The Hill News

A recent study conducted by the German Institute for Economic Research found that women only make up 2.2 percent of the country’s top 100 executive boards. Out of more than 900 board members, only 29 are women. Add to this the fact that not one of the top 100 companies maintains a female CEO and you have a mini-gender crisis in the making.

The gender disparity in Germany is not unique. In fact, across Europe women are underrepresented on corporate boards. In France, women make up 9.5 percent of members, in the UK 8.5 percent, and in Spain only 8 percent. Concern over gender equality in business has been percolating in Europe for some time. In fact, in 2002, Norway’s parliament passed a quota law requiring that women make up 40 percent of all companies’ corporate boards. Now several other countries have similar laws pending.

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