Women at board level in wholesale drops to lowest record ever

Food and Drink Wholesale UK (FWD) and its initiative Women in Wholesale (WiW) are urging businesses to drive change by creating more female role models, eliminating unconscious bias and providing structured support for women at key career stages.

It comes as the trade body presented new research at a Parliamentary Reception yesterday (18 March) to mark the ten year anniversary of the WiW movement.

The milestone report, titled ‘Championing Change’ and sponsored by Lumina Intelligence, provided a “stark reality check” on gender diversity in wholesale, said FWD.

It revealed that the number of women at board level positions has fallen to its lowest recorded level – just 16% in 2025, down from 20% in 2022 and 17% in 2019.

With the UK national average for board level female representation at 48%, wholesale is severely under-indexing, highlighting an urgent need for action, said FWD.

Over two-thirds (67%) cited male-dominated workplaces as the biggest challenge facing women in the industry. Additionally, unconscious bias remains a critical issue, with 43% of respondents saying it impacts decision-making and promotions.

The report also found that 44% identified a lack of female role models as a key barrier to career progression, the report found.

Despite these challenges, there are indications of progress, with 90% of respondents agreeing that gender diversity leads to improved business outcomes.

The wholesale sector has made progress, but the drop in female board representation is a “wake-up call,” said Clare Bocking, chairperson at WiW.

“We need real, structural support at every stage – from early career to maternity, menopause, and leadership. Now is the time for businesses to act, not just talk, to create a culture where women can thrive,” she said.

More than 40 MPs were present at the event, as well as Shadow Treasury Minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe, who delivered a keynote speech.

The Baroness praised the female-focused program and championed for change to support women in the workforce to reach their full potential, said FWD.

“We need real, structural support at every stage – from early career to maternity, menopause, and leadership. Now is the time for businesses to act, not just talk, to create a culture where women can thrive,” she said.

Lyndsey Cambridge, head of external affairs at FWD, commented on the results: “Our landmark report serves as both a reality check and a roadmap for the future. The message is clear: women working within the wholesale sector want businesses to address gender disparity, champion for change, and create the role models who will inspire the next generation of female leaders.”