Women in management: Commission moves closer to its target of at least 40%
According to the latest data, female managers at all levels have reached a total of 36% on 1 November 2017, up from 30% at the beginning of the mandate.
The progress is even stronger at senior management level (Directors, Deputy Directors-General and Directors-General) where the share of women has increased to 35% from 27% on 1 November 2014. At middle management level (Heads of Unit), 37% of managers are women, compared to 31% when the Juncker Commission took office.
Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger, in charge of human resources and budget, said: “Gender-diverse management is more effective and achieves better results. The Commission owes the best to the EU citizens, which is why we have to lead by example. We are on the right path and we will continue making targeted efforts until our female colleagues are well represented at all management levels.”
The progress comes after a series of measures that the Commission has put in place since the beginning of its mandate:
– Efforts to identify, develop and support female talent, targeted training sessions and mentoring;
– Under the Diversity and inclusion strategy adopted in the summer of 2017, specific management programmes and support for existing and new female networks;
– Individual targets for all Commission departments when it comes to appointing someone as Head of Unit for the first time. Today’s data shows that our departments are on the right path towards fulfilling their targets.
This is part of the Commission’s broader agenda on gender equality. The 2018-2019 Action Plan to tackle the gender pay gap foresees, among other initiatives, actions to break the glass ceiling by funding projects to improve the gender balance in companies at all management levels as well as encouraging governments and social partners to improve gender balance in decision-making.
For More Information
– Diversity and inclusion strategy – press release