THE proportion of women on the boards of Yorkshire's top 150 companies has dropped by 16 per cent over the last year, according to research by accountants and business advisers BDO Stoy Hayward.
Findings in the firm's Yorkshire Report 2008 show the that regional picture fails to reflect the national scene which has seen a gradual trend towards more women in UK boardrooms.
Nationally, women still account for barely ten per cent of the tot
al directorships available but numbers are rising – unlike in Yorkshire.
Ian Beaumont, managing partner of BDO Stoy Hayward, based at Bridgewater Place in Leeds, said: "Yorkshire has always had a reputation for going its own way but it is disappointing to learn that, at a time when many companies are seeking to demonstrate their corporate responsibility by embracing diversity in the workplace, the top 150 are turning their back on a major pool of talent and ideas.
"Yorkshire has the second lowest ratio of women on the board among 12 UK regions, highlighting the fact that this is a major problem and one that needs addressing."
The Leeds office of BDO Stoy Hayward is in a similar predicament to many Yorkshire counterparts, with no female partners amongst the current number of 15. But the firm has seen a rise in the number of female graduates applying for positions, which bosses hope will enable them to grow and nurture talent at a grassroots level for the future.
Opportunities
Elizabeth Jackson, chief executive of Leeds-based board level recruitment agency The Directorbank Group, believes the reasons behind the lack of women in company boardrooms are complicated.
She said: "I don't think Yorkshire is significantly different from the rest of the country; I genuinely don't think there is a glass ceiling any more and the region has a good mix of business types and sectors, so I think the reasons are quite complex.
"Although we have around 100 women on our register, we would love to have more and there are the same opportunities for women as men.
"Employers are offering women choices – but you can't force them to take them. In the end I guess a lot of this comes down to combining careers and bringing up children."
The Yorkshire Report is an economic health barometer of the region and features findings based on the top 150 companies.
Copies of the Yorkshire Report are available by e-mailing yorkshirereport@bdo.co.uk
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