44 percent of board members are women, but company leadership remains primarily in male hands
While 44 percent of supervisory board members in Dutch listed companies are now women, executive boards remain heavily male-dominated with 55 out of 81 firms lacking any female leadership. Although the gender quota for supervisory roles is being met, progress in executive boards is slow, leading to calls for more stringent measures.
The 2026 Female Board Index reveals that 44 percent of supervisory board members at Dutch listed companies are women, successfully meeting established gender quotas. However, the executive boards of these companies remain largely male-dominated, with 55 out of 81 firms having an all-male leadership team. While the percentage of female executives has slightly increased to 18 percent, progress remains significantly slower compared to supervisory positions.
Professor Mijntje Lückerath-Rovers, who authored the report, notes that while some companies like Ahold Delhaize and ABN Amro have achieved gender parity, many others continue to struggle. Because there is currently no hard quota for executive boards, only a non-binding target, the call for stricter regulation is growing. Lückerath-Rovers warns that at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2044 for women to hold at least one-third of executive positions, highlighting a concerning disparity between supervisory and leadership appointments.
Based on reporting by ad. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
