www.euroweeklynews.com
PU LL OUT
SPONSORED BY
14 - 20 June 2018
© EWN MEDIA GROUP
Call for free quote on +44 1522 702443 or go to www.sghaulageltd.co.uk
WOMEN BY GREGORY KIRBY UR latest Women in Business special is timely. It comes as women in Spain and internationally have continued to make significant strides not only in business but in politics, the arts, sports and other areas of public life. The appointment of 11 women to the 17-strong cabinet of Spain’s new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is one such step. Sanchez chose to fill the leading roles of the country’s government with more women than men. This means they enjoy greater representation at the top table of Span-
O
EWN 49
IN BUSINESS
Gir l power ish politics now than at any other time in history. The appointments follow a surge in feminist activism and women’s rights advocacy this year. The 8-M Movement, who organised the International Women’s Day female general strike, motivated millions to take to the streets and demand better conditions for women at work and home. The protests garnered responses from all of Spain’s leading political parties, with each vowing to tackle inequality that still persists in the workplace and in society. Companies also chimed in and promised to turn their attention to how they could improve the lot of women in firms. Advances have been made in politics and the direction of travel in the business world seems much the same. Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), a government finance watchdog, recommended companies aim to have around 30 per cent of their board members female by 2020. There are now 258 female directors out of 1,347 listed company board seats according to the latest figures in a report from the IESE Business School. A survey of IBEX-35 firms, the
largest companies listed on the Spanish stock market, found that the figure for women on boards is almost 23.7 per cent. That is an increase from about 10.6 per cent eight years ago and brings Spain roughly into line with the European average of the percentage of women directors. If current trends continue the 30 per cent by 2020 target could well be met. But that will still leave women outnumbered by men on company boards by two to one. The stories covered in our special continue on this theme of progress having been made, but there is still work to be done. We have covered a recent survey done in Britain into gender imbalances on corporate boards and on the reasons given for this. There is also the news of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee not appointing a woman to a recent vacancy, making for an eight to one gender disparity. Alongside these are stories on women in business and elsewhere we have found inspiring and interesting. Among these are Ana Botin of Santander and the actor Penelope Cruz. They show what can be
achieved by refusing to accept the status quo and continuing to struggle for a world where gender is neither a handicap nor an advantage.
WONDER WOMEN: Actor Penelope Cruz, (above) businesswoman Ana Botin (left) and women throughout Spain continue to give public life the feminine touch.