The report published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) reveals a significant advance in female representation at the highest levels of the global corporate sphere. According to data collected in 2025 from nearly 12,000 companies in 99 countries, 30.9% of companies worldwide are currently led by a woman. This figure represents more than double the percentage recorded in 2013, suggesting a positive trend toward breaking the so-called "glass ceiling," although the body warns that numerous structural and cultural obstacles that limit full progress still persist.
The study also analyzes the evolution of other top management positions. The proportion of companies with a female chief executive officer (CEO) has risen from 23.4% to 28.2% over the last twelve years. While this growth is notable, the ILO emphasizes that the pace of advancement in top executive roles is markedly slower than in the presidencies of boards of directors. This disparity highlights the difficulties women face in accessing operational and strategic high-level roles, often relegated to support or advisory functions.
Regionally, the report places the Americas at the forefront of female corporate leadership, with 35.2% of companies led by women. They are followed by Africa with 33.2% and Europe with 30.6%. In contrast, the Arab States region (27.8%) and Asia-Pacific (27%) show the lowest percentages, evidencing gaps that still condition women's access to corporate power. These data contrast with the educational reality, where women outperform men in higher education, with enrollment rates of 46.4% versus 40.3%, demonstrating untapped qualified female talent.
One of the report’s most concerning findings is the persistence of hierarchical segregation. Female presence thins as one climbs the organizational pyramid. While at the lower and middle supervisory levels women's representation hovers around 70%, this figure drops dramatically to 56.3% in the senior management category and barely rises to 35.5% in top leadership positions. By sector, human resources management stands out as the area with the greatest presence of women in senior leadership positions (63.5%), followed by finance (55.4%) and communications (43.5%).
Finally, the ILO emphasizes that equality is not only a matter of justice but of profitability. Almost seven out of ten surveyed companies confirmed that gender diversity improves economic results and innovation. However, there is an alarming gap between theory and practice: although 75% of firms report having gender policies, only 26.5% implement practical measures, a rate that has declined even since 2018. The report concludes that it is imperative to move from formal commitments to tangible actions to ensure equitable representation.
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