On 13 November 2018, Hampton-Alexander published its third annual report on improving gender balance in FTSE leadership, assessing the progress that has been made since its predecessor, the Davies Review, and outlining best practices and current challenges.
The review includes a target of 33% representation of women on FTSE 350 boards and FTSE 350 Executive Committees and their direct reports by the end of 2020. The report concludes that, assuming progress continues at the current rate, the FTSE 100 is 'on track' to achieve the 33% target for women on boards by 2020. However, substantial improvements are still required in other areas of appointments, such as to nonFTSE 100 boards and combined executive committee and direct reports.
The report highlights the following key findings:
- Executive committee and direct reports:
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- FTSE 100 — there was an increase in the number of women on the combined executive committee and direct reports to 27%, up from 25.2% in 2017; however, the appointment rate still remained heavily skewed with around 65% of all newly available roles going to men. In addition, 40 FTSE 100 companies had already met the 33% representation target (or were well on their way to do so by 2020).
- FTSE 250 — the number of women on the combined executive committee and direct reports increased slightly to 24.9%, up from 24% in 2017. Again, the appointment rate was male-dominated with 78% and 69% of appointments to executive committee and direct reports, respectively, being of men. Around 70 companies (including the 40 FTSE 100 companies mentioned above) had already met the 33% target.
- Women on boards:
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- FTSE 100 — women now make up 30.2% of FTSE 100 board members, up from 22.8% in 2017.
- FTSE 250 — there has also been an increase of female representation on FTSE 250 boards with women now making up 24.9%, up from 22.8% in 2017.
The report can be accessed here.
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