Male bosses ‘must lead the charge’ in gender pay gap reforms

♦ Male executives at Britain’s biggest companies “must lead the charge” by bringing more women into senior positions, the Home Secretary has said, as she urged companies to embrace 50:50 gender shortlists.

The Government has published a toolkit for “Men as Agents of Change”, which says male bosses should take personal responsibility for ensuring they fill 33 per cent of their top positions by women as an “immediate goal”. Chief executives should also sponsor between one and three women within their organisation, who have the potential to get an executive role within three years, the report said.

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary and minister for women and equalities, said: “Male leaders are still the driving force in decision-making, and they must lead the charge. I am convinced that CEOS and other business leaders taking a personal and active role will help to accelerate the pace of progress. Chief executives should be held accountable against a set of targets to institutionalise balanced shortlists and every level and type of hiring.”