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2007 Catalyst Census of Women Board Directors of the Fortune 500

Research Reports

Published: December 2007

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For the second year Catalyst presents its hallmark Census of women board directors as a web-only feature and in a new graphic format. This document details the percentage of board seats held by women, the percentage of board seats held by women of color, the percentage of committee chair positions held by women, and the number of companies with zero, one, two, and three or more women directors. The appendices list the companies with 25 percent or more women board directors, companies with no women board directors, companies by industry, and the average number and percentage of women directors by industry, geographic region, and Fortune 500 rank.

Impetus: In 1993, Catalyst began to produce an annual Census to assess the status of women on the boards of the largest companies in the United States. The Census was designed to establish accurate statistics, to create a way to use the standard practice of benchmarking to promote women's advancement and to generate focused attention on this issue.

Methodology:

  • Catalyst analyzed the leadership of each company in the Fortune 500 as published in April 2007.
  • Catalyst reported the data we obtained from public records including annual reports, proxy statements, and company websites.
  • The report details the gender diversity of corporate governance at Fortune 500 companies as of April 1, 2007.

Findings: In 2007, women held 14.8 percent of board seats at Fortune 500 companies; this number was 14.6 percent in 2006. Women of color held just 3.0 percent of all Fortune 500 board seats. This number was 3.1 percent in 2006. The number of companies with no women board directors increased from 58 in 2006 to 59 in 2007, and the number of companies with three or more women board directors decreased from 84 in 2006 to 83 in 2007.

Appendices:

 

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