The percentage of women on the executive boards at the 83 Dutch listed companies fell from 7.8% to 7.1% last year, according to the latest edition of the Female Board Index published by the TIAS School for Business and Society.

In total, Dutch listed firms have 15 female executive board members, down from 17 a year ago. There has, however, been an increase in the number of women on supervisory boards – from 21.3% to 23.1%.

Two thirds of the women appointed to Dutch company boards are foreign, compared with four in 10 men.

Chemicals group Akzo Nobel and postal firm PostNL are the only two companies which meet the target of 30% women on both boards. Unilever has the most women on its supervisory board but its management board comprises two men.

The government has threatened to bring in quotas if companies don’t do more to ensure more women reach the top of their organisations.