The Equality Cookbook: Swiss Companies’ Recipes for Gender Parity

Corporations are under increasing pressure to align with SDG 5 (Gender Equality), ensuring equal opportunities for women and men in leadership, pay, and career growth. While studies on gender equality are growing, limited research explores the evolutionary paths leading to gender parity. This paper employs Time-Series fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (TS/fsQCA) to examine the distinct and evolving paths that lead to gender parity within Swiss companies between 2020 and 2023. By analysing configurations of variables, including board independence, changes in women’s representation in managerial positions, executive compensation tied to ESG goals, CSR evaluations, and alignment with SDGs reported in annual disclosures, the study identifies how these elements combine to advance gender parity. The analysis reveals multiple pathways to achieving gender parity, with distinct combinations of conditions driving progress over time. While earlier years highlight the pivotal role of women in leadership positions, later years demonstrate increasing reliance on integrated strategies incorporating ESG-linked practices and SDG alignment. Furthermore, the study identifies the evolution of corporate approaches, showing that pathways have become more complex as firms adapt to changing regulatory and societal expectations. These findings contribute to understanding how corporate governance structures, strategic alignment with social goals, and evolving business practices support the advancement of gender parity in the corporate sector. By shedding light on temporal variations, the study offers actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to foster gender parity through sustainable corporate strategies.