Diversity among board directors and officers

Warning View the most recent version.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.

Archived

This page has been archived on the Web.

Release date: May 18, 2021
Related article More information PDF version
Infographic: Diversity among board directors and officers
Description: Diversity among board directors and officers

Diversity among board directors and officers

Despite decades of gains in the workplace, women continued to be underrepresented in leadership positions in Canada in 2016, especially Indigenous and visible minority women.

  • 1 in 5 executives (directors and officers) were women
  • 1 in 5 women executives were immigrants
  • 1 in 10 women executives belonged to a visible minority group
  • 1 in 100 women executives were Indigenous

Visible minority women executives were less likely than non visible minority women to hold both director and officer positions.
Table summary
This table displays the results of Visible minority women executives were less likely than non visible minority women to hold both director and officer positions. Visible minority women, Non visible minority women, Visible minority men and Non visible minority men, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Visible minority women Non visible minority women Visible minority men Non visible minority men
percent
Directors exclusively 6 9 4 7
Officers exclusively 60 43 44 31
Both directors and officers 34 48 52 62

Distribution of executives by country of control

Visible minority women executives were more evenly distributed among Canadian- and American-controlled corporations.


Distribution of executives by country of control
Table summary
This table displays the results of Distribution of executives by country of control Visible minority women, Non visible minority women, Visible minority men and Non visible minority men, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Visible minority women Non visible minority women Visible minority men Non visible minority men
percent
Canadian-controlled 55 87 74 85
American-controlled 40 8 13 9

Distribution of executives by corporation size

Visible minority women were also more likely to participate in larger corporations.


Distribution of executives by corporation size
Table summary
This table displays the results of Distribution of executives by corporation size Visible minority women, Non visible minority women, Visible minority men and Non visible minority men, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Visible minority women Non visible minority women Visible minority men Non visible minority men
percent
Small 11 30 16 21
Large 56 29 35 34

This infographic was funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE).

Note: The data presented in this infographic are deemed exploratory and based on a data linkage of executives identified through the Corporations Returns Act in 2016 and 2017 with the 2016 Census through the Derived Record Depository at Statistics Canada.

Source: Longpré-Verret, L.-M. and E. Richards. 2021. “Diversity among board directors and executive officers: exploratory estimates on family, work and income.” Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series no. 462 (Catalogue 11F0019M). Ottawa: Statistics Canada.

More information

Note of appreciation

Canada owes the success of its statistical system to a long-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill.

Standards of service to the public

Statistics Canada is committed to serving its clients in a prompt, reliable and courteous manner. To this end, the Agency has developed standards of service which its employees observe in serving its clients.

Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2021

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

Date modified: