Almost four out of ten managers are women in Spain. Positive data that points to progress in the labor field and in the professional career of women. On the occasion of the celebration of March 8, International Women’s Day, Grant Thornton has presented the 19th report Women in Business 2023. Under the title A push for parityfemale leadership has been analyzed in the middle-market Spanish and in 28 other countries. A photograph that allows us to give a precise and current vision of the situation of the business fabric in our country and globally. top photo, Andrea Levycouncilor delegate of the Government Area for Culture of the Madrid City Council, at the event that took place this Wednesday, March 8, at the Auditorium Meeting Place from Paseo de la Castellana, 81, in the capital.
As can be seen from the aforementioned report, that they have submitted Soraya Muñoz e Isabella Perea, Labor partner and Authorship partner at Grant Thornton respectively, 38% of managerial positions are held by women (almost 4 out of every ten), a figure that places Spain as the second in the European Union with the highest percentage of female managers . For the president of Grant Thornton, Ramon Galceran, “the data from Spain are encouraging”. They show that it is “among the countries that have made the most progress in the last year in terms of gender balance in positions of responsibility.”
However, our country falls from the world ranking and is ranked 12th. The top 10 of that world list is headed by Singapore and the Philippines, both with 49% (management positions held by women); followed by South Africa (41%) and Malaysia (40%).
93% of companies in our country have at least one woman in senior management, four points above the European average and two above the global average.
Renowned women from the political and business spheres in Spain have participated in this event. Andrea Levy stressed the importance of “men and women continuing to collaborate to have a fairer and more prosperous society”. Levy continued: “There are many challenges that remain for us and it is a reason for hope to know that it is forever that men and women will join forces for the benefit of all. Today is a day to celebrate everything we have achieved, to become aware to raise our voices and continue advancing together and together”.
The director of Digital Consortiums of Repsol, Nuria Avalos, who has launched an interesting reflection on the culture of the company, the recipe for professional success, conciliation and how to become a lever for change. “Today we are more women in management positions and we have more references”, she has begun. “We cannot fight inequality if we deny that it exists.” Leaving behind “obsolete recipes”, Ávalos advocates undertaking “cultural changes in companies” and asking ourselves “what model of success we support”. In this sense, the director of Repsol’s Digital Consortiums has pointed out several keys to progress, such as evolving in the flexibility of schedules; make visible referents, masculine and feminine; maintain consistency; and create support networks among women through mentoring. According to various studies mentioned in the paper, it will take 33 years to achieve gender parity.
Madrid, at the head of female leadership
By autonomous communities in Spain, Madrid continues to be the region that leads the ranking of female managers (40%). It is followed by Andalusia (35%) and Catalonia (31%). Euskadi is in last place (30%), although its result increases by 4 points. On the other hand, 8 out of 10 respondents believe that a flexible work model with greater reconciliation helps to promote equal opportunities.
Measures to ensure engagement and inclusion
Conciliation is placed at the spearhead of the measures carried out by companies. Among others, the following stand out: creating an environment in which all colleagues can speak. Promote the reconciliation of work and family life. Promote an open door policy. Adapt learning programs such as virtual ones. Pay attention to individual work styles.
The impact of the pandemic has also contributed to accelerating the changes. In the words of Isabel Perea, “issues such as mental health, work-life balance, and adaptation to learning programs are measures that more and more companies are taking to safeguard a good business climate.”