The Philippines has strengthened its position as a global leader in women’s representation in business leadership, according to the Grant Thornton Women in Business 2026 report.
The study found that 44.5 percent of senior management roles in the Philippines are now held by women, up from 43 percent in 2025. This places the country second in the world, behind South Africa, which leads with 47.3 percent.
Despite this progress locally, the report noted a slight global decline in women leaders. Worldwide, women now hold 32.9 percent of senior management roles, down from 34 percent last year. Still, long-term progress remains steady, with female representation rising 13.4 percentage points over the past 22 years.
Based on current trends, the report estimates that gender parity in leadership could be achieved by 2051, although it warned that progress must continue. The number of companies with all-male leadership teams globally increased to 5.7 percent, up from 4.1 percent last year.
In the Philippines, however, only 1.1 percent of businesses have all-male leadership teams, while 98.9 percent have diversity, equity and inclusion programs in place.
Business leaders say gender diversity is increasingly important for companies. According to Romualdo V. Murcia III, chairman and managing partner of P&A Grant Thornton, organizations that prioritize gender equality are better positioned to attract and retain top talent.
The report also highlighted the business benefits of gender-balanced leadership, noting it improves decision-making, strengthens innovation, and supports long-term growth.
Across regions, ASEAN remains the leading area for women in senior leadership, although its share dropped slightly to 24.2 percent. In the Asia-Pacific region, women hold 31.8 percent of leadership roles, the lowest overall share globally.
Within the region, the Philippines (44.5 percent) and Thailand (44.1 percent) lead in female representation. Meanwhile, South Korea (21.1 percent) and Japan (21.5 percent) have among the lowest shares, though Japan recently surpassed 20 percent for the first time.
Experts say the Philippines’ strong showing signals a growing recognition among businesses that inclusive leadership is not only about fairness but also about competitiveness and growth.
