HALF of Scotland’s listed companies have work to do if they are to meet a target of ensuring at least 33 per cent of board members are female by 2020, writes Scott Wright.
Seven of the country’s 14 public companies have so far achieved the target, according to The Hampton-Alexander Review, published today. This compares with just three of the 10 FTSE 350 businesses from Scotland this time last last year.
In the FTSE 100, Scottish Standard Life Aberdeen, Royal Bank of Scotland, Scottish Mortgage Trust have reached the target, as have FTSE 250 constituents Aggreko, Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Scottish Investment Trust and Cairn Energy. However, SSE in the FTSE 100 and FirstGroup, Weir Group, Wood, Barr, Stagecoach and Alliance Trust are still falling short.
Sir Philip Hampton, chairman of the review, said the target for women on boards will be met by next year if current rates of progress are maintained.
But he warned that “we are still a long way from reaching the target for women in senior leadership roles below board level”.
The report found that women’s representation in senior leadership positions in FTSE 100 companies increased to 28.6% last year from 27% in 2018, and in FTSE 250 firms to 27.9% from 24.9%.
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