Women continue to hold less than a third of management positions worldwide, accounting for just 30.5% of managers globally, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The report, Women in Business and Management: Scaling Success, published on 3 November 2026, highlights persistent gender gaps in corporate leadership despite improvements in women’s educational attainment and growing representation at the highest levels of business.
The ILO’s findings show that women’s share of management positions has increased only gradually, from approximately 24.5% in 2000 to 30.5% in 2025. The figures point to an uneven leadership pipeline, with women’s representation improving at senior and top management levels while declining in junior and middle management between 2013 and 2025.
At the highest levels, progress has been more visible. The proportion of surveyed enterprises with a woman serving as board chair increased from 13.1% in 2013 to 30.9% in 2025. The share of companies with a woman chief executive also rose, from 23.4% to 28.2% over the same period.
The report draws on a 2025 survey of 11,957 enterprises across 99 countries, alongside earlier surveys and labour market data.
It also highlights the business benefits associated with gender equality. Nearly seven in ten surveyed enterprises reported improved business outcomes from gender equality and diversity initiatives in 2025. Among companies that reported increased profits linked to initiatives supporting women in management, 87.4% recorded profit gains of at least 5%.
However, the implementation of such initiatives has weakened. The proportion of enterprises putting gender equality and diversity measures into practice fell from 37.4% in 2018 to 26.5% in 2025, despite nearly three-quarters reporting that they had a relevant policy or equivalent measure in place.
The decline includes initiatives such as maternity leave and support programmes, as well as equal pay measures.
ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo said gender equality was both a fundamental right and an important driver of sustainable enterprises and economic growth. He called on businesses to turn existing commitments into measurable progress.
The report recommends strengthening leadership pipelines, using gender metrics and voluntary targets, and improving women’s access to business functions and sectors where they remain under-represented. It also highlights the need to address structural barriers, including unequal care responsibilities and occupational segregation.
The findings underline the gap between corporate commitments to gender equality and women’s actual representation across management, pointing to the need for sustained action to improve access to leadership opportunities.
