Representation In Corporate Roles
The “broken rung” in the corporate pipeline is a well-documented issue, with fewer women—particularly women of color—advancing to their first managerial role compared to their male counterparts. This disparity has compounding effects, reducing the number of women eligible for senior leadership in the long term.
Additionally, women of color are less likely to receive support from their managers (e.g., help balancing work and personal life, assistance navigating organizational politics, recognition for their contributions, interest in their career advancement) than their white colleagues. This imbalance extends to mentorship and sponsorship, leaving them at a disadvantage when navigating workplace challenges and securing promotions. A lack of support contributes to why women of color, despite equal qualifications and ambition, are often overlooked for managerial roles and remain disproportionately represented at senior levels. Key Research And Trends
• For every 100 men promoted to their first management position, only 89 white women and 81 women of color achieve the same promotion. • Women hold 29% of C-suite roles in 2024, a rise from 17% in 2015. However, men continue to outnumber women at every level of the corporate pipeline.
• Only 7% of C-suite positions are held by women of color in 2024 (a four-percentage–point increase since 2017).
• Women hold 39% of managerial roles in 2024, a number that has seen little growth and even slight declines in recent years. The highest level of female managerial representation over the past decade was 41% in 2021.
• White women are projected to reach parity in corporate roles in about 22 years from 2024, and it will take more than twice as long (about 48 years) for women of color.
• More women of color today say their race/ethnicity has played a role in missing out on opportunities than in previous years: 61% of Black women in 2024 compared to 45% in 2018; 29% of Latinas in 2024 compared to 20% in 2018; and 39% of Asian women in 2024 compared to 26% in 2018.