In a recent survey conducted by global accounting group Grant Thornton, the Philippines emerged as the top-ranking country among 28 nations in terms of the percentage of women holding senior management positions. The survey revealed that 43% of senior management roles in Philippine companies are occupied by women. Other Southeast Asian nations also made a strong showing, with Thailand ranking third, Malaysia seventh, and Indonesia tenth in the list.
The survey, which interviewed executives in the final quarter of 2023, covered 4,891 midsize companies, the majority of which have between 50 and 2,500 employees. Senior management roles, as defined by the survey, include positions ranging from CEOs and chief operating officers to board members and finance chiefs.
The Philippines has consistently performed well in the Grant Thornton survey over the past years, ranking second in 2023, fourth in 2022, and first in both 2021 and 2020. Tomoko Tashiro, a manager in marketing communication at Grant Thornton Japan, noted that the Philippines’ success in promoting gender diversity is not solely due to Western influences but is also a result of the country’s early efforts to address gender issues, such as the Magna Carta of Women Act of 2009, which guarantees women economic and social rights.
However, the Philippines’ success in narrowing the gender gap in senior management positions is also linked to another form of inequality – the household income gap. Many low-income women from rural areas migrate to urban centers to work as domestic helpers, supporting busy female managers and executives and their families.
In Thailand, 41% of senior management roles are held by women, a 4-point increase from the previous year. This improvement is attributed to more women assuming roles like chief marketing officers and sales directors. Additionally, 42% of Thai companies surveyed have a female CEO or managing director, the highest among the 28 countries.
In contrast, South Korea and Japan ranked lowest in female representation in senior management, highlighting the enduring dominance of men in these societies. Globally, the proportion of women in management positions has inched closer to parity, reaching 33% in the latest survey. However, the shift towards returning workers to the office could pose a challenge to this progress. The report notes that businesses with primarily office-based work environments are the only ones where the percentage of women in senior management roles falls below the global benchmark.
The findings of the Grant Thornton survey underscore the progress made in promoting gender diversity in senior management, particularly in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations. However, they also highlight the need for continued efforts to address gender disparities, both in the workplace and in broader societal contexts.
(Source: Nikkei Asia | Thailand Business News | Nation Thailand | Vietnam Plus)
