CRIF has looked at changes over the past ten years in the ratio of females serving in Swiss company managements and Boards of Directors. In 2021, 27.1% of the people currently working at management level are women; ten years ago, the equivalent figure was 23.1%. The ratio of women serving on Boards of Directors is lower; at present, 23.2% are women, compared with 20.1% in 2011.
The Canton of Aargau employs the highest ratio of females at the management level
The highest ratio of females at the management level is reported by the Canton of Aargau (30.4%), followed by the Cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden (30.3%), Appenzell Ausserrhoden (29.3%), Graubünden (28.9%) and Thurgau (28.5%). The economically powerful Canton of Zurich reports a female ratio of 28.2%. Female ratios are below average in all of the French-speaking Cantons, as well as in Ticino. The Canton of Neuchâtel trails in last place on this list, with a female ratio of 23.3% – behind the Cantons of Zug (24.2%), Valais (24.3%) and Ticino (24.5%).
Major discrepancies between different sectors
We can see significant differences in the position of women in management, depending on which sector is involved. Women are represented most strongly in veterinary services, achieving a ratio of 51%. Charitable foundations (51.6%) and social services (50.6%) also employ a higher than average proportion of women at the management level. In contrast, the lowest female ratios appear in the civil engineering (13.5%), energy supply (13.6%) and mechanical engineering (14%) sectors.
Basel Stadt has the highest ratio at the Board of Directors level
At 24.8%, the Canton of Basel Stadt reports the highest female ratio anywhere in Switzerland for membership of the Boards of Directors – followed by the Canton of Aargau (24.7%) and the Canton of Zurich (24.2%).
About the survey process
In this survey, we took into account those people whose names were listed in the Commercial Register as management personnel or Members of the Board of Directors. We compared 2011 with 2021. The survey was carried out on 17th February 2021.
