") no-repeat center center;background-size:10px 16px;content:' '}@media(min-width:768px){.egqDdf::before{display:none}}.fGzMFb{width:100%;box-sizing:border-box}@media(min-width:768px){.fGzMFb{max-width:634px}}@media(min-width:1250px){.fGzMFb{max-width:622px}}.hHATii{display:flex;width:auto;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-start;gap:4px;color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.frlkrE{display:block;font:bold 14px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration-line:underline;margin-block:0;text-align:center}.gFogGN{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px}.gFogGN:hover .sc-aja53j-2,.gFogGN:hover .sc-a5wy94-0{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#f58992)}.cDGSNR{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.eSVQSf{display:flex;position:relative;overflow:hidden;width:auto;height:40px;flex-direction:column;order:-1;gap:8px;opacity:1;transition:all .5s ease-in-out;transition-behavior:allow-discrete}.eSVQSf::after{--fade-from:rgba(255,255,255,0);--fade-mid:rgba(255,255,255,0.5);--fade-to:#fff;position:absolute;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:1;width:100%;height:40px;background-image:linear-gradient(to bottom,var(--fade-from) 0,var(--fade-mid) 50%,var(--fade-to) 100%);content:'';opacity:1;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity 150ms ease-out}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.eSVQSf::after{--fade-from:light-dark(rgba(255,255,255,0),rgba(0,0,0,0))}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.eSVQSf::after{--fade-mid:light-dark(rgba(255,255,255,0.5),rgba(0,0,0,0.5))}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.eSVQSf::after{--fade-to:light-dark(#fff,#000)}}@media(min-width:768px){.fiXggt{order:-1}}@media(min-width:768px){.jikgMc{display:flex;position:relative;align-items:flex-start;margin-top:12px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.iZGsHB .taboola{display:none}}.iZGsHB:has(#taboola-carousel-thumbnails){min-height:426px}.iZGsHB:has(#taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-crime){min-height:405px}@media(min-width:1000px){.iZGsHB:has(#taboola-carousel-thumbnails),.iZGsHB:has(#taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-crime){min-height:0}}.fLVhoJ .tp-container-inner,.fLVhoJ .sc-1suqprf-0{position:relative;box-shadow:0 -22px 16px 22px rgba(255,255,255,0.95);box-shadow:0 -22px 16px 22px light-dark(rgba(255,255,255,0.95),rgba(0,0,0,0.95))}.fLVhoJ.closed{display:none}.LyMAA{width:32px}.LyMAA,.LyMAA:focus{color:#3b5998;color:light-dark(#3b5998,#627aac)}.LyMAA:hover,.LyMAA:active,.LyMAA:focus-visible{color:#2f4779;color:light-dark(#2f4779,#9cabcb)}@media(min-width:768px){.LyMAA.mobile-only{display:none}}.dwVQBR{width:32px}.dwVQBR,.dwVQBR:focus{color:#000;color:light-dark(#000,#4e4e4e)}.dwVQBR:hover,.dwVQBR:active,.dwVQBR:focus-visible{color:#4e4e4e;color:light-dark(#4e4e4e,#919191)}@media(min-width:768px){.dwVQBR.mobile-only{display:none}}.dxQkdZ{width:32px}.dxQkdZ,.dxQkdZ:focus{color:#25d366;color:light-dark(#25d366,#25d366)}.dxQkdZ:hover,.dxQkdZ:active,.dxQkdZ:focus-visible{color:#1da851;color:light-dark(#1da851,#1da851)}@media(min-width:768px){.dxQkdZ.mobile-only{display:none}}.fKhHgh{width:32px}.fKhHgh,.fKhHgh:focus{color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.fKhHgh:hover,.fKhHgh:active,.fKhHgh:focus-visible{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#ac2a2c)}@media(min-width:768px){.fKhHgh.mobile-only{display:none}}.fMVKDn{display:flex;gap:12px}.kHbRaW .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:none}.kHbRaW:hover .sc-17yxc4y-0,.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:block}.kHbRaW:hover .sc-17yxc4y-1,.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:none}.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:block}.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:none}.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved:hover .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:none}.kHbRaW.bookmark-button-saved:hover .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:block}.eoiTHI{display:inline-block;width:32px;height:32px;color:#337e81;color:light-dark(#337e81,#337e81)}.gsHIni{display:flex;flex-direction:row;justify-content:center;gap:12px}.jTEZjg{display:flex;position:relative;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.jTEZjg{justify-content:flex-end;padding-top:12px;margin:0}}.laxBOB{display:flex}.sticky .laxBOB{flex-direction:column}.hDXmfN{overflow:hidden;height:23px;margin-bottom:8px;border-bottom:0;clear:both}@media(min-width:768px){.hDXmfN{height:25px}}.jGyHqZ{display:inline-block;flex-shrink:0;margin:0 12px 0 0;font:bold 14px/normal 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.jGyHqZ::after{content:':'}.bsdbXr{display:inline-block;margin-right:12px;margin-bottom:4px;color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff);font:normal 14px/1.29 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration:underline}.bsdbXr::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}@media(min-width:1000px){.subscribed .eWQiqu{margin-top:-184px}.article-feature:not(.article-feature-video) .subscribed .eWQiqu{margin-top:-407px}}.eWQiqu>p{margin:16px 0}.article-premium .eWQiqu>p{line-height:27px}.eWQiqu>h2{font-size:21px}.article-climate .eWQiqu>h2{color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.article-sgi .eWQiqu>h2{color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.eWQiqu>p:first-child{margin-top:0}.eWQiqu span:first-child~p:first-of-type{margin-top:0}.gCqUwG{display:flex;position:relative;max-width:100%;min-height:600px;justify-content:center;margin:0 auto;background-color:transparent;clear:both}@media(min-width:1000px){.gCqUwG{min-height:450px}}.teads .gCqUwG{display:block}.gCqUwG [data-mpu]{position:sticky;top:16px}@media(min-width:1000px){.jcsUho{display:none}}.jcsUho[data-mpu1]{min-height:600px}.jcsUho.pb-20{padding-bottom:20px}.cGmNxG{overflow:hidden;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:16px}@media(min-width:768px){.cGmNxG{max-width:634px}}@media(min-width:1250px){.cGmNxG{max-width:622px}}.iqSitv{width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;padding:8px 12px 12px;border-top:8px solid #ec1a2e;border-top:8px solid light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e);background-color:#fde8ea;background-color:light-dark(#fde8ea,#66000a)}@media(min-width:768px){.iqSitv{padding-top:4px;padding-bottom:12px}}.dlmCG{font:bold 22px/26px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;margin:0 0 12px;text-align:center}@media(min-width:768px){.dlmCG{font:bold 30px/34px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.048px;margin-bottom:12px;text-align:left}}.JMagJ{display:block;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.JMagJ{display:none}}.eRfgdl{display:flex;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px;background-color:#fde8ea;background-color:light-dark(#fde8ea,#66000a);color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}@media(min-width:768px){.eRfgdl{width:auto;justify-content:flex-start}}.icmspM{display:block;font:bold 14px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration-line:underline;margin-block:0;text-align:center}.jEzKon{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px}.jEzKon:hover .sc-hez36s-5,.jEzKon:hover .sc-a5wy94-0{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#f58992)}.kxbAkl{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.igdyzJ{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column}@media(min-width:768px){.igdyzJ{display:flow-root;gap:24px;transition:margin-bottom .3s ease-in-out}}.jDeUSg{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.jDeUSg{position:relative;z-index:1;width:212px;flex-shrink:0;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:24px;float:right}}.bBLSBr{display:none;flex-direction:row;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px}@media(min-width:768px){.bBLSBr{display:flex;margin-top:12px}}.DIgLQ{display:flex;width:100%;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.DIgLQ{display:none}}@media(min-width:768px){.cPkZJS{order:-1}}.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-from:rgba(253,232,234,0);--fade-mid:rgba(253,232,234,0.5);--fade-to:#fde8ea}@media(min-width:360px){.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5 .sc-aja53j-7{display:none}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-from:light-dark(rgba(253,232,234,0),rgba(102,0,10,0))}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-mid:light-dark(rgba(253,232,234,0.5),rgba(102,0,10,0.5))}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.fJelbS .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-to:light-dark(#fde8ea,#66000a)}}.kGYWZt{margin:0 0 24px;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.eXohla{font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.bXaOEb{display:flex;min-height:600px;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:1000px){.bXaOEb{min-height:450px}}.dlrgtE{min-height:600px}@media(min-width:1000px){.dlrgtE{min-height:450px}}.dlrgtE.mobile-only{display:block}@media(min-width:1000px){.dlrgtE.mobile-only{display:none}}.dlrgtE.desktop-only{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.dlrgtE.desktop-only{display:block;margin-bottom:16px}}.dlrgtE.desktop-only+p{margin-top:0}.dlrgtE .third-party-ad{position:sticky;top:16px}.fhuRbW{width:100%;flex-grow:1}.fhuRbW .social-share{width:100%;padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:20px}@media(min-width:768px){.fhuRbW .social-share{justify-content:flex-start}}.fhuRbW .social-share.sticky{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.fhuRbW .social-share.sticky{display:flex;position:sticky;top:14px;width:34px;flex-direction:column;padding-top:0;margin-top:0;margin-left:-25%}.fhuRbW .social-share.sticky .sc-mgcah7-0{margin:0 0 16px}.article-feature-video .fhuRbW .social-share.sticky{margin-top:0}.article-feature:not(.article-feature-video) .fhuRbW .social-share.sticky{margin-top:35%}}.fhuRbW.sponsored-article img,.fhuRbW.sponsored-article video{width:100%;max-width:602px;height:auto}.fhuRbW.sponsored-article iframe{max-width:602px;max-height:400px}.fhuRbW .under-article-prompt-donations{padding-bottom:8px;margin-top:-3px}.fhuRbW .big-letter{--color:#222;display:flex;position:relative;width:0;height:0;align-items:center;justify-content:center;padding:40px;margin-top:22px;margin-right:12px;border:1px solid var(--color);float:left;font:normal 52px/1 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;text-transform:uppercase}.fhuRbW .big-letter:first-child{margin-top:6px}.fhuRbW .big-letter::before{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid var(--color);border-radius:50%;content:''}.fhuRbW #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:2350px}@media(min-width:768px){.fhuRbW #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:3370px}}.fhuRbW #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:130px}@media(min-width:768px){.fhuRbW #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:415px}}.fhuRbW .sc-fwko30-0+.sc-1xtsh2b-0{margin-top:-16px}@media(min-width:768px){.fhuRbW{max-width:636px;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.fhuRbW{max-width:624px;margin:0}.fhuRbW.subscribed{max-width:636px}}@media(max-width:999px){.fhuRbW{padding-right:0}.fhuRbW .under-article-prompt-donations{margin-top:-18px}}.fhuRbW .anchor-nav-header{scroll-margin-top:79px}.fhuRbW .anchor-nav-header a{color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}.fhuRbW .anchor-nav-header a:hover{color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.fhuRbW .big-letter{--color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}}.enFqNy{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:8px;color:#646464;color:light-dark(#646464,#bdbdbd);font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.enFqNy{width:70%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:0;font:normal 16px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.enFqNy{width:70%;margin-bottom:0}}.hWBwna{display:flex;height:20px;margin:0 12px 8px 0}.article-voices .hWBwna{height:auto}@media(min-width:425px){.article-voices .hWBwna{height:20px}}.hWBwna::before{display:inline-block;align-self:center;margin-top:1px;margin-right:12px;content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.hWBwna:first-child::before{content:none}@media(min-width:768px){.hWBwna{height:24px;margin-bottom:0}.hWBwna::before{margin-top:2px}}.hWBwna time{display:block}.hWBwna time::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}.hYsQrG{display:inline-block;margin:0 12px 8px 0;color:#ec1a2e;color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e);font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.5px}.hYsQrG:hover,.hYsQrG:active{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#ac2a2c)}@media(min-width:768px){.hYsQrG{margin-bottom:0}}.pYMAz{margin:0 12px 8px -8px}@media(min-width:768px){.pYMAz{margin-bottom:0}}.hSzzTd{margin:0 4px 8px 0}.hSzzTd::before{display:inline-block;margin-top:2px;margin-right:12px;color:#646464;color:light-dark(#646464,#bdbdbd);content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.hSzzTd:first-child::before{display:none}@media(min-width:768px){.hSzzTd{margin-bottom:0}}.fkbzZm{display:flex;justify-content:flex-start;padding:0;margin:0 0 16px}@media(min-width:768px){.fkbzZm{display:flex;width:30%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.fkbzZm{width:30%}}.eTZxgZ{padding-top:0;border-top:0;border-bottom:0}@media(min-width:768px){.eTZxgZ{display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;padding-bottom:16px}.eTZxgZ .sc-mzrbq8-0{order:1}.eTZxgZ .sc-mzrbq8-6{order:2}}@media(min-width:1000px){.eTZxgZ{flex-direction:row}}.hkkJDp{padding:16px 12px 12px;text-align:left;font:bold 14px/18px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.hkkJDp{padding:16px 16px 12px}}.article-infact .hkkJDp{padding:16px 0}@media(min-width:1000px){.hkkJDp{padding:24px 0 19px}.article-feature .hkkJDp{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto}}.hkkJDp a{color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}.hkkJDp a:hover{color:#ac2a2c;color:light-dark(#ac2a2c,#f58992)}.hkkJDp a:hover::after{color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}.hkkJDp a::after{margin-right:4px;margin-left:4px;content:'>'}.hkkJDp a:last-child::after{display:none}.hMldFc{margin:0 0 20px;letter-spacing:0}.bWngPc{margin:0;color:#646464;color:light-dark(#646464,#bdbdbd);font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.bWngPc{font:normal 18px/22px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.bWngPc{font:normal 20px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}.bWngPc p{font:inherit}.article-feature .bWngPc a{font-weight:bold}.dnkfpp{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto;background:#fff;background:light-dark(#fff,#000)}@media(min-width:1000px){.dnkfpp{padding:0 16px}.parallax .dnkfpp{max-width:1240px}}.Rdknw{font:bold 32px/36px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0156em}@media(min-width:768px){.Rdknw{font:bold 44px/48px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0113em}}@media(min-width:1000px){.Rdknw{font:bold 54px/58px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0092em}}.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-0{margin:0 12px}@media(min-width:768px){.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-0{max-width:968px;margin-right:16px;margin-left:16px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-0{margin-right:auto;margin-left:auto}}.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{margin-bottom:16px;color:#222;color:light-dark(#222,#fff)}@media(min-width:768px){.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{margin-bottom:18px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{margin-top:0}}.article-feature .gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{text-align:center}@media(min-width:1000px){.article-feature .gwrTGe .sc-qvufca-2{max-width:968px}}.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0{margin-bottom:16px}@media(min-width:1000px){.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0{max-width:968px}}.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-top:0}@media(min-width:768px){.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-bottom:16px}}@media(min-width:2560px){.gwrTGe .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-bottom:12px}}.iExVwO{overflow:hidden;height:0;color:transparent}.VkEbW{max-width:100%;margin:0 0 20px}.VkEbW.sticky{position:sticky;top:16px}.jpuEXf{min-height:600px}.jpuEXf #mpu1{position:sticky;top:16px}.dFDnal{min-height:250px}.dcXsiQ{max-width:100%}.loNRDw{margin:0 0 6px;color:#646464;color:light-dark(#646464,#bdbdbd);font-family:'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;font-size:15px}.ezMsnK{margin:0 0 12px}.iIPWMQ{height:380px}.gXoWZo{width:100%;height:51px}.hjNIYD{margin-bottom:16px;border-bottom:1px solid #919191;border-bottom:1px solid light-dark(#919191,#646464)}.vzWDo{margin-bottom:16px}.vzWDo [role='listitem']{position:relative;margin-bottom:12px;border-bottom:1px solid #d3d3d3;border-bottom:1px solid light-dark(#d3d3d3,#919191)}.vzWDo [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0{display:flex;position:absolute;bottom:16px;left:10px;width:32px;height:32px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;border-radius:50%;background-color:#ec1a2e;background-color:light-dark(#ec1a2e,#ec1a2e)}.vzWDo [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0>svg{width:90%;fill:#fff;fill:light-dark(#fff,#000);stroke:transparent}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child{display:block;padding-bottom:0;margin-bottom:12px}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child .sc-u4n1j-0{top:-15px;bottom:auto;left:12px}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child>*:first-child{display:block;width:100%;height:205px}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{--content-bg:#222;--content-bg-opaque:rgba(34,34,34,0.7);position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;padding:28px 12px 12px;background:linear-gradient(to top,var(--content-bg) 70%,var(--content-bg-opaque) 100%) no-repeat;color:#fff;color:light-dark(#fff,#222);font-size:17px;font-weight:bold}.vzWDo [role='listitem']:last-child{margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0 none}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{--content-bg:light-dark(#222,#000)}}@supports(color:light-dark(red,red)){.vzWDo [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{--content-bg-opaque:light-dark(rgba(34,34,34,0.7),rgba(0,0,0,0.7))}}.clClJO{min-height:1924px}@media(max-width:767px){.clClJO{display:none}}.doEDPw{width:308px}.doEDPw.hidden{display:none}@media(max-width:999px){.doEDPw{display:none}}.article-liveblog .ebbjSB{background-color:#f7f7f7;background-color:light-dark(#f7f7f7,#222)}.ghFVC{justify-content:center}.clCHwE{justify-content:center}
Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Not now Yes please
News UK Home News Companies with women on boards perform better, study finds Report finds having more women in senior roles leads to less excessive risk-taking and greater efficiency
New figures suggest one in four people are running at least one other business project alongside their main day job Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference. Read more Having more women on company boards leads to organisations performing better, a new study has found.
The report, conducted by researchers at NEOMA Business School in the French city of Reims, discovered having more women in these senior roles leads to less excessive risk-taking and greater efficiency.
Researchers found women on boards also leads to less earnings management - which refers to wielding accounting techniques to produce financial statements which deliver an overly successful view of a firm’s position.
But the report found this is far truer for nations where there are higher levels of gender equality like Scandinavia, whereas in countries with greater gender inequality such as Japan, India, and China, female directors appear to have less effect on how a company performs.
“Female directors in more gender equal societies possess greater skills and exert more influence due to better access to educational and professional opportunities and more amicable boardroom dynamics,” Professors Samia Belaounia, Ran Tao, and Hong Zhao, who carried out the research, said.
“If a society, in general, holds a biased attitude toward women, it is difficult to believe that female directors will have a voice among their male counterparts”.
Researchers argue the findings show efforts to improve female board representation via legislation on quotas must take place alongside substantive actions to ensure greater socio-economic and educational equality for women.
This study, published in International Business Review , looked at 1986 public firms from 24 countries or areas between 2007 and 2016.
It comes after Germany recently announced it is set to roll out at a compulsory scheme that forces listed companies to have at least one woman on their boards after politicians reached a new agreement.
Franziska Giffey, Germany’s federal minister for women, said the deal marks a “historic breakthrough” and the nation is “setting an example for a sustainable, modern society”.
While a recent study found UK high street chains are giving male employees heftier bonuses than their female workers. Researchers also found scant progress had been made on improving gender pay gaps.
The study, conducted by The Equality Trust, discovered an increase of 179 per cent in the average gender bonus gap among companies which chose to reveal their figures.
UK rules obliging private companies who employ more than 250 people to release their gender pay gap figures were suspended by the government earlier in the year due to coronavirus upheaval.
Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, recently told The Independent the government has “taken their foot off the pedal” on tackling the gender pay gap and there is a lack of “political will” within government to address the issue.
Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments