Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the gender diversity on corporate boards within the nine largest banks in the United Kingdom. The study focuses on the development of female representatives in the boardrooms during the time span 2010 - 2015.

Research design - The study is a quantitative research with a longitudinal approach. The information and data of interest were obtained through each bank’s annual reports over the time period 2010 – 2015. The annual reports used in this study were downloaded from the respective bank’s website. The data were processed and the results are presented in diagrams and tables for simplified interpretation. The data analysis is made in relation to the legal framework in the United Kingdom along with chosen theories.

Findings – The findings in this study show that there has been a development regarding the amount of female representatives, although a difference in the development between the FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 banks could be identified. The findings indicate that national recommendations have contributed to the change in the development of female representatives on the boards of the studied banks. Findings regarding human capital show that all female directors possess post-secondary education and that the majority serve as non-executive directors and have previous board experience.

Contribution – This thesis contributes with a description of the development regarding gender diversity on boards within the largest listed banks in the United Kingdom. It provides an insight of how the amount of female representatives have changed within a period of six years with regards to the legal framework on both national and EU level, and what development we possibly can expect in the future in the United Kingdom.

Value – This study brings value and understanding to the current discussion regarding gender diversity in the boardrooms of banks in the United Kingdom. It further highlights the issue regarding the slow progress of increasing the amount of female representatives on boards.