Women held 14 per cent of corporate officer positions in 2002, up two percentage points since 1999
Women are making a slow, steady climb up the Canadian corporate ladder, but they still have a long way to go according to a new study.
Women held 14 per cent of corporate officer positions in the 500 biggest corporations in Canada in 2002, a two per cent increase since 1999, according to the Catalyst Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners of Canada.
“The story of women’s advancement in corporate leadership in Canada is one of slow and incremental growth,” said Susan Black, vice-president of Catalyst Canada. “Those companies who choose to create a business environment where women can bring critical skills and expertise to the leadership team are the smart and successful companies of the future.”
Banks lead the way
Certain industries continue to make strides in the representation of women in their corporate ranks.
Banks have the highest proportion of women corporate officers among industries, including a higher percent of what Catalyst called “clout” titles — chair, vice-chair, CEO, president, COO, CFO, senior executive vice president and executive vice president — held by women.
Thirty of the 88, or 34 per cent, women with “clout” titles in Canada’s 500 largest companies are in the banking industry.
Other industries with high representation of female corporate officers include property and casualty insurance, credit unions and specialty retailers.
On the other end of the spectrum, women were noticeably underrepresented in industries such as engineering and construction, motor vehicles and parts, steel production and mining, metals and minerals.
Leading companies
Of the 500 largest companies in Canada, 87 had 25 per cent or more women corporate officers in 2002.
Honeywell Ltd., a controls manufacturer with 2,800 employees in Canada, had the highest percentage of women officers in the country. Three of its four corporate officers were women.
The Toronto Transit Commission was second on the list, with two of ifs three corporate officers as women.
Other notable companies with 25 per cent or more women corporate officers include Indigo Books and Music Inc., Royal Bank, George Weston Ltd., Bank of Montreal and Xerox Canada. (For a complete list, see below.)
Key findings
•Women hold 14 per cent of corporate officers positions in Canada in the top 500 companies, up from 12 per cent in 1999.
•62.2 per cent of the 500 largest companies have at least one woman corporate officer, up from 56.4 per cent in 1999.
•87 of the 500 largest companies have 25 per cent or more women corporate officers, up from 67 companies in 1999.
•Women hold nine per cent of line officer positions, up from 6.4 per cent in 1999.
•Women hold 6.7 per cent of the highest corporate officer titles, up from 3.4 per cent in 1999.
About the study
The study was sponsored by RBC Financial Group and Bell Canada. It’s the second census of women corporate officers in Canada by Catalyst, a New York-based research and advisory organization that advances women in business. The first was done in 1999
The 500 largest companies were gleaned from the National Post’s Financial Post 500.
Companies with 25 per cent or more women corporate officers
The following is a list of the 87 companies with at least 25 per cent women corporate officers.
•Honeywell Ltd.: 75 per cent (3 women out of 4 corporate officers)
•Toronto Transit Commission: 66.7 per cent (2/3)
•Indigo Books and Music Inc.: 57.1 per cent (4/7)
•Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission: 50 per cent (3/6)
•AstraZeneca Canada Inc.: 50 per cent (5/10)
•Baxter Corp.: 50 per cent (4/8)
•CE Franklin Ltd.: 50 per cent (2/4)
•Dundee Bancorp Inc.: 50 per cent (4/8)
•Fahnestock Viner Holdings Inc.: 50 per cent (1/2)
•General Motors Acceptance Corp. of Canada: 50 per cent (2/4)
•Schlumberger Canada Ltd.: 50 per cent (1/2)
•Superior Propane Income Fund: 50 per cent (1/2)
•Torstar Corp.: 50 per cent (3/6)
•Chubb Insurance Co. of Canada: 46.2 per cent (6/13)
•Vancouver City Savings Credit Union: 43.8 per cent (7/16)
•Manitoba Liquor Control Commission: 42.9 per cent (3/7)
•British Columbia Liquor Distribution: 40 per cent (6/15)
•Co-operators General Insurance Co.: 40 per cent (4/10)
•Hollinger Inc.: 36.4 per cent (4/11)
•Royal & SunAlliance Canada: 35.7 per cent (5/14)
•Zurich Canada: 35.0 per cent (7/20)
•Amex Bank of Canada Inc.: 33.3 per cent (3/9)
•Brookfield Properties Corp.: 33.3 per cent (4/12)
•Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.: 33.3 per cent (5/15)
•Canadian Commercial Corp.: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Canadian Wheat Board: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Co-operators Life Insurance Co.: 33.3 per cent (3/9)
•Hydro One Inc.: 33.3 per cent (3/9)
•La Senza Corp.: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Nestlé Canada Inc.: 33.3 per cent (4/12)
•Pengrowth Energy Trust: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd.: 33.3 per cent (1/3)
•PPG Canada Inc.: 33.3 per cent (3/9)
•Reitmans (Canada) Ltd.: 33.3 per cent (6/18)
•Russel Metals Inc.: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•State Farm Group Insurance Co.: 33.3 per cent (1/3)
•Transamerica Life Insurance Co. of Canada: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Xerox Canada Inc.: 33.3 per cent (1/3)
•Royal Bank of Canada: 32.5 per cent (27/83)
•Merck Frosst Canada & Co.: 31.6 per cent (6/19)
•AXA Canada Inc.: 30.8 per cent (4/13)
•Ikon Office Solutions Inc.: 30.8 per cent (4/13)
•AltaGas Services Inc: 30 per cent (3/10)
•Citibank Canada: 30 per cent (3/10)
•Eli Lilly Canada Inc.: 30 per cent (3/10)
•Toronto Hydro Corp.: 30 per cent (3/10)
•Enmax Corp.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•GSI Lumonics Inc.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•John Deere Ltd.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•Paramount Resources Ltd.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•Saskatchewan Auto Fund: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•SSQ, Société d’assurance-vie Inc.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•The Goldfarb Corp.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•Bank of Montreal: 27.9 per cent (12/43)
•Enerplus Resources Fund: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Ford Credit Canada Ltd.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Four Seasons Hotels Inc.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•ING Canada Inc.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Microsoft Canada Inc.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Transat A.T. Inc.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Unilever Canada Ltd.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•George Weston Ltd.: 26.9 per cent (7/26)
•Medis Health & Pharmaceutical Services Inc.: 26.1 per cent (6/23)
•Atlantic Lottery Corp.: 25 per cent (3/12)
•Bank of America Canada: 25 per cent (1/4)
•Canadian Oil Sands Trust: 25 per cent (1/4)
•Canadian Tire Corp.: 25 per cent (4/16)
•Conoco Canada Resources Ltd.: 25 per cent (2/8)
Women held 14 per cent of corporate officer positions in the 500 biggest corporations in Canada in 2002, a two per cent increase since 1999, according to the Catalyst Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners of Canada.
“The story of women’s advancement in corporate leadership in Canada is one of slow and incremental growth,” said Susan Black, vice-president of Catalyst Canada. “Those companies who choose to create a business environment where women can bring critical skills and expertise to the leadership team are the smart and successful companies of the future.”
Banks lead the way
Certain industries continue to make strides in the representation of women in their corporate ranks.
Banks have the highest proportion of women corporate officers among industries, including a higher percent of what Catalyst called “clout” titles — chair, vice-chair, CEO, president, COO, CFO, senior executive vice president and executive vice president — held by women.
Thirty of the 88, or 34 per cent, women with “clout” titles in Canada’s 500 largest companies are in the banking industry.
Other industries with high representation of female corporate officers include property and casualty insurance, credit unions and specialty retailers.
On the other end of the spectrum, women were noticeably underrepresented in industries such as engineering and construction, motor vehicles and parts, steel production and mining, metals and minerals.
Leading companies
Of the 500 largest companies in Canada, 87 had 25 per cent or more women corporate officers in 2002.
Honeywell Ltd., a controls manufacturer with 2,800 employees in Canada, had the highest percentage of women officers in the country. Three of its four corporate officers were women.
The Toronto Transit Commission was second on the list, with two of ifs three corporate officers as women.
Other notable companies with 25 per cent or more women corporate officers include Indigo Books and Music Inc., Royal Bank, George Weston Ltd., Bank of Montreal and Xerox Canada. (For a complete list, see below.)
Key findings
•Women hold 14 per cent of corporate officers positions in Canada in the top 500 companies, up from 12 per cent in 1999.
•62.2 per cent of the 500 largest companies have at least one woman corporate officer, up from 56.4 per cent in 1999.
•87 of the 500 largest companies have 25 per cent or more women corporate officers, up from 67 companies in 1999.
•Women hold nine per cent of line officer positions, up from 6.4 per cent in 1999.
•Women hold 6.7 per cent of the highest corporate officer titles, up from 3.4 per cent in 1999.
About the study
The study was sponsored by RBC Financial Group and Bell Canada. It’s the second census of women corporate officers in Canada by Catalyst, a New York-based research and advisory organization that advances women in business. The first was done in 1999
The 500 largest companies were gleaned from the National Post’s Financial Post 500.
Companies with 25 per cent or more women corporate officers
The following is a list of the 87 companies with at least 25 per cent women corporate officers.
•Honeywell Ltd.: 75 per cent (3 women out of 4 corporate officers)
•Toronto Transit Commission: 66.7 per cent (2/3)
•Indigo Books and Music Inc.: 57.1 per cent (4/7)
•Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission: 50 per cent (3/6)
•AstraZeneca Canada Inc.: 50 per cent (5/10)
•Baxter Corp.: 50 per cent (4/8)
•CE Franklin Ltd.: 50 per cent (2/4)
•Dundee Bancorp Inc.: 50 per cent (4/8)
•Fahnestock Viner Holdings Inc.: 50 per cent (1/2)
•General Motors Acceptance Corp. of Canada: 50 per cent (2/4)
•Schlumberger Canada Ltd.: 50 per cent (1/2)
•Superior Propane Income Fund: 50 per cent (1/2)
•Torstar Corp.: 50 per cent (3/6)
•Chubb Insurance Co. of Canada: 46.2 per cent (6/13)
•Vancouver City Savings Credit Union: 43.8 per cent (7/16)
•Manitoba Liquor Control Commission: 42.9 per cent (3/7)
•British Columbia Liquor Distribution: 40 per cent (6/15)
•Co-operators General Insurance Co.: 40 per cent (4/10)
•Hollinger Inc.: 36.4 per cent (4/11)
•Royal & SunAlliance Canada: 35.7 per cent (5/14)
•Zurich Canada: 35.0 per cent (7/20)
•Amex Bank of Canada Inc.: 33.3 per cent (3/9)
•Brookfield Properties Corp.: 33.3 per cent (4/12)
•Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.: 33.3 per cent (5/15)
•Canadian Commercial Corp.: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Canadian Wheat Board: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Co-operators Life Insurance Co.: 33.3 per cent (3/9)
•Hydro One Inc.: 33.3 per cent (3/9)
•La Senza Corp.: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Nestlé Canada Inc.: 33.3 per cent (4/12)
•Pengrowth Energy Trust: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd.: 33.3 per cent (1/3)
•PPG Canada Inc.: 33.3 per cent (3/9)
•Reitmans (Canada) Ltd.: 33.3 per cent (6/18)
•Russel Metals Inc.: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•State Farm Group Insurance Co.: 33.3 per cent (1/3)
•Transamerica Life Insurance Co. of Canada: 33.3 per cent (2/6)
•Xerox Canada Inc.: 33.3 per cent (1/3)
•Royal Bank of Canada: 32.5 per cent (27/83)
•Merck Frosst Canada & Co.: 31.6 per cent (6/19)
•AXA Canada Inc.: 30.8 per cent (4/13)
•Ikon Office Solutions Inc.: 30.8 per cent (4/13)
•AltaGas Services Inc: 30 per cent (3/10)
•Citibank Canada: 30 per cent (3/10)
•Eli Lilly Canada Inc.: 30 per cent (3/10)
•Toronto Hydro Corp.: 30 per cent (3/10)
•Enmax Corp.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•GSI Lumonics Inc.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•John Deere Ltd.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•Paramount Resources Ltd.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•Saskatchewan Auto Fund: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•SSQ, Société d’assurance-vie Inc.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•The Goldfarb Corp.: 28.6 per cent (2/7)
•Bank of Montreal: 27.9 per cent (12/43)
•Enerplus Resources Fund: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Ford Credit Canada Ltd.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Four Seasons Hotels Inc.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•ING Canada Inc.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Microsoft Canada Inc.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Transat A.T. Inc.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•Unilever Canada Ltd.: 27.3 per cent (3/11)
•George Weston Ltd.: 26.9 per cent (7/26)
•Medis Health & Pharmaceutical Services Inc.: 26.1 per cent (6/23)
•Atlantic Lottery Corp.: 25 per cent (3/12)
•Bank of America Canada: 25 per cent (1/4)
•Canadian Oil Sands Trust: 25 per cent (1/4)
•Canadian Tire Corp.: 25 per cent (4/16)
•Conoco Canada Resources Ltd.: 25 per cent (2/8)
