FTSE firms stall on diversity in top roles

FTSE 100 boards have been accused of making “embarrassingly little progress” on increasing their ethnic diversity, according to the latest report by executive recruitment specialist Green Park.

Green Park has been analysing the diversity of the FTSE 100 senior leadership since 2014 and early findings from its current report show that, for the first time since analysis began, there are no black leaders in the top three roles of chair, CEO or chief financial officer (CFO) at the UK’s largest companies.

This is blamed on the failure to increase black executive leadership, which remains at 0.6%, unchanged over eight years. By comparison, black leaders make up 3.4% of non-executive roles.

Ethnic minority representation in CEO, CFO and chair roles remains at 3.7% with only one additional ethnic minority leader since 2014.

Meanwhile, female representation in the top three roles is only 12.2%; 38 years off gender equality based on the current pace of change.

The survey did reveal some positive signs of progress towards greater gender and ethnic diversity at board and executive committee levels.

Yet where change is happening, it is often within HR and marketing. These roles are considered far less likely routes to the leadership top tier compared to those of finance, sales and operations — paths dominated by white, male employees.

https://www.green-park.co.uk/insights/green-park-business-leaders-index-2021-ftse-100/s239697/