Insight

Are Women Finally Breaking The Glass Ceiling?

Dawn Faulkner looks at the recent changes in national and local leadership and believes genuine progress is being made in both the private and public sectors.

Are women finally breaking the leadership glass ceiling?

As the debate unfolds on the recent budget, one striking fact remains true: it was delivered by the first female Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is not the first time that a woman has been appointed to high political office - as Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May and Liz Truss demonstrate. However, what was different and indeed inspiring was that in her first speech to the House of Commons as Chancellor, Reeves made a direct appeal to girls and young women, saying “let there be no ceiling to your ambition, your hopes and your dreams”.

A Historic Cabinet and Milestone Appointments

One of the most interesting features of the Labour’s landslide victory in the general elections has been Keir Starmer’s cabinet having the highest number of female ministers in history - not only with Rachel Reeves being the first female Chancellor, but also, the appointment of Angela Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister signals a positive shift in the representation of women at the most senior levels in politics.

Then, at the weekend we witnessed a surprising result on the other side of the political fence, with the appointment of the first black female leader of the Conservative Party in Kemi Badenoch.  This is on the back of the Conservative Party appointing its first person of colour as its leader and Prime Minister, in Rishi Sunak, who she succeeds. Views on their respective political stances aside, this represents a significant step forward in terms of inclusivity in the political ranks that could not have been anticipated a decade earlier.

So, what does this say about the UK and its approach to creating a more inclusive society?  Some would say, and with some justification, that it is a long time coming and there is still much to do. However, from a gender perspective there appears to be a significant step forward, particularly in local government, which has often led the way in delivering greater equality, diversity and inclusion.

A Broader Shift Across Local Government and Business

A decade ago, in local government, despite women making up some 70% of the local government workforce, only 17% of local authority leaders and 33% of council chief executives were women. However, our own research shows that today in Tier 1 authorities, 50% of CEOs are now women, which represents a significant shift. Added to this, the relatively recent appointment of Jo Killian as CEO of the Local Government Association, and her Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Policy Sally Burlington, will also be seen as positive role models for other aspirant female CEOs in the sector.

Meanwhile in the private sector, female representation at Board and in C-suite positions has also increased according to the 2024 FTSE Women Leaders Review. Since the start of the Review in 2011 there has been a sea-change in the gender balance of British boards - from 12% women board members in the FTSE 100 in 2011 to 40% today. In 2023, it was announced that FTSE 350 companies had achieved the 40% women on Boards target ahead of the 2025 deadline.

The focus is now on reaching 40% women in senior executive leadership positions in 2025, from the current position of 35.2%.

The Path Forward: Building an Inclusive Leadership Pipeline

These gains in female leadership in both the private and public sectors has been hard won and required organisations to think and behave differently in the way they recruit, develop and support their leadership teams. Addressing the barriers that may inhibit women from reaching senior leadership positions requires concerted efforts and allyship from multiple stakeholders, including companies, policymakers, educational institutions, and professional organisations. By implementing inclusive hiring practices, promoting workplace flexibility and work life balance, advocating for equitable leadership opportunities, and challenging gender biases, organisations can create inclusive environments where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed.

While there is evidence of genuine progress being made in both the public and private sectors, achieving true gender equality in leadership positions across all sectors demands ongoing commitment and local government has a real opportunity to lead the way once more.

Dawn Faulkner is a Partner at Faerfield. Originally published in the Municipal Journal, 7 November 2024.

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