Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Trends in Corporate Disclosures
Below is an excerpt from ISS-Corporate’s recently released article “Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Trends in Corporate Disclosures”. The full article is available on the ISS-Corporate online library. Trends in Corporate Disclosure on Gender Representation As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025, ISS-Corporate reviewed corporate disclosure trends on gender-related metrics. […]
Below is an excerpt from ISS-Corporate’s recently released article “Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Trends in Corporate Disclosures”. The full article is available on the ISS-Corporate online library.
Trends in Corporate Disclosure on Gender Representation
As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025, ISS-Corporate reviewed corporate disclosure trends on gender-related metrics.
Transparency on gender demographics enables investors to assess companies’ efforts and impact on gender equality. When organizations actively promote gender equality in the workplace, they can unlock significant benefits, including access to a broader and more diverse talent pool.
In recent years, corporate disclosure on gender representation has risen sharply across major global markets. In the U.S., the percentage of S&P 500 companies reporting the proportion of women in their workforce increased from 63% in 2020 to 90% in 2023. In Europe, the proportion of companies in the STOXX Europe 600 index disclosing this data reached an all-time high of 98% in 2023. Across regions and company sizes, we have seen approximately a twofold increase in gender demographics disclosures from 2020 to 2023.
However, in 2024, disclosure rates on gender diversity in total workforce declined slightly across major indices and company sizes. This development may reflect political pressures, caution around stagnating diversity progress, or a natural stabilization of disclosure rates after years of rapid growth. Despite the recent decline, transparency on employee demographics remains significantly higher than five years ago. As the 2025 reporting season unfolds, ISS-Corporate will continue to monitor corporate disclosure trends.
By:
Miki Ollison, Vice President, Sustainability Advisory Sector Manager, ISS-Corporate,
Aya Batyrbekova, Associate Director, Head of Sustainability Advisory – EMEA, APAC, ISS-Corporate
Kosmas Papadopoulos, Executive Director, Head of Sustainability Advisory – Americas, ISS-Corporate
