Despite the progress, the gender gap amongst senior executives in Ghana’s top-listed companies remains wide. Among the 35 companies listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange, women hold only 25% of board seats and 27% of non-executive director seats. This figure represents a 3% increase in board seats held by women and a 3% increase in non-executive director seats held by women from 2020. The 2021 Board Diversity Index reveals that the most common role held by women across most companies remains the position of corporate secretary. While 75% of all corporate secretaries among GSE-listed companies are women, this position is not a director role. By virtue of their work and presence at board meetings, corporate secretaries can exert influence in the boardroom and can be great director candidates yet seldom hold a seat at the table.
Key sectors assessed in the 2021 Board Diversity Index include agriculture and agribusiness, financial services, automobile, advertising and communications, education, energy, consumer goods, and food and beverage. Amongst these sectors, fast-moving consumer goods, mining and telecommunications have the highest levels of female boardroom representation. However, in terms of the aggregate number of women, the financial services sector outperforms all sectors: 40% of all female directors in GSE- listed companies are represented in the financial services sector.
