Macquarie University is a Gold Sponsor of the EOWA Australian Census of Women in Leadership, which measures the status of women on boards and women executive managers in Australia's top 200 organisations listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. This fourth census is  based on a methodology first applied in the United States in 1995. Australian studies based on this methodology have been carried out previously in 2002, 2003 and 2004.  Information was initially summarised from publicly available annual reports and corporate websites, and companies were then contacted to validate the data. The census includes all companies listed on the ASX200 index as at 1 February 2006.

The key findings# were:

* Women comprise 47% of Australia's employees and 40% of its shareholders

* Only 12% of executive managers in ASX 200 companies are women (compared to 11.4% in 2004)

* Of the 200 companies studies, 39.5% had no women executives at all (compared to 40.6 % in 2004)

* Only six ASX companies are led by women, which translates as 33 male chief executives to every one female chief executive (those with female CEOs are GasNet Australia Group, Harvey Norman Holding, Macquarie Airports, Macquarie Countrywide Trust, St George Bank and NZ Telecom)

* Only 8.7% of board seats are filled by women

The 2006 EOWA census was jointly financed by the Labour-Management Studies Foundation from the Division of Economic and Financial Studies and the Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University. The ANZ is a co-sponsor of the project.

Data collection and analysis was conducted by a team of researchers from the Division of Economic and Financial Studies at Macquarie University. The project was jointly directed by Professor Graham Wood, Head of the Department of Statistics, and Associate Professor Peter McGraw, Director of the Labour-Management Studies Foundation. Dr. Margaret Mackisack, Chartered Statistician, managed the project and conducted the data analysis. Assistance with the data collection and validation was provided by recent graduates Ms Nazila Razi and Ms Klaudia Kowalewska.

Professor Wood notes "The census reveals 'glacial' progress. In 2004 3% of ASX200 CEOs and 8.2% of ASX200 Board Directors were women; in 2006 there remained 3% women ASX200 CEOs and 8.7% women Board Directors. It may take many more years for women to achieve equal status with men in the corporate world.'"  

"For me personally this particular project illustrates the lesson that statisticians need to be engaged with people who are collecting data. The skills needed here were common sense, some business know-how, ability with data manipulation and management and an obsession with accuracy. It's what we impart to our students, the message that statistics is more than just number crunching. It measures everything and guides daily decision-making."

Dean of the Division of Economic and Financial Studies, Professor Ed Davis, AM, is delighted that his Division has once again played a leading role in highlighting issues of equity in employment and women in management. " It really must be a priority for Australian business. Organisations need to make more effort towards greater representation of women at executive level. Supporting the EOWA census is part of Macquarie University's longstanding commitment to EEO and diversity,"  he said." We look forward to being of further assistance in keeping 'women in the boardroom' on the agenda."

The Launch on Thursday 7 September 2006 was conducted by the Australian Institute of Company Directors and addressed by John McFarlane, CEO of the ANZ.

# 'Too few women bosses:EOWA', Kate Southam, Editor of careerone.com.au

Contact: Skaidy Gulbis

Phone: 9850 4774