UK companies accused of box ticking over female appointments

UK companies have been accused of “ticking a box” and appointing women to senior executive positions for symbolic purposes by a report that analyses gender and ethnic diversity in the boardroom. Women serve shorter tenures than men — an average of 3.3 years on a board for a female executive director is about half that of their male counterparts — and are less likely to be promoted to senior roles, according to the annual study by Cranfield University’s School of Management. Meanwhile, the number of women in chair roles across the FTSE 100 has decreased this year.