Business · Companies · 2 hrs ago
Women hold 17% of board seats at listed Brazilian companies
Women held 17% of board seats at 261 publicly traded companies in Brazil in 2026, according to a KPMG survey.
That was the highest share in 13 years, up from 6% in 2013 and 16% in 2023.
The figure remains low by comparison: women hold more than 34% of board seats at large S&P companies, while the OECD average is 29%.
Corporate governance, regulation and stakeholder pressure are helping drive the increase, alongside demands from employees for more diverse leadership.
Corporate culture remains a barrier, and a KPMG interviewee said company leaders need to make room for women in decision-making roles.
The survey also found that 83% of companies had a dedicated risk-management area, up from 61% in 2010.
It did not set out a next step, but the figures show that women remain underrepresented on Brazilian boards and that companies are paying more attention to risk management.
Women held 17% of board seats at Brazilian listed companies in 2026, the highest share in 13 years.
A KPMG survey examined 261 companies listed on the Brazilian stock exchange.
Women held 6% of board seats in 2013 and 16% in 2023.
Fernanda Allegretti said corporate governance, regulation and pressure from stakeholders have helped drive the increase.
She said corporate culture remains a barrier and that Brazil’s share is below international benchmarks.
- Who
- Women serving on boards of Brazilian listed companies.
- What
- Their share of board seats reached 17%, according to a KPMG survey.
- When
- 2026.
- Where
- Brazil.
- Why
- The article says progress has been driven by corporate governance, regulation and stakeholder pressure; it identifies corporate culture as a continuing barrier.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Women held 6% of board seats at Brazilian listed companies.
Women held 16% of board seats.
Their share reached 17%, the highest level in 13 years, according to the survey.
- Board seats held by women
- 17% in 2026
- Companies surveyed
- 261
- Board seats held by women
- 6% in 2013
- Board seats held by women
- 16% in 2023
- Companies with a dedicated risk-management area
- 83% in the survey
What people are saying
Com 17% mostra que a gente ainda tem um caminho a percorrer
Quando a gente fala de diversidade, não é só de gênero, mas também de formação, de idade
Eu não acho que é uma questão de formar as mulheres, as mulheres já estão formadas, muitas vezes super preparadas e até mais do que os homens, porque elas sabem que elas enfrentam barreiras maiores para chegar lá
As empresas estão visualizando que os riscos estão aumentando e que elas têm que se preparar para eles