M&S, John Lewis and B&M among top retailers for women in leadership positions

M&S, John Lewis and B&M are among several retailers that have performed strongly for female representation on its board and leadership teams, according to a new report.

Data from the 2025 FTSE Women Leaders Review found that more than 60% of FTSE350 companies are close to reaching the 40% target for women’s representation in boardrooms.

M&S has hit the target with 60% representation, while B&M climbed up the rankings to 57.1%. This is a 19.6 percentage point increase on its 2023 score.

Of the 50 largest private companies in the UK, Co-op had the highest share of women on its board with 66.7% and Morrisons was the only other retailer to make it into the top 10, with women making up exactly half of its board.

Representation fell slightly when looking at the share of women in leadership positions, which stood at 35.3% among FTSE350 companies in 2024.

M&S was the best-performing retailer among the FTSE100, with 54% of its leadership roles held by women. Burberry and Next also topped the list, with 52.6% and 50.5% representation, respectively.

John Lewis had the highest share of female leaders among the top private companies at 56.4%.

Matalan and The Range owner CDS Superstores were also among the other leading private firms to have over 40% female representation in the boardroom.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “The UK is leading the charge for gender equality in boardrooms, but we cannot rest on our laurels.

“We must break down the barriers that stop many women being represented in decision-making roles, so that top talent reaches the highest levels of leadership in businesses driving economic growth across Britain.”

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