Companies with female leaders outperform those dominated by men, data shows

theguardian.com:

Women should play a central role in the UK’s post-pandemic economic recovery, with evidence revealing companies with more female leaders outperform those dominated by men, according to House of Commons research.

Accusing the government of ignoring women’s needs during the coronavirus pandemic and side-lining them in plans for recovery, the shadow secretary for women and equalities, Anneliese Dodds, said the data showed women held the key to a stronger economy, but they were being held back by a lack of investment and the risk of “childcare deserts” in parts of the country.

“When you’ve got more engagement from women, when women are in the driving seat to the extent they should be, it makes for far more successful businesses,” she said. “Our commitment is to consider women’s concerns and other equality issues from the start. The problem with the current government is they’re not even tacking women’s concerns on at the end, they’re not considering them at all.”

She warned that the UK was facing a “childcare emergency” with early years settings struggling to recruit staff and the Early Years Alliance reporting that some areas of England have seen a 25% decline in the number of places in the past six years.

“The childcare sector is facing a short-term emergency, seeing childcare deserts in different parts of the country, with providers going bust and not being able to continue operating – that has an awful impact on working women,” said Dodds. “Childcare providers are part of our economic infrastructure, we have to find a more sustainable way forward.”

To mark International Women’s Day, which is on Tuesday, Labour have collated data from the House of Commons library. It cited McKinsey research that shows companies in the top