Breathe
By Brenda Macias
When women occupy senior positions in companies, a significant and positive transformation occurs. Where they have a voice and a vote, innovation, transparency and flexibility are encouraged. In addition, there is an improvement in business results, labor performance, environmental and social performance, and profitability. Despite these proven benefits, Mexico continues to lag behind other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of the representation of women in management positions and on boards of directors.
Edith Ortiz Romero, a specialist in Gender in Economics and Academic Technician at UNAM's Center for Research and Gender Studies, has highlighted this worrying gap in her chapter "Development of public policies to ensure the incorporation and permanence of women on boards of directors".
This text, written in collaboration with Rocío Aguilar Trujillo, a consultant on the future of work and a graduate of the UNAM School of Economics, is part of the book Participación de las mujeres en los consejos de administración (2023).
This book brings together a series of articles that expose gender inequality in the business sector in Latin America and the Caribbean, and is the joint effort of six academic institutions: Universidad Anáhuac, IBERO Mexico City, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), Universidad Panamericana, Centro de Investigación de la Mujer en la Alta Dirección (CIMAD) of IPADE Business School and Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios de Género (CIEG) of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).
The academic text by Ortiz Romero and Aguilar Trujillo questions the effectiveness of Mexican Standard NMX-R-025-SC-F1-2002 on Labor Equality and Non-Discrimination. According to them, this standard is insufficient to close the gender gap in the work environment and to promote women to decision-making positions.
Therefore, they propose to address the low incorporation of women in managerial positions as a problem of public interest. They suggest that it is necessary to create policies that eliminate prejudices about women's participation in the business sector and expand women's networks.
Public policies designed to address this problem should follow up on the progress made and agreements reached between CONAPRED, the National Women's Institute (INMUJERES) and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (STyPS).
These policies should include dissemination campaigns on the future of work and the crucial role of women in this area, as well as the implementation of best corporate practices in Mexico. They also recommend analyzing the experiences of countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Chile, which have made progress in this area.
In her exhaustive review of sources, specialist Edith Ortiz Romero mentions that businessmen frequently justify the absence of women on boards of directors by saying that they do not know where to find female leadership profiles. To counter this excuse, Ortiz Romero and Aguilar Trujillo list several organizations where it is possible to find qualified women for these roles, such as the Red de Consejeras y Expertas Mexico, 50/50 Woman on Boards Mexico, the 30% LATAM club, Women Corporate Directors, Mujeres en Finanzas and International Women's Forum Mexico.
Progress toward gender equality in management positions is not only a matter of social justice, but also an economic imperative. The inclusion of women in senior management positions is linked to increased profitability and competitiveness of companies. This fact is supported by numerous studies showing that companies with greater gender diversity in their leadership tend to be more innovative and successful.
Mexico cannot afford to ignore the potential of half of its population. It is imperative that effective policies be implemented to promote the inclusion of women at the top. This will not only benefit women, but will also strengthen the economy and society as a whole. The incorporation of women in management positions should be seen as a strategic priority for the sustainable development of the country.
In conclusion, the participation of women in senior positions within companies is essential to incentivize innovation, transparency and flexibility, as well as to improve business performance and profitability. However, Mexico still has a long way to go to achieve equitable gender representation on boards. It is time for the country to take concrete steps to close this gap and take advantage of the benefits that gender equality in business brings.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
Comments ()