Proportion of women in Swiss companies continues to rise
For the first time, more than half (52 %) of the 100 largest Swiss employers employ at least 3 women on the board of directors, while at the same time the proportion of companies with at least 3 women on the executive board rises to 20 %. The number of female CEOs increases from 9 to 10 - and has already developed to 11 in the current year. At the same time, the number of female CFOs increases from 9 to 14, meaning that 20 % of companies employ a female CEO or CFO. 56 % of the newly appointed executive board members do not have a Swiss passport - a record figure. The proportion of foreigners on the executive boards climbs to a high of 47 %.
According to the schillingreport published on March 3, 2023, by executive search firm Guido Schilling AG, the 100 largest Swiss employers will reach the required gender benchmarks of 30 % on the board of directors and 20 % on the executive board in 2023. Currently, the status quo is 29 % women on the board of directors and 19 % on the executive board. On boards, the proportion of women rises for the first time by 3 percentage points to 29 %, as companies appointed women to a record 46 % of vacancies. On executive boards, the percentage of women rises from 17 % to 19 %, thanks to 27 % women among new appointees - the second highest in 18 years. "It is crucial that companies succeed in establishing 'diversity' as part of the corporate culture and embedding it in the DNA of the company. In the future, proportions of women and men of 40 to 60 % in both management bodies will be the norm," says editor Guido Schilling.
Unprecedented positive development of women's share in SMI
In the SMI companies, the proportion of women on the boards of directors rose by 4 percentage points to 34 %. This was made possible by the fact that SMI companies appointed women to 54 % of vacancies - an absolute record. "In terms of gender diversity, SMI companies have clearly reached the acceptance phase and are consistently relying on the advantages of diversely structured management teams. Compared to the German DAX-listed groups, which appointed women for 46 % of the vacant seats and thus stand at a proportion of women on supervisory boards of 37 % (+ 2 percentage points), the dynamics in the SMI companies are much more positive, and I am convinced that already in the next two years the SMI companies will overtake or catch up with those of the DAX," says Schilling. This is underlined by the development in the management boards. Over the past two years, the SMI companies have achieved a jump of 10 percentage points from 14 % in 2021 to currently 24 % female members of management. This further increases their lead over DAX boards, where female representation is up from 18 % to 22 %, meeting the required German quota. "For me, the question is how sustainable hard quotas are in the long term. Or are they just a tool to achieve short-term goals?" muses Guido Schilling, referring to the flattening development in the DAX companies. All 40 DAX companies employ women on their supervisory boards, while 6 boards (previous year 8) have no women. Of the SMI companies, all 20 count women on their boards, although 2 still have no female executive board members (previous year 3).
Many female managers from abroad
The fact that the proportion of women has risen in many management bodies should not obscure the fact that part of this is quasi "imported". At the 100 largest Swiss employers mentioned above, the proportion of foreigners in management is rising again after years of stagnation. Whereas in recent years this figure had settled at 45 %, it is currently climbing to a peak of 47 %; Swiss companies recruited the members of their management teams directly from abroad for 46 % of their vacancies. The schillingreport 2023 shows that the proportion of foreigners among female executive board members (54 %) is significantly higher than among males (45 %). The difference of 59 % "nationals" to 64 % "nationals" is remarkable.
Further broadening of the gender diversity pipeline
The gender diversity pipeline is the key indicator for anticipating future developments with regard to the proportion of women in management/top management. In the private sector sample, the proportion of women in middle management increases to 27 % (previous year 25 %) and in top management to 19 % (previous year 18 %). "It is very pleasing to see that companies are succeeding in promoting women at all levels of the hierarchy, as this ensures strong young talent for the step up to executive teams. Nevertheless, a sustainable broad gender mix in the executive team remains a generational project," says Schilling. The pipeline is broader in the public sector, which has unchanged proportions of 29 % women in both middle and top management.
Source: Guido Schilling AG
