- Proportion of women in management positions falls to 23.9 percent, the lowest level in five years (2024: 24.1 percent)
- Eastern German states continue to lead the way in terms of women in management positions - Hamburg tops the list in relation to population
- Proportion of women on supervisory boards falls from 20.9 to 20.4 percent
- Analysis of management positions per 10,000 inhabitants: significant difference between women and men
The proportion of women in management positions in Germany currently stands at 23.9%, the lowest level in five years. This is the result of an analysis of almost 1.8 million management positions published by the information service provider CRIF for this year's International Women's Day (March 8, 2025). On International Women's Day 2021, the rate was higher at 24.6 percent - in subsequent years, it was roughly at the same level as in 2025 (2022: 24.1 percent; 2023: 24.0 percent; 2024: 24.1 percent).
The proportion of women in management positions is still higher in the eastern German federal states than in western Germany. Brandenburg leads the way nationwide with 28.7% of women in management positions, followed by Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (27.7%), Saxony (27.1%), Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia (26.1% each). Bremen (19.4 percent) and Baden-Württemberg (21.8 percent) in particular have room for improvement in the proportion of women.
The higher presence of women in management positions in the eastern German states can be attributed to a variety of factors, including historical, socio-economic and cultural influences.
"The work culture in East and West Germany continues to differ. In the new federal states, more women are employed full-time. As a result, women are overrepresented in management positions. Part-time jobs are less common in management positions," says Dr. Frank Schlein, Managing Director of CRIF Germany, explaining the current figures. Following German reunification, East Germany has undergone major structural change, which has led to a decline in traditional industries and a rise in the service sector. This may also have had an impact on the gender distribution in management positions, as certain industries were historically dominated by men.
Management positions: Hamburg leads the way
No other federal state has more female managers in relation to its population than Hamburg. In the Hanseatic city, there are 133 female managers per 10,000 inhabitants. However, the figures in Berlin (122 female managers per 10,000 inhabitants), Brandenburg (104) and Hesse and Bavaria (83 each) are also above the national average. The latter is 76 women in management positions per 10,000 inhabitants.
The average for men is significantly higher at 379 male managers per 10,000 inhabitants. Hamburg also leads the statistics for men with 725 management positions per 10,000 inhabitants.
Higher proportion of women in small companies
With increasing company size - in relation to the number of employees - the average proportion of women in management positions decreases continuously, only to increase again in larger companies. While more than one in four managers in small companies with up to ten employees is a woman (29.4 percent), the proportion falls to 12.6 percent in companies with 101 to 500 employees. In large companies with more than 10,000 employees, the proportion of women in management positions is 17.2 percent.
The proportion of women in companies according to the turnover criterion is similar. Companies with a turnover of less than one million euros have the highest proportion of women in management positions (26.9%). In companies with a turnover of more than 100 million euros, the proportion of women in management positions is 12.3 percent.
Sectors: Highest proportion in the healthcare sector
In terms of sectors, the healthcare sector has the highest proportion of women at 39.5 percent. However, women also hold an above-average number of management positions in retail (28.1%) and publishing (24.2%). In contrast, there are few women in management positions in the construction industry (10 percent), mechanical engineering (10.2 percent), energy supply (11.2 percent) and shipping (11.3 percent).
Proportion of women on supervisory boards falls to 20.4%
The proportion of women on supervisory boards has fallen from 20.9% to 20.4%. While the proportion of women on supervisory boards is 20.4%, only slightly more than one in ten supervisory board chairs is held by a woman (11.5%). Brandenburg (25.1 percent) and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (24.4 percent) lead the way in terms of the proportion of women on supervisory boards. Saarland reports the lowest proportion of female supervisory board members with 18.4%.
Economic advantage through diversity
Men run their companies into insolvency twice as often as women. This is shown by the analysis of around 22,000 company bankruptcies from 2024.
Companies run by men have a higher risk of insolvency than companies run by women. This is shown by both the absolute and relative comparative figures of the analysis carried out. In the more meaningful relative comparison, the insolvent companies, including the number of decision-makers, are related to the total number of companies in Germany. This shows that in more than twice as many cases, one or more men are at the helm of an insolvent company. For example, 87 out of 10,000 companies (0.87 percent) with one or more male decision-makers file for insolvency. In comparison, only 40 out of 10,000 companies (0.41 percent) with one or more women in the management file for insolvency. Mixed-management companies are also less frequently affected by insolvency (46 out of 10,000 companies, 0.46 percent).
Women's quota as an ESG factor: equality becomes an economic advantage
With the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), many companies have been facing new requirements in sustainability reporting since 2023. The proportion of women is a key issue here, as the “S” in ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) stands for social aspects such as equality and diversity. Companies with a higher proportion of women fulfill ESG criteria better and benefit from a stronger market position in the long term. Investors, banks and business partners are attaching increasing importance to sustainable corporate governance, which also includes gender equality.
For capital market-oriented companies in particular, an appropriate quota of women is therefore not only an ethical but also an economic necessity. "The women's quota is no longer just a socio-political issue, but a decisive factor for sustainable corporate success. Companies that take early action in this area will gain a clear competitive advantage," concludes Dr. Schlein.
For the analysis, CRIF evaluated around 1.8 million management positions in over one million companies (as of March 5, 2025). The positions include managing directors, supervisory board members and chairmen, managing partners and board members and chairmen. In the case of supervisory board positions, around 48,000 management positions were analyzed.
