The 2018 Hampton-Alexander Review was published on Tuesday 13^th November. In 2016, the Review established clear targets aiming at increasing the number of women in leadership positions across FTSE 350 companies: 33% representation of women on FTSE 350 boards and FTSE 350 executive committee and the direct reports to executive committee by 2020. The report published on 13^th November is the third report tracking progress against the targets.

The facts

There has been some good progress towards the targets:

• The number of women on FTSE 100 boards has exceeded 30% for the first time at 30.2% up from 27.7%. Next, Rightmove, Taylor Wimpey and Hargreaves Lansdown plc all have 50% women on their boards. 38 companies of the FTSE 100 have achieved the 33% target.
• The number of women on FTSE 250 boards has increased to 24.9% in 2018, up from 22.8%. 65 companies of the FTSE 250 have achieved the 33% target.
• The number of women on FTSE 350 boards has increased to 26.7% in 2018, up from 24.5%. 103 companies of the FTSE 350 have achieved the 33% target.
• There remain important areas of disappointment:

• The number of FTSE 250 Chair roles remains flat at 22.
• The number of women in CEO roles decreased to 12 from 15 last year.
• There are 75 companies in the FTSE 350 that only have one woman on their board. The report calls those boards “One & Done”.
• There are still 5 boards that are exclusively made of male members in the FTSE 250: Daejan Holdings, Millenium & Copthorne Holdings, Amigo Holdings, Herald Investment Trust, JP Morgan Japanese Investment Trust.

While the FTSE 100 appears on track to meet the 33% target, considerable progress must happen at FTSE 250 companies: the appointment rate needs to be 50/50 in the next two years!