Recent statistics show that the share of women on boards and in management positions in Norwegian joint-stock companies is increasing. This trend reflects a positive change in the country, but there is still a clear predominance of men at the highest levels of management - we read from Statistics Norway
More women on boards and in management positions in Norwegian companies
– There are more women both on boards and in managerial positions. This is positive. Despite the positive development situation in managerial positions in both forms of organization men dominate, says section manager at SSB Erik Fjærli.
Overall, the latest statistical data for the period 2023-2024 indicate a moderate increase in the share of women among board members and managers in both joint-stock companies and public joint-stock companies.
In 2023, men made up 80 percent of board members of joint-stock companies (AS), while women made up 20 percent. Men's share in 2024 decreased slightly to 79,7 percent, while women's share increased to 20,3 percent. For board members of public joint stock companies (ASAs), the gender distribution in 2023 was less diverse than for AS, amounting to 56,9 percentage of men and 43,1 percent women. In 2024, this trend continues. Men's share dropped to 56,1 percent and women's share increased to 43,9 percent.
Public joint-stock companies have gender quotas, requiring at least 40 percent gender representation on the board. Similar legislation has been passed for AS. The new regulations will gradually enter into force from January 1, 2024 and will initially apply to larger enterprises.
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The share of women increases with the size of the board
– The new regulations will probably affect women's participation in next year's publication of statistics – adds Fjærli.
– It is worth noting that the share of women increases with the size of the board, except for the group of two board members, where the share of women is higher than in other boards with less than 7 members. This may be due to the existence of "family businesses", but we have not had the opportunity to investigate this, adds Fjærli.
Increasing number of women in management positions
When it comes to managers in joint-stock companies, in 2023 men had the advantage, constituting 82,7 percent, and women 17,3 percent. We also see the same pattern in 2024. Men's share decreased slightly to 82,5 percent and women's share increased to 17,5 percent respectively. In 2023 share of men in managerial positions in public joint-stock companies was 88,6 percent, while women were 11,4 percent. In 2024, we see a slight change, with men's share increasing slightly to 89,2 percent and women's share falling to 10,8 percent. This means a weaker share of women and a continuing advantage of men in managerial positions.
Positive changes
While the number of women in management positions is increasing, the gender divide remains unequal, especially in categories with more roles. However, there is also increasing regional diversity among people performing management roles. This indicates positive changes towards increased representation of different groups.
Despite progress, some regions still face challenges related to achieving a more balanced gender distribution in management positions. Support for gender diversity on boards remains a priority in achieving a more representative and equitable business landscape in Norway.
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Source: Statistics Norway , Photo: pixabay
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