Influence and power

04.03.22 | Statistics
The Nordic countries are ranked among the world’s most gender equal, according to the Global Gender Gap Index. But how is power distributed politically and in the private sector? Businesses seem to have the thickest glass ceiling, despite laws in several countries mandating women on corporate boards.

Candidates elected to the national parliaments

The national parliaments are relatively close to being gender balanced, still there are more elected men than women in the Nordics. This is based on the latest elections. Equal political participation, from local government to the highest offices, is important to dismantle the gender stereotypes around power and for every person to be able to influence their own lives. ​

 

Gender balance in leadership positions​

Definition: Includes boards of larger publicly listed companies in each country. 

The share of women on corporate boards is higher in the Nordics than in the EU at large. Still women are underrepresented. Legislation across the region varies, with some countries mandating women on corporate boards through gender quotas. Partly due to quotas, Iceland and Norway lead the way with nearly gender balanced boards. Women CEOs, however, are a rarity in all Nordic countries. 

Gender balance among employers​

Definition: The share of the labour force of women and men that hold a management position or are business owners.

Out of women in paid employment, only a few percent hold a management position or own their own business. Men are significantly overrepresented. It shows that even though women and men in the Nordic region have nearly reached equality in education and employment, large gaps in power and entrepreneurship persist.