Quick, What Share of Corporate Directors Are Women?

The following is a condensed and edited interview with Brenda Trenowden, global chair, 30% Club.

Have women come as far as you expected in corporations?
To go from 12.5 percent women among FTSE 100 directors in 2010 to 26 percent now in that short time frame and 21 all-male boards to no all-male boards is brilliant. Are we happy to just remain where we are? No. There’s lots more work to be done. For us, the real work comes on the pipeline. The middle of companies is where we just don’t see enough progress.

How do businesses do it?
First, a company has to, from the top, understand that this is a business imperative. It has to be led by the CEO, by the chair, and then by the managers all the way down. Second, they really need to get to grips with understanding which variates apply to them: Do they have an issue with recruitment? Is it a perception around whether they’re a less female-friendly industry? Is it a promotion problem?

In financial services, what stands out as a common obstacle?
There is a big perception issue that financial services has been more of a male-dominated macho type of sector. When you think about the big banks and fund managers, you only think about a small handful of senior women. So we need to get more role models. Also, the culture may not be as inclusive or as welcoming, or it may not be a culture that women enjoy as much.