Deloitte: Progress of Female Leaders in Canada

By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

A new benchmarking Carleton University’s Centre for Women in Politics and Public Leadership study outlines the uneven progress of female leaders in Canada.The report, compiled in collaboration with Deloitte Canada and written by Carleton professors Pauline Rankin and Jennifer Stewart, shows that women held only 29 per cent of senior management positions in Canada in 2011, although they constituted 47 per cent of the workforce, just a six per cent increase since 1987.

“The fact is that few organizations actually implement a coherent action plan to address the lack of women leaders,” said Clare Beckton, executive director of the Carleton centre. “And there is a real chance of losing ground in some areas if this issue is not tackled in a comprehensive manner.”

“Women make significant contributions in the workplace, possessing valuable skills required for leadership positions,” said Jane Allen, partner and chief diversity officer, Deloitte Canada. “While it is encouraging that women continue to experience modest gains in terms of moving up the corporate ladder, we can no longer afford this slow growth. Organizations need to embrace women’s leadership in order to succeed in the years ahead.”