Everyone benefits from women’s rights
Editor: Kerstin Stenger
- Ending violence, discrimination, and exploitation against women and girls.
- Breaking down inequalities and increasing the visibility of women in all aspects of life.
- Creating opportunities that ensure inclusive access to education, employment, and leadership positions.
The third point, in particular, is essential for driving real change—and it benefits the economy as well. Studies show that companies with women in leadership experience greater collaboration, fairness, and commitment, leading to stronger overall performance. Yet, only 25% of companies in Germany are led by women, a figure significantly lower than in countries like the U.S., where the rate is 33%.
This raises an important question: Why do so few women reach top leadership roles in Germany, despite favorable conditions such as childcare support, parental leave, and family allowances— benefits not widely available in the U.S.? Over the past decade, more than 50% of business students in Germany have been women, yet far too few ascend to leadership. Clearly, there is still much work to be done.
At LANXESS, we recognize that diverse leadership is essential to innovation and success. “Women in leadership bring fresh perspectives, strong collaboration, and the resilience needed to navigate an ever-changing world”, explains Frederique van Baarle, Member of the Board of Management and Labor Director of LANXESS AG.
“Empowering women is not just a goal - it’s a commitment. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where women have the support, opportunities, and recognition to thrive.”
“By championing equity, challenging biases, and leading by example, I am committed to making LANXESS a place where women’s leadership is not just welcomed but celebrated.”
Advantages of women in management positions
As early as 1992, an American meta-study showed that female managers cultivate a “transformational management style” and are therefore particularly successful. They inspire their employees with their management style and encourage positive collaboration.
In an American survey from 2008, women scored better or equal to men in seven of eight of the categories when it came to the characteristics for good leadership. Some of the results are particularly remarkable:
- Honesty - 50% of respondents thought women are more honest than men, only 20% said men were more honest.
- Intelligence - 38% of respondents considered women to be more intelligent. Only 14% stated that men are more intelligent.
- Cooperation - In the study, women were often rated as more compassionate, open-minded and creative.
Various studies/sources describe some of the considerable advantages of having women in management positions. Here is a small excerpt:
Slow progress
The well-known saying “Dripping water hollows out stone” describes the fight for women's rights very well. Ongoing efforts are steadily improving equality, even if the improvements are not happening as quickly as we’d like. For example, progress has been made in terms of women in management positions – but this clearly depends on the country and profession. In both cases, Germany clearly has some catching up to do.
The goal: Gender equality by 2030
Germany has been committed to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) since the mid-1980s. Since 2002, women have been able to take legal action if they believe that Germany is violating this convention. A report on compliance with the convention must also be submitted to the UN CEDAW Committee every four years. This committee monitors and evaluates implementation of the measures. The committee responds to the report with recommendations for action.The UN’s “Agenda 2030” sets out a total of 17 global Sustainable Development Goals – point 5 of which is gender equality. However, in the mid-way review, which took place in New York in 2023, the assessment was “sobering”. From a global perspective, the goal of gender equality is far from being achieved - it is an ongoing process. This is also the view of the German government, which works continuously on equal opportunities for women and girls.
