Women are still highly underrepresented in management and leadership positions as well as on Boards. The Equality on Board Awards spotlights and honors accomplished female leaders and their supporters, recognizing their dedication, value contribution, and impact on the corporate landscape. With our initiative we aim to close the gap in leadership and on board level and want to inspire, encourage, and support women to aspire to senior roles.
Switzerland needs to elevate and showcase more female leaders at the senior and executive levels, including in the C-suite and on boards. We have yet to fully realize the vast potential of female talent in these critical roles. Increasing the visibility and recognition of experienced and capable female leaders, their supporters, their stories, and their impact is essential not only for boosting women's participation but also for advancing their careers in top management positions and on boards.
According to the Schilling Report 2024, the trend in gender diversity is levelling off in the SMI. While the proportion of companies with at least 30 % women on the executive board has continuously risen over the past 5 years from 4 % in 2019 to 21 % in 2023, it has now fallen to 20 %. At the same time, the proportion of companies without women on the executive board stagnates at 23 % after years of steep decline from 53 % in 2019 to 25 % in 2023.
According to the Gender Intelligence Report 2023, across all key performance indicators measuring gender equality in business, there is little progress overall compared to the previous year. Men are still by far overrepresented at all management levels. Starting from near equality in non-management, women’s representation drops significantly with each level up, reaching 22% in top management.
The Equality on Board Awards features 3 different categories:
In 2019, Women's Board Award was launched in Switzerland to recognize female excellence and performance at the highest level of management, to increase gender diversity in Boards of Directors and C-Suite, and to foster visibility of female role models to inspire and encourage women to aspire to leadership roles in general. It aims to making the achievements of women at board level more visible, to broadening the pool of female candidates for board chairmanship, and to promote diversity at board level.
Gunnar Eckbo originally launched the award in Scandinavia, where it was first presented in Norway (2010) – followed by Sweden (2012), Denmark (2014), and Finland (2016).
We are launching the Emerging Female Talent Award to recognize female excellence and performance of women on the threshold of becoming a board member. With the recognition we want to spotlight talents who are in the process of becoming notable or influential in the realm of board-level positions and who are about to make a significant impact in their professional sphere, especially in roles typically associated with corporate or organizational leadership. It addresses C-Suite leaders, C-Suite -1 leaders of mid-size to large enterprises, or senior subject matter experts.
The Supporter Award recognizes leaders of all genders, who foster environments where women can succeed, and who clearly drive female leaders and support gender diversity in leadership. With this category we want to emphasize the need and importance of having leaders from all genders joining forces to support women in leadership roles.
The Equality on Board Awards has a unique positioning within the Swiss market. Positioned at the top, it fits perfectly well in the landscape of existing networks and awards and builds on these to be stronger together.
The members of our advisory board will be announced here soon.
For partnership opportunities, nomination process, media-related enquiries, and other questions please contact:
Sara Isabel Vischer
isabel.vischer@equalityonboard.com
+41 79 278 30 34
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
VMP experiences AG, Zurich, Switzerland
"Throughout my career, I've seen countless talented and capable women excel, yet remain overlooked for leadership roles at the very top. With the Equality on Board Awards, I am committed to changing this narrative by increasing the visibility, role modeling and recognition of women's leadership contributions. I firmly believe that elevating and celebrating senior female leaders is essential to encouraging young talents to reach their full potential."
Born in Switzerland and raised in Portugal and Brazil, Isabel graduated from the Hotel Management School of Lausanne (EHL) in Switzerland. In 1999, she founded her own events and communications agency in Zurich, leveraging her 25+ years of experience in consulting, leading multicultural teams and managing international projects for multinationals and Swiss SMEs worldwide and across industries. As a mother of three teenagers she is committed to fostering an environment where the next generation of female leaders can thrive and make a difference.
Roman Merkt
roman.merkt@vmp-ag.ch
+41 79 610 15 38
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
VMP experiences AG, Zurich, Switzerland
Roman is a dynamic, experienced but still curious professional with over 25 years of leadership experience. He was educated in Hospitality Management at Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne and holds a Master's in Marketing and Business Administration. Roman's curiosity fuels his passion for exploring and connecting diverse cultures and ideas, enhancing his ability to lead high-performing divers teams and achieve impactful results.