Number of female CEOs doubles in Brazil in five years, but representativeness is still a challenge, according to a Bain survey

Bain & Company has just launched the research No shortcuts: the path to representation of women at the top and value for companies, which seeks to understand the perception of the business community about the presence of women in corporate management and explore the main barriers for them to reach the top. The consultancy also points out the actions necessary to create an environment favorable to the rise of female talent in Brazil. 

“We need to emphasize that there has been an evolution and the representation of women in leadership positions has virtually doubled in the last five years, but it is still far from equity. Faced with the growing questioning about the validity of investments in diversity, the research highlights the importance of diverse leaders for the sustainable growth of companies, exposes the barriers to female ascension and suggests actions to accelerate this advance”, notes Luiza Mattos, partner of Bain responsible for the study, leader of Health and Customer Experience practices in South America and responsible for the affinity group Women at Bain. 

According to an analysis by Bain based on the 250 largest companies in Brazil, between 2019 and 2024, the number of female CEOs grew from 3% to 6%. Already the number of female executives rose from 23% to 34% and the number of female counselors increased from 5% to 10%. Based on these data, it is possible to verify that women begin to lose representation in leadership positions when they reach the average management, as shown in the chart below.  

Diversity advantages

The research points out that the implementation of concrete actions aimed at diversity favors gender equity and, additionally, strengthens competitiveness, demonstrating that inclusion is an essential engine for sustainable organizational success.

There is also the perception that companies with diverse leadership are more innovative and open to new solutions. In addition, they are, on average, 1.8 times more identified as more action-oriented companies, focusing on value generation and reduction of bureaucracies. 

Lack of aspiration is a myth

Women aspire and trust that they can reach the top as much as men and both consider the desire to participate in strategic decisions and generate impact as the main 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. Already the collaborators seek leadership 1.2 times more motivated by the opportunity for personal development and balance between personal life and career. 

Generally, people tend to better evaluate their own gender compared to the opposite. Men consider women more positively in aspects of teamwork, but show less recognition in areas related to problem solving. On the other hand, women tend to evaluate how significantly lower the performance of male leadership in team development. Another difference is in the perception of equity in selection and promotion processes, which presents relevant divergences between men and women, especially in more senior positions.

Four actions to boost the presence of women in leadership positions

To increase gender equity and ensure a more inclusive corporate environment, Bain points out that it is necessary to invest in four strategies that address structural and cultural challenges, promoting practices that drive diversity and the appreciation of female talent:

1. Using data to inform decisions: define IED strategies and monitor results, whenever possible linking them to business indicators to maximize impact;
2. 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 that guide the organization;
3. Communicate with intention and build an inclusive environment: intentionally disseminate diversity goals and advances, promoting an inclusive leadership narrative and a culture of equal opportunity for all; and
4. Engaging leadership and promoting co-responsibility: identify allies and promote deep leadership engagement, bringing leaders closer to solutions, with co-responsibility for all, including the board of directors

In conclusion, the Bain survey points out that the implementation of concrete actions aimed at diversity favors gender equity and, additionally, strengthens competitiveness and business innovation, demonstrating that inclusion is an essential engine for sustainable organizational success.