THERE are 12 times as many men as women on the boards of the top companies and women in senior roles are earning an average of about 30 per cent less than their male colleagues, the latest census on women in leadership shows.

The annual survey of women working in the top 200 publicly listed companies by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency shows the push towards equality is slow.

"Sadly women are still disadvantaged and their skills are being under-utilised," the acting director of the agency, Mairi Steele, said. "It's not just about the absolute or relative numbers of women on boards, or at executive manager level, it's also about the pay, power and position of women compared to their male colleagues."

The census shows the gender pay gap exists even at the highest levels with female executive managers - positions reporting directly to the chief executive or equivalent - earning 28 per cent less than their male equivalents.

The gender pay gap for all employees is 17 per cent.

The census found women are less likely than men to be in key leadership positions such as chief executive but are just as likely to lead the most influential board committees such as audit and governance.

Stephanie Peatling