News

Women on Boards

The 2007 Catalyst Census of Women Board Directors, Corporate Officers, and Top Earners of the Fortune 500 was released on December 10, 2007. The report shows that despite the flat growth in the number of women in senior leadership positions, women held a greater percentage of powerful board committee chair positions in 2007 compared to 2006. The research further revealed that women corporate officers are losing ground in line jobs, which often serve as a step toward promotion to leadership positions. Ilene H. Lang, President of Catalyst, says "Smart companies realize there is a strong business case for diversity. As prior Catalyst research shows, there is a substantial correlation between corporate financial performance and women's representation in leadership positions. We welcome the news that some progress is being made, but the overall findings are disappointing." To view the full findings, please click here.