General Motors
Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks are seen at a dealership in Gaithersburg, Maryland in this May 1, 2013 file photo. General Motors Co said May 15, 2014 it has issue five more recalls, covering almost 3 million vehichles globally, and is expected to take a charge of up to $200 million. Reuters/Gary Cameron

With the International Women’s Day going to be celebrated on March 8, a new study on companies has named General Motors as the top company that offers better opportunities for women in decision-making roles and higher representation in work force. The auto major was chosen from a list of 50 companies based out of the U.S. The study was conducted by National Association for Female Executives.

The award is an honour for corporations that are exceptional in promoting women into executive roles. According to the news report, GM is the sole automotive representative on the list and earned the goodwill of the jury by becoming the first major American automaker to name a woman as the CEO when it appointed Mary Barra in January 2014.

“We encourage diverse thinking and collaboration in everything we do at GM on our journey to become the most valued automotive company. At GM, one-fifth of our executives, one-fourth of our officers and more than one-third of our board members are women,” said Barra.

Women on Board

The findings of NAFE’s 2015 study reveal that more companies are promoting women to board positions. General Motors has five women on its board of directors. “We are counting the numbers of women in senior management at America’s top companies and happy to find that companies are responding to the competition,” said NAFE President Betty Spence. She said that the 2015 NAFE Top 50 Companies demonstrated their understanding that having women in top executive posts boosts the bottom line.

In terms of female workforce representation and advancement opportunities, these 50 companies had a higher rank. In these corporations, female executives are finding better mobility and are able to take their seats on the board and earn high. The study also showed that women comprise 40 percent of the highest earners on the 2015 list, which was an increase by 35 percent compared to 2014.

Gold Standard

"These companies are the gold standard for promoting and advancing women," said Subha Barry, vice president and general manager at Working Mother Media, which includes NAFE.

On an average, women make up 51 percent of the workforce in these 50 companies, according to NAFE. Companies that made into the list are large companies having at least two female board members. These companies are also noted for their workplace programs for women and executive coaching programs and other networking groups, reports CNN.

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