Women’s Representation on Corporate Boards Increases – But Further Efforts Needed

Women’s representation on corporate boards of German companies increased again in 2023. In the largest 200 firms, 18 % of executive board members and 32 % of supervisory board members were women. However, in most companies, there is at most one woman on the executive board and the share of women among CEOs has decreased in many places. Companies, policymakers and other stakeholders must make greater efforts to achieve parity. An analysis of IAB data shows that a higher share of women as managers in establishments decreases the gender pay gap among subordinates, however, only if the share at the highest management level exceeds one-third.