NZ women ahead of some countries

New Zealand women are doing better in business than their counterparts in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, according to an annual business survey.

The findings from accounting and business advisers Grant Thornton's International Business Report survey show the average proportion of women in senior management of businesses in this country is 27 per cent.

It also showed 70 per cent of companies had between one and three women participating in senior management, and in some cases there were more than three women executives per business.

Grant Thornton's business advisory services director Pam Newlove said the figures were up from last year, when the average figure for women in senior management was 24 per cent. "It is also significant that New Zealand is ahead of countries such as Australia (23 per cent), the United Kingdom (21 per cent) and the United States (20 per cent)," she said.

"The average for the European Union is only 20 per cent."

Newlove said the global average of 24 per cent had been boosted by some particular countries, among them traditionally high league leader the Philippines (47 per cent), Russia (42 per cent) and Thailand (38 per cent).

- NZPA