Sex & Power Index 2022

Fawcett's Sex and Power 2022 Index is a biennial report which charts the progress towards equal representation for women in top jobs across the UK. Yet again, the report reveals the pace of change is glacial in the majority of sectors and shows that women are outnumbered by men 2:1 in positions of power.   

Women of colour are vastly under-represented at the highest levels of many sectors and alarmingly, they are missing altogether from senior roles such as Supreme Court Justices, Metro Mayors, Police and Crime Commissioners and FTSE 100 CEOs. 

Sex & Power 2022 shows: 

• Less than 1/3 of the UK’s top jobs are filled by women. Across 5,166 positions of power in society, women make-up under a third (32%) what that means is that 919 are missing from the top roles.
• The last two Westminster elections have seen scant progress with the proportion of female MPs at 34%, following the 2019 election. 
• Women remain just 8% of FTSE 100 CEOs and there are no women of colour.
• The sporting sector not only has very few women in senior roles but there has been a progressive decline in the number of female sport governing body chairs (15%) and CEOs (19%).  
• Women account for just 34% of those serving on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and related subgroups advising cabinet on the coronavirus response. 

Download Sex & Power 2022 here

Our calls for change

Sex and Power 2022 calls for change from Government, political parties and businesses. To achieve equal representations, we need to break down the barriers that hold women back from achieving their full potential.

Fawcett is calling for: 

• Targets set to increase the number of women in positions of power and actions plans put in place to ensure they are met.
• Improved Pay Gap Reporting – which includes intersectional ethnicity pay gap reporting, the threshold for reporting reduced to employers with 100+ employees, and publication of mandatory action plans.
• Action plans must be established by co-ordinating bodies in sectors where women of colour are missing from the top.
• Flexible working as default for all job roles, where it is possible.

Get involved

• Your voice has power to call for change and press for action. Join the conversation online and download our Sex & Power 2022 digital toolkit here and social media graphics here. 
• Read previous editions of Sex and Power 2020 and Sex & Power 2018

All of our reports, briefings and publications can be provided in printed form. Please email: [email protected] with your request.