Women in Leadership in the UK and Ireland
Nick Goddard
In the UK, the 50 largest private companies, as well as all FTSE 350 organisations, have been invited to share the gender break down of their leadership teams for analysis by the government-supported FTSE Women Leaders Review according to Personnel Today.
FTSE Women Leaders Review, the successor to the Hampton-Alexander and Davies reviews, announced that it would be extending its remit to include the largest non-listed businesses.The review, an independent, business-led framework, sets recommendations for Britain’s largest companies to improve the representation of women on boards and the two leadership levels below.
They are encouraging organisations to submit their leadership data on a voluntary basis, with the aim of driving progress in gender diversity. The data will be published in their next annual report in February. FTSE 350 companies have been set voluntary targets towards achieving gender parity, including having a minimum of 40% women on boards and leadership teams by the end of 2025 and at least one female chair or senior independent director role on the board, and/or one female chief executive or finance director.
In Ireland, mandatory Gender Pay Gap reporting requirements for employers with 250 or more employees starts in December 2022. Ibec, a group that represents Irish business, has published a new guidance report to support businesses in gender pay gap reporting. The national gender pay gap in Ireland is estimated to be 11.3% according to Eurostat figures (2019) compared to an EU average of 13%. Earlier this year the EU announced it would require listed companies with more than 250 employees to have at least 40% female representation among non-executive directors, or show they have transparent procedures in place for the selection and appointment of board members.
Ibec’s Gender Pay Gap Guide suggests seven measures to address the gender pay gap under these headings:
1. Recruitment and promotion practices
2. Balanced development practices
3. Flexible working culture
4. Pay transparency and negotiations
5. Performance management
6. Shared caring responsibilities
7. Check the culture
The balanced development practices detailed include “Consider introducing leadership development programmes for high potentials that have clear goals towards not only skills development but advancement opportunities”.
This is the area that ABSTRACT can help most. We have a track record of helping more women and under-represented groups into leadership through our career management programmes. More details of these can be found here on our website, under Our Programmes: www.abstractuk.co.uk/our-programmes
We have delivered two events from our webinar series this year in partnership with Ibec, Biopharmachem Ireland and The 30% Club on 1. How to Improve Diversity of Thought and Respect and 2. How Psychological Safety Creates High Performing Teams.
So if you, your team, company or organisation need some help to achieve your aspirations for a better balanced leadership team then do get in touch with any member of our team or via our website. Or you can contact me at nick@abstractuk.co.uk
Further Resources:
Personnel Today - FTSE Women Leaders Review Scope Increased
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/ftse-women-leaders-review-scope-increased-gender-diversity/
Ibec Gender Pay Gap Guide:
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We are currently based in Edinburgh, York, London, Northern Ireland and operate throughout the UK, Ireland, Poland, USA, India, Hong Kong and Dubai.
