Posted: 20 / 11 / 2018

Just 12 out of the FTSE 350 companies remain as an all-male board, but with 97% of companies now having a female present, the glass ceiling that once reigned over many a woman’s head, is slowly starting to crack.

It’s nearly 2019, times are changing and the roles of women in the workplace are showing positive signs of progression.

Though still a far cry from an even 50/50 split, the responsibilities of women in businesses seem to be on the rise, with traditional, predominantly male boards now accompanied by female leaders in the same higher positions.

Back in 2010, the FTSE 350 stats showed only 12% of businesses had a female member on their board; fast forward to 2018 and the figures now show an increase to 28%. Whilst it’s evident that the numbers are not yet where we need them to be, change is definitely in place as we see numbers more than double over the last 8 years.

12 out of the 350 companies remain as an all-male board, but with 97% of companies now having a female present, the glass ceiling that once reigned over many a woman’s head, is slowly starting to crack. More and more women are removing stereotypes as they take on jobs that would have, many years ago, been considered a male position.

The rise of female Managing Directors, CEO’S and Founders is continuing to inspire the younger generation and encourage equality in careers and aspirations.

Welcoming four female entrepreneurs to the Sedulo Leeds office for an Empowered Women panel event, Managing Partner, Paul Cheetham talked through success stories and challenges that the leading ladies had experienced in their industry.

Director of R&R Agency and RPJ Racing, Rachel Parfitt, commented:

“I don’t feel intimidated, but I often get underestimated I think. I like to see it as a benefit as then no one sees me on their radar.”

The music industry and racing are both quite male-dominated, although the racing championship was just won by a woman for the first time.

I think it is changing and a good trait in women is empathy.”

Accompanying Rachel on the Empowered Women panel were Fight Label’s Sophie Whittam, Make Events’ Holly Moore and Forever Unique’s Seema Malhotra. All three business owners further echoed the advances in female leadership as they talked through their triumphs to a live audience.

Sedulo are also making moves in the recruitment area as Paul Cheetham embarks on a search for a female Managing Director.

“I’m well aware of the benefits and diversity behind having a female board member. In fact, we’re recruiting for an MD for Sedulo at the moment and the remit for our HR team is I think that a female MD would be a better option to us than a male one.”