Chair questions male CEOs’ role in childrearing at Davos

DAVOS

Gender gap has become a leading issue at the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos, as a report published stated that the deficit between the salaries of men and women could level out after 118 years. 

“What are the male CEOs at this meeting doing at home,” questioned Doğan Online Founding Chair Hanzade Doğan Boyner at a session, where the Mercer Group’s report was discussed in Davos. 

According to the report, the higher the position in the company, the lower the percentage of women in that position. In middle management, women make up around 33 percent. In senior management, specifically the level of the department heads, women make up just 26 percent. Only 20 percent of executives are women, according to the study in which 3.2 million employees participated from 583 companies in 42 countries. 

“This huge inequality couldn’t be resolved by leveling wages. We need to dig deep into the core of the problem,” she said on Jan. 21. 

“Why do women give up at some point?” she asked. “Because it’s very difficult to rise to the CEO level and raise two kids. So we need to change the culture,” she noted. 

“How many male CEOs here pick their children up from the school or take them to swimming or tennis classes or help them with their homework...? Male CEOs who want to see their wives rise in their careers need to support them,” she added. 

Sabancı Holding chairwoman Güler Sabancı also highlighted in a separate session that companies with more women in senior levels are more successful in the long run.

“Studies have showed that companies with more women in senior positions are much more successful in the long term perspective,” said Sabancı on Jan. 20.