack of affordable childcare among the primary deterrents.
The growing concern over recent high-profile sexual harassment scandals in the business sector could potentially stall progress, warns the executive. She said that these events have ensured that individuals previously considered as "untouchables" are now being held accountable.
However, she fears this could make some companies hesitant to appoint women. "It would be a shame if that makes too many people fearful of being alone with women, or of appointing women if it introduces a level of nervousness," she opines.
Ms Wilson, awarded an OBE in 2016 for services to women and equality, highlights that particularly Generation Z employees are the ones demanding change. "They don't want to work in an unequal workplace," she states.
In spite this movement, she acknowledges that gender stereotyping remains a "big issue". She believes that participating in Girlguiding can provide girls with the "resilience" necessary to challenge this in their professional lives, while also "having fun and being outdoors, which is key to learning and mental and physical health".
"You need to build confidence in girls from a very early age. They need that resilience when they go into the workplace."
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