The table illustrates the proportion of women holding senior management positions in three companies, namely Eldan Ltd, Bamforth Ltd and Finsbury Ltd, over a 40-year period from 1975 to 2015.
Overall, the percentage of female senior managers increased in all three companies, although the scale and speed of growth varied considerably. Eldan Ltd experienced by far the most dramatic rise, while Finsbury Ltd showed relatively modest growth and ended the period with the lowest figure.
In 1975, women were significantly underrepresented in senior management across all companies, accounting for only 3% at Eldan Ltd, compared with 9% at Bamforth Ltd and a higher 16% at Finsbury Ltd. Over the next decade, Eldan remained unchanged at 3%, whereas Bamforth rose slightly to 13% by 1985. During the same period, Finsbury fluctuated marginally, peaking at 15% in 1985.
From 1990 onwards, Eldan Ltd saw a sharp and sustained increase, climbing from 28% in 1990 to 64% by 2015, the highest proportion among the three. Bamforth Ltd also recorded steady growth, rising from 15% to 46% over the same period. In contrast, Finsbury Ltd increased more gradually, reaching only 26% in 2015 despite earlier leads.