Bain & Company has just launched the survey No Shortcuts: The Path to Women’s Representation at the Top and Its Value for Companies, which seeks to understand the business community’s perception of women’s presence in corporate management and explore the main barriers preventing them from reaching the top. The consultancy also highlights the necessary actions to create an environment conducive to the advancement of female talent in Brazil.
“We need to emphasize that there has been progress, and women’s representation in leadership roles has virtually doubled over the past five years, but it is still far from equity. Amid growing questions about the validity of investments in diversity, the survey underscores the importance of diverse leadership for sustainable corporate growth, exposes barriers to women’s advancement, and suggests actions to accelerate this progress,” notes Luiza Mattos, a Bain partner responsible for the study, leader of Health and Customer Experience practices in South America, and head of the Women at Bain affinity group.
According to a Bain analysis of Brazil’s 250 largest companies between 2019 and 2024, the number of female CEOs grew from 3% to 6%. The number of female executives rose from 23% to 34%, and female board members increased from 5% to 10%. Based on this data, it is evident that women begin to lose representation in leadership roles when they reach middle management, as shown in the chart below.
Advantages of Diversity
The survey indicates that implementing concrete actions focused on diversity promotes gender equity and, additionally, strengthens competitiveness, demonstrating that inclusion is an essential driver for sustainable organizational success.
There is also a perception that companies with diverse leadership are more innovative and open to new solutions. Moreover, they are, on average, 1.8 times more likely to be identified as action-oriented companies, focused on value creation and reducing bureaucracy. Other perceived advantages include incorporating the customer’s voice in decisions and attracting talent.
Lack of Aspiration Is a Myth
Women aspire to and believe they can reach the top just as much as men, and both consider the desire to participate in strategic decisions and create impact as key influencing factors. However, men seek leadership 1.7 times more than women to meet social and family pressure and are 1.3 times more motivated by associated status. Female employees, on the other hand, seek leadership 1.2 times more motivated by opportunities for personal development and work-life balance.
People generally tend to evaluate their own gender more favorably compared to the opposite gender. Men view women more positively in teamwork aspects but show less recognition in problem-solving areas. Conversely, women tend to rate male leadership performance significantly lower in team development. Another difference lies in the perception of fairness in selection and promotion processes, which shows significant disparities between men and women, especially in more senior positions.
Four Actions to Boost Women’s Presence in Leadership Roles
To expand gender equity and ensure a more inclusive corporate environment, Bain emphasizes the need to invest in four strategies that address structural and cultural challenges, promoting practices that drive diversity and the appreciation of female talent:
- Use data to inform decisions: define DEI strategies and monitor results, whenever possible linking them to business indicators to maximize impact;
- Review processes and initiatives with leadership impact: design a specific action plan for top leadership, with effective and long-term actions, accompanied by clear goals to guide the organization;
- Communicate with intention and build an inclusive environment: intentionally share diversity goals and progress, promoting an inclusive leadership narrative and a culture of equal opportunities for all;
- Engage leadership and promote shared responsibility: identify allies and foster deep leadership engagement, bringing leaders closer to solutions, with shared responsibility for all, including the board of directors
In conclusion, Bain’s survey highlights that implementing concrete actions focused on diversity promotes gender equity and, additionally, strengthens competitiveness and business innovation, demonstrating that inclusion is an essential driver for sustainable organizational success.
