Professional services firm PwC’s sixteenth Annual Global CEO Survey indicates that South Africa continues to have the best level of female representation at board level in the mining sector.

PwC notes that the survey was carried out in the UK in conjunction with sponsors diversified miner Anglo American, mining and metals company Rio Tinto and global resources company BHP Billiton. The purpose of the survey was to look into gender diversity at board level of the top global mining companies, including the contribution women make to a better performing and more sustainable business.

“South Africa is a leader when it comes to female representation at board level and in senior leadership roles. The complex regulatory environment in which South African mining companies operate their businesses has played an important role in driving the development and representation of women in the mining industry,” says PwC Southern Africa human resources services director Gerald Seegers.

Based on the survey of the top 100 listed mining companies in South Africa, 23.8% of the board members are women, while of the top 500 mining companies in South Africa, 21.4% of the board members are women .

The survey also shows that just three of the 106 female directors in the top 100 mining companies hold more than one directorship. While 14 out of all the 500 listed mining companies reviewed reached the critical mass of 30% women representation on their boards, with six of these being in the top 100.

“It is only when female participation on boards is equal to male participation that the full benefit of gender diversity can be achieved,” Seegers points out, noting that some progress is, however, being made, with 58% of the top 100 companies having at least one woman on the board compared with 46% last year.

Seegers highlights that the survey also shows that there is a strong correlation between having more women in management positions on the board and improved company performance across a number of metrics, including governance, financial, social and environment.

“Of the core committees (remuneration, nomination and audit/risk), committee participation overall by women is 7.6%. Again, South Africa leads the way with female participation in mining companies with the other countries some way behind,” he says.