SA companies fall behind on gender quotas
New research reveals that the number of senior roles filled by women in business in South Africa has declined 2% from 2013 and has remained static at between 26% and 28%.
This is according to research from Grant Thornton’s 2014 International Business Report on Women in Business.
Globally, the proportion of senior roles filled by women in 2014 is 24%. This is exactly the same proportion as 2013, 2009 and 2007, and only 5% higher than the 19% recorded ten years ago in 2004.
According to an article in the Sunday Times, The Women Empowerment Gender Equality Bill, adopted in the National Assembly, calls for at least 50% of decision-making posts to be held by women.
Eight in 10 South African businesses do not run a programme to support or mentor women.
Grant Thornton noted that women only fill 26% of senior management positions in South Africa, while 21% of local businesses have no women at all in senior management.
Jeanette Hern, deputy CEO of Grant Thornton Johannesburg, said that business is strongly opposed to the 50% requirement set out in the gender bill as a way of addressing the problems, because it has several shortcomings.
Business Unity South Africa argues that the 50% target is “unrealistic and unattainable”.
According to the Times, another objection to the bill’s 50% quota is that the measure is likely to benefit only women who are already in the workplace and not the millions of unemployed.
There are also several occupations that do not attract enough women.
“There are already a number of laws promoting women empowerment and South Africa does not have the skills to fill this ambitious target,” said Hern.
“Added concern relates to the policing of this new law and the ongoing problem of having to monitor and enforce this legislation.”
Only half (52%) of respondents said they would support the introduction of quotas for the number of women on the executive boards of large listed companies. This is down from 60% in 2013.
“The stringent new gender bill requirements could, in fact, be the main reason fewer companies want to support the introduction of quotas compared with just 12 months ago,” said Hern.
Loading ...