Baltimore, MD — Maryland’s progress toward gender equity in corporate boardrooms has slowed significantly, according to the newly released 2025 Executive Alliance Census Report on Women Board Directors in Maryland. The report highlights that women hold only 28% of board seats in publicly traded companies headquartered in the state — well behind the national S&P 500 average of 34%. Even more concerning, the number of Maryland companies with no women directors has increased to six.
Diversity among new board appointees is also slipping. Underrepresented women now hold just 6.5% of board seats, and the proportion of new diverse directors fell from 34% in 2023 to 17% in 2024. “Companies are poised to undo many of the gains that women and people of color have fought for over decades,” said Ellen Fish, Senior Market Leader for Sandy Spring Bank and lead researcher for the report.
Bright spots remain: Executive Alliance recognized 50 companies, universities, and nonprofits on its 2025 Honor Roll for achieving at least 30% women representation in both executive leadership and board positions — including AFRO American Newspapers, recognized for its longstanding commitment to empowering women in leadership. State initiatives, including those championed by House Speaker Adrienne Jones and Secretary of Appointments Tisha Edwards, also continue to push diversity forward.
Still, the report urges immediate action, calling on Maryland companies to set public targets for gender and racial diversity, implement board succession plans, and prioritize board readiness training for women leaders. The clear message: Maryland cannot afford to lose momentum in the fight for gender equity at the highest levels of leadership.
For more details, visit executivealliance.org.
Note: AI generated this summary.
