Skip to main content Newsroom Bookstore Subscribe About About The Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) is an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to strengthening prosperity and human welfare in the global economy through expert analysis and practical policy solutions. About PIIE Board of Directors Transparency Policy Staff Subscriptions Employment Contact Annual Report Topics Topics PIIE’s renowned scholars explore and analyze a broad range of economic topics and issues, including globalization, economic and growth prospects, finance, political economy, and trade and investment, as well as economic challenges facing individual regions and countries. View all Areas of Expertise Banking Economic Outlook Climate Change and Environment Globalization Inequality Inflation Labor Monetary Policy Sanctions Supply Chains Tariffs Technology & AI Trade & Investment US Federal Reserve Regions & Countries Argentina Canada China European Union India Japan Mexico Middle East & North Africa South Korea Ukraine United Kingdom United States Research Research Economic policy research by the Institute’s 50+ internationally recognized scholars is the foundation of our mission and work. View All Blogs Publications Policy Briefs Working Papers PIIE Briefings Books Commentary Op-Eds Testimony Speeches and Papers Podcasts PIIE Insider LIVE Trade Talks What Now, Europe? Policy for the Planet Multimedia PIIE Charts Educational Resources Trackers Trump's tariff revenue tracker: How much is the US collecting? Which imports are hit? Trump's trade war timeline 2.0: An up-to-date guide Experts Experts Our widely recognized specialists on international economics bring their expertise to bear on a vast and diverse range of topics and regions. View all Senior Research Staff Research Analysts In The News Events Support PIIE Newsroom Bookstore Subscribe PIIE CHARTS Companies with women in leadership positions are more profitable than those without Soyoung Han (PIIE) and Marcus Noland (PIIE) May 7, 2020 Chart Embed Description Firms with women in executive officer and director positions post higher annual profit margins than those without female leaders. Between 1997 and 2017, firms with at least one female director or executive officer consistently reported larger profit margins. For firms with female directors, the advantage has been consistent across the sample period, but the trend became more pronounced for companies with women executive officers. Women leaders could improve company performance in multiple ways. Greater skills diversity amongst the company leadership may improve management performance, women in upper management positions may also motivate women throughout the company workforce, and firms that do not discriminate can better match talent to jobs. This PIIE Chart was adapted from Soyoung Han and Marcus Noland’s Policy Brief, “Women scaling the corporate ladder: Progress steady but slow globally.” More From Headshot Full Name Soyoung Han Former Research Staff Headshot Full Name Marcus Noland Senior Research Staff More on This Topic RealTime Economics Xi dooms China to decline by pushing women to the back Jacob Funk Kirkegaard (PIIE) Date November 15, 2023 Working Papers The effect of low-skill immigration restrictions on US firms and workers: Evidence from a randomized lottery Michael A. Clemens (PIIE) and Ethan G. Lewis (Dartmouth College) July 2026 Policy Briefs Class dismissed: The effect of international student exclusion on the US STEM workforce and economic growth Michael A. Clemens (PIIE), Jeremy Neufeld (Institute for Progress) and Amy M. Nice (Cornell Law School; Institute for Progress) June 2026 Related Topics Gender Inequality Labor Want more research like this? Subscribe to the PIIE Insider Weekly Newsletter About Board of Directors Staff Employment Contact Subscriptions Transparency Policy Topics Areas of Expertise Regions and Countries Research Blogs Publications Commentary Podcasts Multimedia PIIE Charts Educational Resources Experts Senior Research Staff Research Analysts Events Global Economic Prospects PIIE Insider LIVE Richard N. Cooper Memorial Lecture Series Trade Winds What Now, Europe? Support PIIE PETERSON INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS The Peterson Institute for International Economics is an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to strengthening prosperity and human welfare in the global economy through expert analysis and practical policy solutions. LEARN MORE ABOUT PIIE ADDRESS 1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 Consent Preferences PIIE Insider Weekly Newsletter Privacy Policy Terms of Use © 2026, PIIE