Service exporters have the highest percentage of female directors
| jaar | Firms exporting goods (%) | Firms exporting services (%) | Firms exporting both goods and services (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 13.5 | 15.8 | 14.9 |
| 2016 | 13.6 | 16.7 | 14.8 |
| 2017 | 14 | 16.7 | 15.3 |
| 2018 | 14.2 | 17 | 15.6 |
| 2019 | 14.4 | 17.6 | 15.8 |
| 2020 | 14.4 | 17.9 | 16.2 |
| 2021 | 14.9 | 17.7 | 16.4 |
Boards of retail firms have the highest female representation
Among the top 10 sectors with the largest number of exporting firms, the share of female directors in their Board of Directors is highest in retail, with 31 percent meeting the standard of achieving at least one-third female representation on their Board of Directors. The share is lowest in the IT and information services, basic metal manufacturing, and the car trade and repair sectors.
| bedrijfstak | No women on the Board (%) | Board of which less than 1/3 are women (%) | Board of which at least 1/3 is female (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale and trade services | 70.8 | 4.1 | 25 |
| Management and technology consulting | 68.9 | 7.9 | 23.2 |
| IT- en information services | 78.4 | 4.6 | 17 |
| Basic metal, metal manufacturing | 76.1 | 4.6 | 19.2 |
| Retail trade (excluding cars) | 65.2 | 3.8 | 31 |
| Road transport | 71.3 | 4.4 | 24.3 |
| Car trade and repair | 78.3 | 3.4 | 18.3 |
| Agriculture | 70.2 | 5.3 | 24.5 |
| Machinery | 75 | 5.4 | 19.6 |
| Advertising, design, other services | 72.7 | 4.6 | 22.8 |
Businesses with at least one-third of female directors less likely to export abroad
Among businesses active in international trade, those with exclusively male directors export more frequently, on average, than those with boards consisting of at least one-third of women. Forty-five percent of firms with boards consisting entirely or partly of women exported to other countries, compared to 51 percent of firms with male-only boards. The largest difference is seen in the trade in goods: 24 percent of firms without female directors are exporting goods, compared with 20 percent of firms with at least one-third female directors. In services trade, the difference between the two groups is only 1 percentage point, with 17 percent and 15 percent of firms exporting both goods and services, respectively.
Firms exporting, by board composition and sector, 2021 Group Category Share (%) Goods No women on the Board 24 Goods At least 1/3 of
board seats held
by women 20 Services No women on the Board 10 Services At least 1/3 of
board seats held
by women 9 Goods and services No women on the Board 17 Goods and services At least 1/3 of
board seats held
by women 15
| Group | Category | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Goods | No women on the Board | 24 |
| Goods | At least 1/3 of board seats held by women | 20 |
| Services | No women on the Board | 10 |
| Services | At least 1/3 of board seats held by women | 9 |
| Goods and services | No women on the Board | 17 |
| Goods and services | At least 1/3 of board seats held by women | 15 |
Export value is the highest at firms with one or more female directors
Firms with at least one-third female directors achieve significantly higher export values than those with only men on their Board of Directors. For example, the export value of goods is 31 percent higher at firms with one or more female directors, and for service exports, the difference is as much as 93 percent. These figures have not been adjusted for type of sector, size of business or other factors that may (partly) explain the differences. The Internationalisation Monitor further examines the relationship between women in top management teams of Dutch firms and their exports activities.
| No women on the Board (x 1,000 euros) | At least one-third of board seats held by women (x 1,000 euros) | |
|---|---|---|
| Goods | 285 | 372 |
| Services | 145 | 280 |
| Goods and services | 202 | 348 |
Sources
- Publication - Internationalisation Monitor - Executive Summary