Manufacturing companies in the
FTSE 100 have a higher than average
number of women on their boards
compared to the FTSE
100 overall according to
a report published by
EEF, the manufacturers’
organisation, in
partnership with Lloyds
TSB Commercial
Banking and Cranfield
School of Management
The report comes at
a critical time given
the debate over
whether there should
be statutory quotas for women on
Plc Boards, and because of the
national debate on the shortage of
female engineers at all levels.

The report highlights that out of
the 29 manufacturing firms within
the FTSE 100, women account for
19% of board positions, which is
slightly higher than the 17% average
of the entire FTSE 100.

Currently, nine out of 10 engineers
are male, and just
20% of the
manufacturing and
engineering
workforce is female
compared to 49% in
other sectors.

Furthermore, since
2008 the number of
female engineers has
gone up just 1% to
6%. This leaves a
huge disparity
compared to the rest of Europe.