The Superintendence of Companies, Securities and Insurance (SCVS) has reported a continued increase in women’s leadership within Ecuador’s business sector. According to SCVS records, there has been a greater presence of women both in company management and ownership roles.
Between 2022 and 2025, the number of women holding legal representation positions saw steady growth. In 2025 alone, more than 20,000 companies were established in Ecuador, with about 7,344 women serving as legal representatives. This figure represents nearly 35% of the total and indicates that this trend is ongoing.
Women’s leadership is most concentrated in Simplified Stock Companies (S.A.S.). From 2022 to 2025, over 28,000 women have held legal representative roles in these types of businesses. Their participation as shareholders has also grown steadily during this period—from 29% in 2022 to 34.6% in 2025—expanding their access to ownership and decision-making spaces.
Regulatory changes have supported this progress. The Law for the Promotion of the Violet Economy amended the Companies Law on January 20, 2023. “In boards consisting of three members at least one must be female,” states the law. This measure aims to promote gender equity and strengthen corporate governance structures; compliance is monitored by SCVS.
The data reflects an increasingly active role for women in running and owning companies, contributing to corporate management and economic development in Ecuador. While this marks significant progress, challenges remain to further expand women’s presence in decision-making spaces within the business sector.
