China has ranked first for representation of women in the workplace at junior (64.9%) and senior levels (35.6%), and come second only to Malaysia in terms of middle levels (49.6%) and the total workforce (56.7%). Conducted by Community Business, the Gender Diversity Benchmark for Asia 2014 (GDBA 2014) benchmarks Asia's gender diversity in over 30 multinational companies across six markets, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.
The senior male executives interviewed and featured in the study generally acknowledged that, based on the findings of the GDBA 2014, the average representation of women in senior positions remains low in Asia. However, for the most part, they were optimistic about the future, pointing to the growing recognition of the link between increased gender diversity and enhanced business performance.
Commenting on the findings, Fern Ngai, CEO, Community Business said, "Overall, we are pleased to see some signs of real progress in this latest study. Of course, much more needs to be done and performance varies across the region. However, overall these gradually improving numbers show that moving the needle and achieving greater gender balance, if not gender parity at all levels, is indeed an achievable goal in Asia.
"In particular, we commend China on its strong performance and efforts in promoting equality of women in the workplace. While China's economic growth creates greater opportunities for women to contribute to this growth, women also have pressure to work because of the rising cost of living. In addition, the one-child policy means that daughters, as the only child, have access to the best education and are expected to pursue a career. To make the most of this talent pool of educated women, we call for the commitment of companies in China to building a sustainable pipeline from entry level to the very top." continued Ngai.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
