A new report by ESM, analysing the performance of some of Europe's leading retail and consumer goods firms, has found that female executives are still very much in the minority at the top level.
The Road Ahead report assessed the performance and future prospects for a number of leading businesses in the grocery retail and CPG sector. The companies featured in the report boast a combined workforce of more than 3.3 million, and a combined full-year revenue of €815.7 billion.
The study found that of that 77.9% of the positions on the leadership teams/executive committees/boards of directors (where applicable)* of the 40 firms included in the study were held by men (317), while 22.1% were held by women (90).
In addition, the study found that five companies have no women at all at the top level, while ten have just one female representative.
Of the companies assessed in the study, just one firm boasted a female chief executive.
"While this report is just a snapshot of the broad range of companies that comprise the European retail and consumer goods landscape, the fact that some of the biggest names in the business are still lacking when it comes to female representation at the top level is out of sync with consumer demand for workplace equality," said Stephen Wynne-Jones, editor, ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
"While COVID-19 has impacted many businesses hard over the past year, as the pandemic subsides, consumers will expect firms to reflect their personal values, and this is especially true when it comes to how these businesses are managed."
About The Report
ESM’s The Road Ahead report features 40 leading firms from across the retail and consumer goods landscape. For the purposes of this report, all companies featured are: a) headquartered somewhere in Europe; and b) trade on one or more of the major European stock exchanges.
At a company level, the information provided includes the name of the CEO and his/her remuneration package in the most recent financial year (either inclusive or exclusive of bonus information, where information is available), the number of employees, and the *composition of the leadership team/executive committee/board of directors, depending on how each company is structured.
Revenue and profit totals for the most recent financial year are also included, along with the share price highs and lows over the last calendar year, i.e. 2020.
ESM's The Road Ahead report is featured in the latest edition of ESM, which is available to subscribers only.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
