Women leaders are underrepresented in Summit County compared to the national average, and their salaries fall behind their male counterparts, according to “The Gender Equity and Women’s Leadership Study,” commissioned by Women’s Network, an Akron-based organization that focuses on professional and leadership development of women.
To complete the study, data was collected on more than 5,000 senior leaders across 348 employers and 167 nonprofit boards. The study includes private, nonprofit and public sectors of Summit County, as well as the publicly-traded companies of Northeast Ohio.
Additionally, 447 Summit County professionals completed a survey designed to capture their experiences and perspectives related to diversity and equity in the workplace.
Female top earners in the private sector are paid 75% of what male top earners make, and female nonprofit CEOs make 82% of what their male counterparts make, according to the study, which adds that the representation of women on nonprofit boards at 41% has not changed since 2014 (compared to 48% nationally).
While some of the findings mirror national averages, the results reveal some positives. For one, local representation for women CEOs is slightly higher than the top 500 companies nationally, and in Summit County, women hold around 70 percent of the judicial seats, which far exceeds the national average of 33%.
“The better we understand the local leadership landscape and the key diversity and equity issues facing Summit County women, the better chance we have to effectively drive change,” said Jan Conrad, executive director of Women’s Network.
Women’s Network hopes this study will help move the needle for Summit County women in leadership roles and inject gender inequity in the larger diversity conversation.
To view the study, click here.
To learn more about Women’s Network, visit womensnetworkneohio.com.
