Barriers for Women in Sales and Executive Positions in the UK

Women in the UK continue to face barriers to advancement into sales, P&L, and executive leadership roles, including limited access to succession planning, stretch assignments, cross-functional experience, and sponsorship. The resource explains how these gaps restrict women’s pathways to the C-suite and highlights the importance of P&L responsibility as a key leadership stepping stone. It also outlines strategies organizations can use to strengthen women’s leadership pipelines, such as mapping CEO pathway roles, addressing bias in talent processes, and building structured sponsorship programs. A case study illustrates how a formal sponsorship program helped women gain promotions and greater responsibility within two years.