Female executives say participation in sport accelerates their leadership potential

A survey released today by the EY Women Athletes Business Network and espnW shows that the majority of women executives believe a sporting background can accelerate their leadership and career potential.

The Making the connection: women, sport and leadership research was based on a global online survey of 400 women executives, with the top five responding countries being Brazil, Canada, China, the UK and the United States.

The survey of female executives showed that:

• 94% of the respondents have participated in sport.
• 74% agree that a background in sport can help accelerate a woman's leadership and career potential.
• 61% say that past sporting involvement has contributed to their current career success and that a background in sport has a positive influence on their own hiring decisions.
• 67% highlighted a background in sport as a positive influence on their decision to hire a candidate.

The research also highlighted how athletes are seen as strong role models for female executives, far exceeding government leaders and celebrities and just below business leaders.

The survey has been released on the same day that the latest Department for Business Innovation Skills (BIS) figures relating to getting more women on to FTSE 100 boards have been released.

BIS established a target for 25% of FTSE 100 directors to be female by next year, which was announced during Lord Davies’ review of women on boards in 2011.

The latest BIS figures show that the number of female board directors are at an all-time high, yet 60% of Britain’s top firms are still to reach the government target.

Meanwhile in the sports sector, 2014 Women Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) figures show that only 49% of national governing bodies (NGBs) in sport have 25% of women on their boards.

Emma Boggis, Chief Executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, said:

“The figures released today in both of these reports are of great interest to the Sport and Recreation Alliance. Not only do they show the amazingly positive impact that sport can have on developing women’s careers, they also highlight that more still needs to be done to develop women into board positions.

“This is one of the reasons why we launched our new Alliance Directors Club this year, a club which is designed to develop both aspiring and existing senior executives and directors from a variety of backgrounds, sectors and industries, within the sport and recreation sector environment.

“Taking part in sport quite simply makes us happier, healthier and wealthier. But it’s also an incredibly challenging and rewarding sector to work in. I know from personal experience that when you combine an interest in sport with your own career development, life can be even more fulfilling.

“I would encourage all aspiring female leaders to look into developing their skills and experience within the sport and recreation world and the Alliance Directors Club is an ideal avenue to do that.”

Read more Sport and Recreation Alliance news.

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