The glass ceiling is cracking, but won’t fall on it’s own

When I started my career in the corporate world, I kept hearing about the glass ceiling. At first, it seemed like a distant metaphor — something that affected other women, in other sectors, or at higher levels. But it didn’t take long to realise that it was neither distant nor invisible. It’s there: in meetings with barely any women, in selection processes where female candidates are ruled out with vague justifications, or in promotions that somehow never arrive.

So, when the European Union unblocked a directive in 2022 to boost the presence of women in leadership positions, I felt a mix of relief and scepticism. Will things really change this time?

The EU Directive: a step forward

The “Women on Boards” Directive requires publicly listed companies in the EU to ensure that by 2026, at least 40% of non-executive director roles, or 33% of all board positions, are held by women. It’s ambitious, yes, but also necessary. Because equality doesn’t just happen, and we’ve spent far too long waiting for meritocracy to fix things on its own.

Spain: progress, with caveats

In Spain, this isn’t a new conversation. For years, the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) has recommended that boards include a minimum percentage of women, and we’ve seen some progress, especially in large corporations. By the end of 2024, women made up over 36% of board members in IBEX 35 companies. But when it comes to executive roles — CEOs, managing directors, presidents — the numbers drop dramatically.

And that stands in stark contrast to a clear reality: many of the most vital sectors in our economy are highly feminised. Health, education, retail, social care — all employ a majority of women. And yet, in these same sectors, women remain a minority in decision-making positions.

I’ve seen this up close: talented women with experience, vision and natural leadership, left in middle management roles while leadership continues to follow traditional — often male — patterns. In many cases, it’s not even about overt discrimination, but about deeply ingrained inertia.

Quotas: a real solution or just a patch?

I’ll admit it: for a long time, I wasn’t a fan of quotas. They seemed to undermine merit — a way to suggest I was there just to tick a box. But over time, my perspective changed. Because I saw that equal conditions don’t exist when we start from unequal foundations. And because when doors are opened, women walk through them — with skill, resilience and results.

Quotas won’t solve everything. But they can accelerate change. And right now, we don’t have the luxury of waiting.

What comes next?

The law is moving forward, the numbers are improving, and the debate is alive — but there’s still much to do. If we want to truly shatter the glass ceiling, we need:

Companies genuinely committed to equality — beyond branding; leaders who value diversity as a strategy, not a checkbox; a redefinition of leadership that welcomes different styles and, above all, recognition of the value women bring across all levels, especially in feminised sectors where their talent is often overlooked.

Across Europe, the glass ceiling is beginning to crack — and Spain is moving forward too. This directive won’t solve everything, but it could be a turning point. And if I’ve learned anything from these years, it’s that structural change takes work — legal, organisational, cultural, and personal.

Hopefully, one day we won’t have to talk about the glass ceiling because it will no longer exist. But until then, we keep pushing — each of us from where we are — to finally bring it down.