From intent to impact: How leadership accountability drives gender parity

For years, organizations have spoken about gender equality as a priority. Reports are published, commitments are made, and awareness campaigns multiply. And yet progress remains painfully slow. According to the WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025, only 68.8% of the gap has been closed globally. At the current pace, full parity will take more than a century. Put bluntly: If nothing changes, no one alive today will see gender equality realized in their lifetime.

This stagnation is not due to a lack of evidence. We know that gender-balanced teams innovate faster, take better decisions and build deeper trust with employees, customers and investors. The real problem lies elsewhere: in the absence of consistent, accountable leadership capable of turning principles into practice. Gender equality is no longer a “nice-to-have”; it is a defining test of leadership maturity and a core predictor of organizational resilience.

Even in Europe, one of the most advanced regions globally, progress remains uneven. Women now represent 35.8% of all board members in the largest EU-listed companies, a substantial leap from just 8.2% in 2003, according to the latest data from the European Institute for Gender Equality. Yet when attention shifts to where real operational power lies – the executive or C-suite level – the numbers collapse. Only 23.9% of executive board members across the EU are women. In other words, women are increasingly invited into the room, but not yet consistently trusted to run it.

One of the most powerful accelerators of progress has been the introduction of quota policies. The European Commission's 2024 gender equality report shows a striking pattern:

These figures confirm what research and practice have long argued: quota regimes work. Despite initial scepticism, they have helped to create urgency, level the playing field and deliver tangible progress within a single generation.

Quotas, while transformative, are only part of the equation. They guarantee representation, but they do not guarantee inclusion. They do not ensure equitable access to influence, or fair promotion into top operational roles. That is where organizational leadership must step in.

Leadership shapes incentives, behaviours and culture, and ultimately determines outcomes. If leaders are committed to parity, organizations move. If leaders hesitate, progress stalls. More importantly, leaders control the levers of accountability: the systems and expectations that shape behaviour and drive results.

Accelerating progress requires treating gender parity as a core management priority, embedded into the same structures that drive financial performance and operational success. This means:

This is the path we chose at Sonae. Our commitment to parity mobilizes the entire organization, supported by clear targets at all management levels, embedded into performance assessments and integrated into how we manage, operate and finance our business.

There is still work ahead, but the results demonstrate the power of accountability: The share of women in leadership roles at Sonae has grown from 34% in 2019 to 41% in 2024, and we are on track to reach 45% by 2026. Each step forward reinforces that measurable commitments deliver real change.

This sustained commitment is particularly important at a moment when, across some markets, organizations are retreating from DE&I efforts in response to political pressures, social backlash or economic uncertainty. But turning away from equity and inclusion now is not only a moral misstep, it is a strategic one.

New research by the London School of Economics and Political Science, in partnership with NYU’s Meltzer Centre for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, shows why. Nearly 70% of surveyed consumers say they are more likely to buy from companies that actively support DE&I. Among Gen Z (78%) and women (74%), the numbers are even higher. Crucially, 36% say they plan to boycott companies that scale back these commitments.

The pressure is not only external. Employees, especially younger generations, increasingly make values-based decisions about where they work. According to the data, 76% of workers are more likely to stay with an employer that supports DE&I. Among Gen Z, that figure rises to 86%, and 61% would not even apply to an organization that fails to support DE&I.

In a context of talent shortages and rapid skill transformation, ignoring these signals is a strategic risk. Yet recognizing these expectations is only the first step. The real test lies in how organizations respond, and that response depends squarely on leadership.

Gender equality and organizational performance are not competing priorities, they reinforce each other. The most recent McKinsey’s Diversity Matters' research shows that companies with more diverse executive teams are 39% more likely to financially outperform their peers. Diverse perspectives improve innovation, strengthen risk management and build resilience, qualities that are indispensable in a rapidly changing world.

To realize those benefits, leadership commitment must be visible and uncompromising. CEOs and senior executives must act as role models for measurable change – not only through declarations, but through decisions, resource allocation and everyday behaviour. Because there is no organizational transformation without personal transformation.

Embedding inclusion into governance models ensures that gender parity is not a side project, but a shared responsibility integrated across the leadership structure. Every executive, every manager and every team must understand their role in creating a more equitable organization.

When leaders demonstrate commitment through action, they send a powerful signal: Gender parity is fundamental to an organization’s identity, culture and future competitiveness. And by aligning equality with accountability, firms can unlock resilience and competitive advantage. Only then can we move from ambition to action, and from action to impact.