Page 38 - Winning Women 2017

38 BWASA

BOTTOMING OUT
BOTTOMING OUT

It’s staggering. Not only are women making no upward movement
career-wise, but 56% are still unemployed. Alison Visser reports

on the soon-to-be-released 2017 Women in Leadership census

he 2017 Women in Leadership companies to transform and we any more to not transform.”
census, undertaken by the have a database of women who are Magau reported “a number of
TBusinesswomen’s Association, board-ready – therefore corporate improvements this year” but stressed
paints a dismal picture. The gist of the South Africa doesn’t have an excuse that, although the situation was better,
matter is this: only 20.7% of “it is not yet good enough”.
directors and 29.4% of
executive managers are DIRECTORS
women. At the top About one in five directorships (or
leadership level of 20.7%) in JSE-listed companies is held
organisations, women by a woman. The share of female
account for only 11.8% of directorships has increased by 6.5
chief executives or percentage points to 19.1%. The share
chairpersons. of JSE-listed companies with at least
“To contextualise our three female directors has decreased to
key findings, in South only 25.6% in 2017, from 35.9% in 2015.
Africa, women “This is problematic because the
comprise 51% of the share of companies with the required
total population, but ‘critical mass’ of at least three women
make up only 44.3% directors has decreased and suggests
of the employed that the share of companies with more
workforce, which gender-diverse boards has
is often decreased since the last edition of
concentrated at the census,” said Magau.
lower levels of
organisations,” said Dr Namane Magau, STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES
research leader and a former president At state-owned enterprises,
of the Businesswomen’s Association. female directorships have
“Gender equity in the workplace at grown at a slower pace than
large, and in the boardroom in for JSE-listed firms,
particular, as a focal point of economic although from a higher
empowerment provides the ability to PHOTO: ISTOCK base. Between 2008 and
drive gender equality within society as 2017, the share of female
a whole. directorships has grown by
“Although a concerted effort has 0.4 percentage points, but
been made, albeit gradually, to female executive directors account for
increase representation of women only 9.2% of total female directors. The
at the top of organisations, more share of state-owned enterprises with
initiatives are required to grow at least three female directors has also
the available talent pool at lower shrunk by 10 percentage points to 85%.
organisational levels,” said Magau. . TO PAGE 39
The 2017 edition of the
census researched 297 Comparative census pyramid, 2008-2017
companies – 277 JSE-listed
firms and 20 of South Chairpersons Directorships Executive managers Women as % of employed population
Africa’s largest state-owned
enterprises. Women as % of total SA population
“The Businesswomen’s
Association has been 51.6% 51.3% 51.2% +51.3%
conducting this census for 51% 52% 45.8% 51% +44.8%
more than 10 years and, in 42.4% 44.6% 45.1% 43.9% 44.3%
the 10 years, even though it
looks like there is movement
the change is really 25.3% 29.3% 29.4%
minimal,” said the 21.6% 21.4% 21.9% 20.7%
association’s executive 16.6% 19.3% 15.8% 17.1% +16.2%
director Matshepo Msibi. 14.3% 10.4% 11.6% 11.8%
“This year the association 7.8% 9.7% 9.1% 7.4% Unchanged
would like to call corporate 3% 4.1% 1.9%
South Africa to action to
ensure that parity is 2008 2010 2011 2012 2015 2017 % point Change in
reached in our lifetime. change real terms
“We have customised (2008/2017) (2008/2017)
programmes to help Source: 2017 Women in Leadership Census Graphics24