Proof of concept

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It could be the most compelling case yet for Australian companies to raise their game when it comes to gender equality and women in leadership: the data shows it literally pays to have women at the top.

The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) has analysed company data collected by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) and discovered that the glass ceiling that prevents women from holding high-level jobs is also holding back Australian companies and the return on investment for shareholders.

Having more women in senior leadership roles, sitting on boards and as chief executives leads to better profitability, productivity and performance for companies, the analysis found.

According to our research, if an Australian ASX-listed company increased the number of women in key leadership roles by 10 percentage points, it would enjoy a significant boost – a 6.6% increase in its market value, worth the equivalent of $104.7m.

The research also shows that an increase in female representation on the boards of Australian ...