{"id":362863,"date":"2025-10-07T16:00:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T10:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=362863"},"modified":"2025-10-07T16:55:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T11:25:07","slug":"khaitan-aon-lwl-report-women-directors-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2025\/10\/07\/khaitan-aon-lwl-report-women-directors-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Khaitan & Co. Collaborates with Aon and Ladies Who Lead to Release Report on \u201cIndia’s Boardrooms Still Struggle to Empower Women Directors\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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While Indian companies have taken measurable strides to appoint women on corporate boards as mandated under the Companies Act 2013<\/a>, new report finds that progress toward meaningful representation and impact remains limited. According to the joint study by Khaitan & Co, Aon<\/a>, and Ladies Who Lead—“Presence to Influence: Advancing Women in Indian Boardrooms” —98% of BSE-200 companies now include at least one woman director on their boards. However, despite this progress, the report finds that women’s participation is often symbolic, with many directors lacking substantive roles in boardroom decision-making.<\/p>\n

The report combines board composition data from BSE 200 companies (FY 2023—24) with insights from interviews with 40 women Independent Directors, offering a rare, dual-lens view of progress and challenges. It concludes that, “having a seat at the table doesn’t guarantee a voice at the table,”<\/span> highlighting that 77% of BSE 200 companies have only 1—2 women on their boards, limiting diversity of thought and meaningful participation, a trend that persists even in larger boards with 15 or more members.<\/p>\n

Sukanya Hazarika, Director, Khaitan & Co<\/span> said, “India’s progress is undeniable with women making up nearly one-fifth of directors in leading companies. Regulatory mandates from India’s Companies Act, 2013<\/a> and SEBI helped kickstart diversity, yet sustaining diversity at boards will require us to go beyond compliance. Our research shows that companies need to build a stronger leadership pipeline for women, foster inclusive work culture, and amplify women’s influence in decision making. Our report proposes frameworks for organisations to build inclusive boards, and for women directors to strengthen their impact and lead effectively at the board level. Companies that embrace this shift are not just ticking the DEI box, they are unlocking stronger governance, innovation and long-term competitive advantage.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Key highlights of the report<\/h3>\n