Philippines Tops Grant Thornton International’s 2020 Women in Business Survey
Grant Thornton International recently released its Women in Business 2020 report, an annual research on gender diversity in senior management among the world’s mid-market businesses—businesses that form the engine-house of the global economy.
The latest report shows that among the 32 countries surveyed, the Philippines has the highest percentage of female executives who hold senior leadership roles with 43%, inching ahead of last year’s 37%.
According to Grant Thornton International, the three topmost positions held by Filipina executives in the workplace are chief finance officer, human resource director, and chief operating office.
“We are seeing that the most significant roles in business operations—strategy, finance, and people—are being held by women. The percentages have decreased this year, and it is interesting to note that women are holding these same three roles,” said P&A Grant Thornton Chairperson and CEO Marivic Españo, in a statement.
Chairperson and CEO of P&A Grant Thornton Marivic Españo at the PICPA Women Summit /IMAGE P&A Grant Thornton’s Facebook page
“We hope to see more women step up into the Chief Executive Officer or Managing Director role in the future,” she added.
Further, 94% of Filipino businesses are moving towards removing barriers to gender parity at senior levels.
Broken down:
- 36% to ensure equal access to developmental work opportunities
- 33% to provide mentoring and coaching as well as enable flexible work
- 30% to link senior management rewards to progress on gender balance targets and
- 26% to set targets for gender balance in leadership.
- 23% to offer unconscious bias training
“It is extremely encouraging to see deliberate action taking place as mid-market businesses ramp up activities that encourage progress and accessibility to leadership positions for women,” Españo remarked.
On a global scale, 29% of women hold senior management roles—the same as 2019’s statistics. The study had a global sample size of 4,812 businesses, with 105 in the Philippines.
Source: grantthornton.com.ph
