The proportion of women in senior management in Ireland is higher than both the global and European average, according to a report from Grant Thornton,.

The report also indicates that across the globe leadership progress for women has stalled despite businesses taking more action than ever to increase gender diversity.

In Ireland, the number of women in leadership roles is estimated at 31%, while the global average is 29%.

The Grant Thornton Women in Business Report surveyed thousands of businesses and found that four-fifths of mid-market businesses globally are actively working on removing barriers to gender parity at senior levels. 

Globally, the proportion of businesses using initiatives such as ensuring developmental opportunities (34%), creating an inclusive culture (34%) and flexible working (31%) have all risen.

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One in five Irish corporates have no women in senior management roles, according to the survey. 

Grant Thornton's diversity and inclusion lead Sasha Kerins (pictured) commented: “It’s really important to have females on the strategic committees that are driving our organisations and are making the decisions. Improved gender balance filters down from the way senior committees are running the business. The balance at board level is really important to make real change.

“At Grant Thornton Ireland we are bringing women in on the leadership journey at a much earlier stage and making them see that it’s achievable, that they can be a senior leader within the organisation – and what’s required to get there."

Meanwhile, PwC’s Women in Work Index, a weighted average of five indicators that reflect female participation in the labour market and equality in the workplace, ranks  Iceland and Sweden as best in class.

Ireland recorded the biggest decline in the latest ranking, which PwC attributes to a widening of the gender pay gap.

PwC partner Ger McDonough commented: “Ireland has performed well for all the other indicators, such as female labour force participation, the gap between male and female labour force participation, female unemployment and female full-time employment rate.”

Separately, a survey by Close Brothers has found that businesses actively working on their gender balance commonly listed the following initiatives:

• Creating an inclusive culture (34%)
• Ensuring equal access to developmental opportunities (34%)
• Enabling flexible working (31%)
• Reviewing recruitment processes (26%)
• Mentoring/coaching (26%)
• Reward for senior management linked to targets (23%)
• Using gender quotas (22%).