this case study highlights mechanisms for identifying board ready women and tracking appointment to boards strengthening private and public sector partnerships and developing an evidence base to demonstrate the importance of women in leadership for both organisational productivity and the wider society awarenessraising challenges stereotypes and myths around women s lack of skills or the association of leadership qualities to specific gendered characteristics and helps to overcome invisible barriers to women s participation this requires shifting employer attitudes to breaks in employment to support women to maintain an upward career trajectory informal social norms attribute women s role to be as primary caregivers these need to be challenged or at least matched by flexible arrangements enabling women to meet family or childrearing responsibilities unless these barriers are addressed pipeline challenges will continue for women including at the height of their careers