Almost ten percent of the board members of listed companies in Austria are women. There are 172 men and 17 women at board levels, and the trend towards greater equality continues to grow.
In Austria, more and more women are on the board of directors: the share of female board members in domestic listed companies has recently risen to a record nine percent. According to an analysis by the consultant EY, things are slowly improving: a year ago the share of women was 7.1 percent, in July 2015 it was only 4.1 percent.
Management positions are still occupied by men
Specifically, there are 17 female board members in Austrian companies listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange Index, compared to 172 male board members. It is striking that female top managers usually do not hold the position of CEO. Exceptions such as Elisabeth Stadler (Vienna Insurance Group), Herta Stockbauer (BKS Bank) or Radka Doehring (Immofinanz) confirm the rule.
equality is still going on
Overall, according to EY partner Helen Pelzmann, the maximum value is “a positive sign on the road to greater diversity.” But: “The trend reversal is much too slow and the proportion of women is still much too low. The goal of parity is still a long way off.”
EU regulations as a signal
Under pressure from the EU, the number of female board members could soon increase significantly. Pelzmann: “Member States and parliament have agreed on gender quotas in boardrooms.” In 2026, each country can choose between two models: either at least 40 percent of the commissioners must be women. Or the average share of women on supervisory boards and boards should be 33 percent. Pelzmann: “That’s a strong signal!”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
