The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) highlight continued progress in improving gender representation at senior levels of Irish business, though significant gaps remain, particularly in executive leadership roles.
According to the newly published Gender Balance in Business 2025 report, 32% of all Senior Executives in Ireland this year were women, reflecting gradual but steady improvement in female participation at top management levels.
However, only 19% of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in Ireland were female, underscoring the persistent underrepresentation of women in the most senior corporate positions.
The report also found that almost one in five Boards of Directors now has a female Chairperson, signalling a positive shift towards more inclusive governance. Overall, 28% of Board members in Ireland were women in 2025, which is a clear improvement compared with previous years but still short of gender parity.
The data demonstrates that while Ireland continues to make strides in creating more balanced leadership teams, progress remains uneven across different sectors and organisation sizes. Larger companies tend to show higher levels of female participation on boards, while smaller and medium-sized enterprises often lag behind.
Gender equality advocates have welcomed the improvements but emphasised the need for stronger action, particularly in developing talent pipelines that support women’s advancement into senior leadership roles. Flexible working policies, mentorship programmes, and transparent promotion processes remain key to achieving lasting change.
The CSO report provides valuable insights for employers and policymakers working to close the gender gap and foster inclusive workplaces that reflect the diversity of Ireland’s workforce.