New report shows more women on boards
30% of tech companies and 29% of communication companies have women on their boards. Women now hold 30.4% of US stock market index Russell 3000 board seats, according to non-profit organisation 50/50 Women on Boards and its data partner Equilar.
Our findings continue to underscore a clear correlation: When women lead, boards are more diverse, the organisation says in a Q1 US report.
“Conversely, in the absence of women leaders, metrics fall below the national average. This highlights the pivotal role women’s leadership plays in driving diversity on corporate boards and beyond.”
Other key findings from the Q1 report::
- 30.6% of board appointments were women as compared to 26.3% in Q4 2024.
- Women of colour still hold 7.7% of all board seats.
- 81% of women joined through board expansion, not by replacing men.
- 13% of boards are considered gender-balanced, with women holding half (or close to half) of all seats, down by 19 companies from the previous quarter.
“While some numbers are up, the growth rate has slowed. Companies are not adding women to boards as quickly as in previous quarters”, the report says:
- The rate of new female board appointments is down from Q4 2024.
- Women of colour remain underrepresented compared to white women.
- Many companies still default to adding one woman rather than building toward balance.
“Our research consistently demonstrates that companies with greater board gender balance deliver superior performance across key metrics, governance effectiveness, innovation capacity, and financial returns. This represents a fundamental shift from viewing diversity as a compliance matter to recognising it as a competitive advantage.”
The report has three recommendations for companies:
- Corporate commitment: Establishing clear board composition targets with defined timelines.
- Stakeholder accountability: Implementing robust governance oversight from investors and key stakeholders.
- Pipeline development: Expanding access to board-ready women while creating meaningful pathways to leadership.
The report shows that in Q1 2025, the number of gender-balanced boards declined by 17 companies.
“However, two of those companies now have more than 50% women on their boards. Boards with two or fewer women declined by one percentage point. These shifts are largely due to the 25 companies no longer listed on the Russell 3000 Index compared to the previous quarter.”
Across sectors, the percentage of women on boards remained steady compared to the previous quarter.
Moonshot News is an independent European news website for all IT, Media and Advertising professionals, powered by women and with a focus on driving the narrative for diversity, inclusion and gender equality in the industry.
Our mission is to provide top and unbiased information for all professionals and to make sure that women get their fair share of voice in the news and in the spotlight!
We produce original content, news articles, a curated calendar of industry events and a database of women IT, Media and Advertising associations.
