At the beginning of this year, female representation on the boards of financial services firms increased to 39%, up from 35% in 2022. This data pertains to firms that have committed to the Women in Finance Charter, aimed at enhancing female representation within Ireland’s financial services sector. Since 2022, 91 companies, comprising 65,000 employees, have signed the charter, representing approximately half of the sector’s workforce. Ten firms joined this year and are not yet included in the latest results. The annual report released details the strides made by companies towards achieving greater gender balance.
In 2022, among the 56 companies that joined the charter, the representation of women on executive committees rose to 37%, up from 33% the previous year. Female CEOs in these firms also increased to 25%, marking a 4% rise since 2022. Additionally, senior management saw an increase in female representation from 39% to 41%, while middle management levels rose from 47% to 49%. However, at the junior management level, female representation decreased from 53% to 50%.
According to the report, female representation at the board level increased from 38% to 40%, and at the executive committee level, it rose from 23% to 25%. Senior management saw an increase from 33% to 40%, while middle management experienced a slight decrease from 53% to 51%. Among the companies surveyed, representation at the junior management level increased significantly from 43% to 52%. Overall, across all companies committed to the charter, female representation in all roles saw a marginal increase from 49% to 50%.
The report indicates that out of 78 signatories, a total of 200 targets were established, with more targets set at higher occupation levels. It highlights that the majority of short-term targets have been achieved, while progress towards meeting medium and long-term targets is largely on track.