Investing in gender equality is a proven driver of performance and a competitive advantage. This year’s Women in Business research shows that mid-market firms who are maintaining their gender equality initiatives and plan to implement new ones were the most likely to report significant growth in revenue and staff numbers. Investors are looking for gender-balanced leadership, or a commitment to achieving it, and employees view it as a reason to join or stay.
Equality in Leadership Boosts Performance and Competitive Advantage
Despite many large organizations retreating from diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in 2024/25,[1] mid‑market leaders remain committed: 92.7% have DE&I initiatives in place, and three-quarters continue to prioritize gender equality. This commitment is grounded not in ideals, but in business pragmatism. Gender‑balanced leadership drives sharper decision‑making, strengthens innovation and accelerates growth. But, to unlock these benefits, leaders must invest visibly in female talent and clearly communicate the commercial value of diverse leadership.
“Real inclusion happens when excellence is recognized without labels. By fostering a culture built on respect, balance and opportunity, we empower women to advance and succeed at every level of our organization” — Carlos Dolagaray, Managing Partner, Grant Thornton Puerto Rico
Visibility matters
When women see leaders who look like them, they believe advancement is possible. When future talent sees gender equality embedded in strategy, they choose to join and stay. And when the data explicitly shows that firms investing in gender equality initiatives outperform their peers, the global economy benefits.
Yet the continuing conundrum is that change remains slow. Data from this year’s report shows a small drop of 1.1pp to 32.9% of women in senior management. We’ve seen the percentage reduce and bounce back in previous years, but neither businesses nor the women who work within them can afford a further drop.
Historical: Women in Senior Management Roles
Investing in gender diversity is investing in growth
We recommend that businesses:
- Use impact to accelerate gender parity and business success
- Elevate diverse voices to advance gender parity
- Increase visibility to unlock opportunity and attract talent
“Businesses in the mid-market have held firm on their investment in DE&I and gender equality, driven by strong leaders. Positively, they’re seeing clear benefits of doing so, both in terms of commercial performance and attracting talent. This has broader implications: the mid-market is the engine of the global economy and so having diverse leadership in place, and the subsequent boost this brings to performance, will have tangible, positive outcomes for the wider global economy.”
Greg Keith, CEO, Grant Thornton International
The full report is available to download in English and Spanish below.
[1] Companies rolling back DEI programs - Forbes
