Balanced boardroom | Number of women on boards improves, but is it enough?

A new report outlining female representation in senior positions has revealed that there are more women on company boards.

The research, carried out by the campaign group Women on Boards, found that women on the boards of the 585 FTSE all-shared listed companies rose from 36% to 40%.

Despite this, the study also indicates that the number of female executives has flatlined, with only a tenth of these roles occupied by women.

According to Financial Conduct Authority rules, women should make up 40% of a company’s board and at least one woman should take on a senior board position. The research reveals that 19% of FTSE 100 firms don’t meet this target, while 40 out of 100 companies, including Lloyds Banking Group, Ocado and Tesco, are not meeting the FCA’s goal of having a woman in one of their top four roles.