Slow progress in Gender diversity on boards

According to a report by Russell Reynolds Associates, Fortune 500 companies  are keen to employ women as general counsel with 35 per cent of open general counsel positions filled by women last year. The increase is attributed to the need for in-house experience which companies now want, having previously hired one in three general counsel from top partner ranks in law firms. Women, who are still struggling to get on the equity partnership ladder, are turning away from law firms to corporate life.  Within the last three years, 91 percent of women hired externally had in-house experience and 61 percent had been a general counsel.

In Switzerland rate of women in the board is at 21,4% while the German one is more high, at 29,1%. The situation is slightly better in the Alpine country: last survey, in 2016, registered 20,7% in swiss companies.

Zurich Insurance Group is the company where the female rate on the corporate boards is the highest, at 45%, followed by Nestlé and Adecco, both at 38%. On the contrary, SGS recorded zero, Richemont is only at 5% of women's presence and LafargeHolcim 8%.