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.
Composition of Boards of exporting firms, 2021
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
Composition of Boards of exporting firms, 2021
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 one-third of the board seats held by women
20
Services
No women on the Board
10
Services
At least one-third of the board seats held by women
9
Goods and services
No women on the Board
17
Goods and services
At least one-third of the board seats held by women
15
Firms exporting, by board composition and sector, 2021
Group
Category
Share (%)
Goods
No women on the Board
24
Goods
At least one-third of the board seats held by women
20
Services
No women on the Board
10
Services
At least one-third of the board seats held by women
9
Goods and services
No women on the Board
17
Goods and services
At least one-third of the 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.
Median export value, 2021
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
Median export value, 2021
No women on the Board (x 1,000 euros)
At least one-third of board seats held by women (x 1,000 euros)
