Talent pipeline development

What does a closer look at different management levels reveal about the state and use of female talent pipelines in companies?

Companies are not fully utilizing their (gender) diverse talent pipelines

Although women represent 46% of non-management roles, they account for only 41% of promotions to the lowest and lower management levels. Among hires for these levels, women’s share is even slightly lower with 39%. Currently, women make up 35% of lowest and lower management overall. This shows that while promotions and hiring do help increase the proportion of women in these levels, a portion of female talent in non-management remains untapped.

A similar trend can be seen in promotions to middle and top management. Women make up 33% of these promotions, showing that the talent pool in lowest and lower management, where women are 35%, is not being fully used. However, for middle and top management levels, the proportion of women among new hires is slightly higher than that among promotions (36% vs. 33%).

Minimal progress over time

Progress between 2024 and 2025 in the share of women across management levels is minimal: an increase of one percentage point in lower and lowest management, and a decrease of one percentage point in middle and top management. If we look at personnel movements at different management levels, we see positive results. The percentage of women in lowest/lower management promotions increased by one percentage point, the one in middle/top management promotions even by four percentage points. The numbers show even more positive results for recruitment: Hires for lowest/lower management increased by four percentage points. Those for middle/top management by ten percentage points compared to 2024.