The Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE) said Friday women now hold 40 percent of positions in executive leadership teams (ELTs) across Philippine publicly-listed companies (PLCs).
This is a significant milestone in gender diversity within the corporate sector, PBCWE said in a statement.
The results were based on its latest study “Census on Women in Leadership Roles in Philippine Publicly Listed Companies”.
Conducted in partnership with WR Numero Research (WRN) and supported by Investing in Women and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the study highlights the growing influence of women in shaping corporate strategies and decision-making processes.
PBCWE chairperson Ma. Aurora Geotina-Garcia welcomed the development, saying this advancement not only promotes gender equality but also enhances business performance and sustainability.
The study also reveals that female board members rose to 21 percent, although female CEOs remain underrepresented at 13 percent.
“The Census on Women in Leadership Roles is a call to action for the Philippine business community to adopt gender equality as a key driver of sustainable growth. This study is a vital resource for organisations committed to strengthening gender quality in the workplace,” said Geotina-Garcia.
While there was a significant improvement, the study showed that many women in ELTs remain in functional or support roles rather than operational roles, which are crucial for advancement to top leadership.
The study also says only 2 percent of large firms and none of the small and medium-sized firms have set specific gender diversity targets, which highlights the need for more concrete measures.
The SEC is revising its guidelines to move from a “comply-or-explain” approach to mandatory reporting on sustainability and gender data.
The new reporting requirements, based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, will integrate gender-related data into business sustainability strategies.
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