Many organisations proudly display gender equity policies, but how many drive meaningful change? Beyond boardroom discussions and diversity statements, the reality in many workplaces remains stark. Women continue to face barriers to career advancement, representation, and workplace culture. Having policies in place is a step in the right direction, but policies alone do not create equity. The real test lies in their execution and their impact.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023, at the current rate of progress, it will take an estimated 131 years to close the global gender gap. In corporate leadership, women hold just 29% of senior management roles worldwide, with even lower representation in traditionally male-dominated sectors like energy, finance, and technology.
In Nigeria, the numbers remain similarly discouraging. A 2022 industry report noted that only 30% of Nigerian corporate board members are women, and female representation in executive management remains low across both public and private sectors. These numbers reflect more than an imbalance, and they reflect systemic barriers.
Despite decades of advocacy, many organisations still struggle with unconscious biases, limited mentorship, and workplace cultures that subtly disadvantage women. The issue is not a lack of intention; it is a lack of intentional action.
Beyond Policies: What’s Holding Women Back?
Too often, gender equality is treated as a compliance exercise, something to be ticked off a list during audits or annual reporting. Yet real barriers persist. Some of the most persistent include:
- Lack of Clear Advancement Pathways: While many companies advocate for gender diversity, few establish structured development programmes that actively prepare women for senior roles. Promotion systems often lack transparency, leaving women excluded from growth opportunities due to informal gatekeeping.
- Workplace Flexibility That Isn’t Truly Flexible: In principle, flexible work arrangements support women juggling career and caregiving responsibilities. In practice, policies around maternity leave, hybrid work, and flexible hours can be inconsistently applied or subtly penalised. Women taking maternity leave, for instance, often return to find their responsibilities reassigned or their growth stalled.
- Cultural and Unconscious Bias: Gender stereotypes still shape how leadership is perceived and rewarded. Assertiveness in men may be seen as a strength, while it is sometimes mislabelled as aggressiveness in women. These biases often influence hiring, performance evaluations, and who gets assigned to high-stakes projects.
From Commitment to Impact: What Companies Must Do
If we are serious about closing the gender gap, we must stop measuring intent and start measuring outcomes. Here’s how:
1. Measure Outcomes, Not Just Intentions
Progress requires data. Companies must go beyond pledges and conduct regular gender equity audits. This includes analysing hiring trends, promotion rates, pay parity, exit interviews, and performance evaluation outcomes. Tools like the Gender Appointment Ratio, which measures the ratio of male to female appointments across roles, can help track actual shifts in representation.
2. Build an Inclusive Leadership Pipeline
Opening the door for women is not enough. Organisations must guide them through it by offering structured mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership training tailored to different career stages. Setting targets for female leadership shows a serious commitment to progress. At pcl., our “Women in Leadership” programme equips participants with strategic skills, emotional intelligence, and executive presence, forming part of our intentional pipeline for female leaders.
3. Redefine Workplace Flexibility
Flexibility should reflect the real demands of modern life. Organisations need to support return-to-work pathways after maternity or caregiving breaks and ensure remote or hybrid staff are not excluded from opportunities. Normalising caregiving responsibilities for all genders helps reduce the motherhood penalty and promotes a more inclusive culture.
4. Tackle Bias Head-On
Cultural change begins with recognising and addressing bias. This includes training leaders, auditing promotion criteria, and creating safe spaces for honest feedback. Inclusion must be embedded in both systems and behaviours to ensure lasting impact.
Case Study: Companies Leading the Way
While global brands like Unilever and Nestlé are often cited for gender-forward practices, Nigerian companies are also stepping up.
pcl. (Phillips Consulting Ltd): To mark International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, pcl. visited Vivian Fowler Memorial College, where we hosted a mini business pitch competition amongst other activities. This was more than CSR; it was a deliberate investment in future female leaders, encouraging confidence, innovation, and financial literacy among teenage girls.
Additionally, our Women in Leadership Programme continues to build the capacity of emerging female leaders within client organisations, equipping them with tools to lead with impact in traditionally male-dominated sectors.
LAPO Microfinance Bank: LAPO has integrated gender inclusion into its operational model, empowering female entrepreneurs with targeted financial products and training. With women making up over 70% of LAPO’s clients, the bank has shown that gender equity is ethical and good business.
FirstBank Nigeria: FirstBank launched the First Women Network (FWN), a platform that supports career women within the bank through mentorship, leadership training, and community engagement. This initiative has helped boost internal promotion rates among female employees and create a more gender-balanced management structure.
Measuring Progress: Beyond the Optics
Progress needs proof. Aside from the Gender Appointment Ratio, other ways to assess impact include:
- Promotion Parity Index – the rate at which women are promoted vs men
- Pay Equity Audits – comparing average salaries across roles and genders
- Retention Rates – tracking how long women stay and what roles they leave
- Participation in Key Projects – measuring gender balance in high-impact assignments
These indicators offer insight into whether gender policies are being lived, not just laminated.
The Business Case for Gender Equity
Industry research shows that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability. Diversity drives better decision-making, innovation, and employee satisfaction.
But beyond economics, there is a moral imperative. Empowering women helps build more resilient communities, reduce poverty, and drive national development.
The pcl. Perspective: Making Equity Real
At pcl., we help organisations move beyond compliance to cultivate cultures of real inclusion. Our work across sectors has shown that policy reform must be backed by leadership accountability, structural change, and human-centred design.
Gender equity is, therefore, not a project but a transformation.
So, we return to the core question, “Is your company truly empowering women?” Or “Are you still stuck at policy?” Because progress begins where intention meets action, and action starts with a decision.
Written by:
Chidinma Ezeh
Consultant