Number of women directors continues to fall

The
number of women directors in the UK’s top companies has fallen for the third
year running, according to research.

The
study, by Cranfield School of Management, shows that 57 per cent of the UK’s
leading businesses have women directors, compared to 58 per cent last year and
64 per cent in 1999.

It
also reveals that among FTSE 100 companies there are still 43 firms with no
women on their board, and only 2 per cent of executive directors are women.

Sue
Vinnicombe, professor of oganisational behaviour and diversity management at
Cranfield, who co-authored the report, said, "It is disappointing to see
another drop in the number of companies in the FTSE 100 with women directors.

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"It
is also interesting that this is seen as a women’s issue. Until male chairmen
and CEOs are willing to engage in this debate I feel the situation will not
improve. They are the key catalysts for boardroom change," she added.

By Ben Willmott