Armenian businesses have recorded improvement in diversity in management positions, with only 16% having no women in senior roles (as compared to 17% in 2018).

The businesses were surveyed in the framework of Grant Thornton’s Women in Business research, which the company released ahead of the International Women’s Day.

The percentage of businesses globally with at least one woman in senior management has risen to 87%, an increase of 12% in the last year.

“Overall, women now hold 29% of senior leadership positions globally. While this is only up 10% over the past 15 years of research, half this increase (5%) has been achieved in the last 12 months alone,” the research points out.

“These figures are incredibly encouraging and a strong indication that gender parity is starting to be taken seriously by businesses. External factors such as increasing organizational transparency, gender pay gap reporting and highly visible public dialogues appear to be making businesses wake up to the change that is needed,” said Francesca Lagerberg, global leader, Grant Thornton International.

The Women in Business research also indicates that while the number of women in senior leadership is increasing globally, gender parity at the head of the table is still a significant way off. When it comes to the role of CEO or managing director, only 15% of businesses globally have a woman leading the business.