Foreword

This publication makes an important and useful contribution to the ongoing debate about how we can increase the number of women at the top in our public and, indeed, private sector organisations.

Equality is not just a right in principle. It is necessary for individuals, who have a right to be treated fairly; for the economy, as a competitive economy draws on all the talents and abilities available to it; and for society, as a more equal society is more cohesive and at ease with itself.

Huge inequalities persist in our workplaces today, from the gender pay gap, which still stands at 16.4 per cent, to promotion prospects, despite the Equality Act, the Equal Pay Act, extended maternity leave and the right to request flexible working. Women remain severely under-represented in leadership positions across a number of high-profile sectors. Women make up less than 25 per cent of MPs in the UK, less than 20 per cent of partners in the top 100 UK law firms, and less than 15 per cent of editors of national newspapers. Despite many actions taken by the Labour Government while we were in office, inequality and discrimination still exist, which is why we introduced tough new measures in our Equality Bill including gender pay reporting and proposals to ban secrecy clauses.

Public bodies make important decisions that shape the quality of our lives and public services. We know that leadership teams that have a diverse mix of people and talent make the best decisions. A balanced team of men and women does not just change the face of organisations, it changes the debate.

In this study, David Baker and Bernadette Casey have provided us with the testimony of women who have broken through. What we learn from their experiences will no doubt be a useful input to future policy debate, and new ideas about how we can ensure that the growing pipeline of female talent in Britain makes it to the top.