The infographic displays the top 500 US companies according to Fortune 500 2021. Companies with female CEOs are indicated in green along with their names and pictures.
Women Hold 41 CEO Positions in the 500 Companies
In 2021, 41 companies out of the top 500 are women-led. Karen S. Lynch tops the 41 female CEOs at the 4th in the overall list, leading CVS Health in Health Care industry. Then Rosalind Brewer appears the next at the 16th, leading Walgreens Boots Alliance in the industry of Food & Drug Stores.
Breaking down the list into industries, Retailers have the most female CEOs, with 5 women-led companies. They are:
- 66th – Best Buy led by Corie Barry
- 221st – Gap led by Sonia Snygal
- 242nd – Ross Stored led by Barbara Rentler
- 320th – Dick’s Sporting Goods led by Lauren Hobart
- 425th – Williams-Sonoma led by Laura Alber.
Some industries, such as Airlines and Education, do not have any female CEOs in the top 500 companies, as well as in the top 1,000 companies.
Bright News – Record Breaking Three Achievements in 2021
Although 41 out of 500 may sound too small, it hit an all-time record. Additionally, two African-American women appear in the rank for the first time. They are Rosalind Brewer of Walgreens Boots Alliance at the 16th and Thasunda Brown Duckett of TIAA of 79th. Karen S. Lynch makes another record: she leads the highest-ranking business ever run by a female CEO.
“Glass Ceiling” – But Not Only About Gender
“Glass ceiling” is a metaphor for an invisible barrier against certain people, often women, to progress further. Opportunities to be at the top of the hierarchy must be given equally, regardless of gender. But it should not be all about gender.
Race, as well as religious or cultural backgrounds and other differences, play an important part when it comes to establishing a diverse, inclusive, and equal world. The transition may take time, as there seem to be countless and thick glass ceilings in today’s society. However, we human beings are all in this together on the Earth; let’s see what happens in the next 10 years or so.
You May Also Like…
If you find this topic interesting, it may be worth checking out Global Gender Gap Index 2021. This infographic presents the top and bottom 10 countries of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2021 rankings.