How to avoid another 25 years of missed opportunities?

The Women in Business 2025 edition reveals that the global pace toward equity in mid-sized companies is not progressing fast enough. A young woman starting her career today will work for more than a quarter of a century before being in a company with gender parity in leadership positions. Our research identifies three key diversity factors to prevent another generation of missed opportunities and explores practical actions that have had a positive impact on business performance.

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Learning from successful initiatives in other countries—such as pay equity in Iceland and Brazil, as well as the eradication of domestic violence in various nations—shows that achieving parity is both possible and inspiring. By following these examples, we can create a more inclusive and innovative business environment for future generations."
Élica Martins Audit Partner | Energy Leader | Campinas Office Leader

Women in Leadership

In Brazil, 36.7% of leadership positions in mid-sized companies are held by women—a figure that has declined since peaking at 39% in 2021 during the pandemic crisis. Globally, this proportion stands at 34%, the highest in the historical series.

This scenario highlights the global need to create structures and environments that support every stage of a woman’s career so that, once executive level is reached, it becomes possible to remain there.

21 years of progress

Global percentage senior management roles held by women

      • 2007 Global financial crisis
      • 2015 Eurozone debt crisis
      • 2018 #MeToo went viral for survivors across the world
      • 2020 Global pandemic
      Source: Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) research into the views and expectations of senior leaders within the mid-market for 21 years

      Women in Business 2025

      Impacting the missed generation

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      Women in Business 2025

      See the full report with data and insights from our experts on how medium-sized companies should act to achieve gender parity in leadership by 2051