The Economist's GCI 2021 notes significant growth in Women-leads in OECD countries

According to the Glass Ceiling Index (GCI) 2021 compiled by The Economist ahead of Women's Day, there has been growth in the percentage of women taking managerial positions in 29 countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). However, women are still lagging, making up only a third of managerial positions across OECD than their male counterparts.

The Economist reports that the Nordic countries did the best, as usual, in GCI 2021. Sweden, which topped the list, is deemed the best place for women to work, followed by Iceland, Finland and Norway. The Nordic countries give particular care to educate women, helping them complete university and secure a job. They provide flexible work schedules, and women get better chances in accessing senior positions and take advantage of quality parental-leave systems.

Compared to last year, the US moved four positions up the list, pushing its proportion of women in management roles to 41 per cent and on directorial boards at 28 per cent, which is above the OECD average. The Economist report, which accompanied the GCI charts, says that women who took the CEO positions in prominent American companies like Citigroup, UPS, Walgreens and TIAA etc., last year must have supplemented for that. However, in federally mandated parental leaves, the US stays below the OECD average.

Britain also improved its position, and the GCI chart states one-third of British women are in senior jobs there. France kept its 5th rank on the list while Germany moved down. Only 29 per cent of women hold managerial positions in Germany.

South Korea bottoms the list, the same as the last nine years, with Japan and Turkey at 28th and 27th ranks. However, the report notes that Japan too has witnessed changes for a female now replaced the Tokyo Olympics organising committee chairman.

The GCI is an assessment done on OECD, a group of mostly rich countries. It evaluates both the best and the worst treatments women receive on equality at work. The Economist launched GCI in 2013 with six indicators across 26 countries. Now it consists of ten growth parameters across 29 OECD countries. The GCI compiles data on higher education, labour force participation, salary, child care costs, maternity and paternity rights, business school applications, representation in parliament and representation in senior jobs to create the ranking.