Gender Parity in the Boardroom Won’t Happen on Its Own

The sixth edition of Deloitte Global’s Women in the Boardroom report found that women hold just 16.9% of board seats globally. If the current rate of progress holds steady, it will take more than three decades to achieve gender parity in the boardroom. Even then, actual parity is likely to be concentrated in the few countries that are making concentrated efforts to address this issue. While the business case for gender diversity in the boardroom is clear, this change will not happen on its own. Research shows it will take concerted efforts to address the cultural barriers that prevent many women from reaching senior leadership roles and the boardroom.