Women rarely reach top management - but those who do want more to join

Women in top management are still a rarity in Danish business. New figures from the Think Tank Equalis show that the progress for female directors and top executives has stalled - and in some areas even turned into a decline. In Region Zealand, which covers, among others, South Zealand, Lolland, and Falster, only 23 percent of directors and 17 percent of managing directors are women.

The figures reveal that the further away from Copenhagen, the fewer women there are in top management.

- This trend is very clear and really stands out, says Gine Maltha Kampmann, director of the Think Tank Equalis.

She explains that gender stereotypes become stronger the further away from the capital you get.

- There is a more traditional view of the genders and the tasks that come with them, she says.

Woman in a Man's World

Viking Malt is one of Europe's leading malting companies with six malt houses in, among others, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. The customers include breweries all over the world.

At the head of the Danish part, which alone has a turnover of over half a billion, is Karen Mette Krieger Lassen. Since 2018, she has been the director of Viking Malt in Ørslev outside Vordingborg. With a background as a chemical engineer and previous positions at Carlsberg and Novo Nordisk, she has contributed to the company's growth and development. And thus gender diversity.

- I have not experienced any disadvantages of being a woman. I can advantageously stand out and probably have a more holistic approach to some issues. I can offer something different, and I only experience that it is appreciated, says Karen Mette Krieger Lassen, who is also a trained brewmaster.

What should be done to get more female directors?

- As a company, you should nurture the talents you have in your own organization. And you shouldn't just do as you usually do and hire a male director because you've always had one, says Karen Mette Krieger Lassen.

- You make your company stronger if you dare to think a little differently and not just hire what you usually do, she says.

The board is a problem

In Sakskøbing lies Fælleskøkkenet. And here there is also a female director. Kirsten Skovsby is in charge of about 100 employees who are responsible for making food for, among other places, nursing homes.

Kirsten Skovsby knows well what it takes to get more like her:

- You need to focus on other qualifications than you typically do today. In job postings, there is a great focus on immediate results and the bottom line. If instead, there was a focus on softer values and making a company work, it would make a big difference, she says.

It may sound very easy, but it is a board that hires the director.

- And here there are almost only men in suits, so that must also be considered, says Kirsten Skovsby.