There too few female leaders in our sector says Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities CEO Mike Birkinshaw
Let’s start with the obvious. I am exactly the wrong person to highlight the imbalance in our sector. I’m a man in a leadership role talking about the lack of women in leadership roles. The irony is not lost on me, but my position means I can at least try to do something about it, and I’m starting here.
Women were woefully underrepresented in management roles in bereavement services until relatively recently. That is changing – many bereavement services managers are women – and women are rising through the ranks, but too few are in leadership positions.
Women play a vital and often under-recognised role in bereavement services. They bring a combination of emotional intelligence, relational skills, and holistic care approaches that are essential in supporting people through grief. From funeral directors and grief counsellors to hospice workers and celebrants, women are frequently at the forefront of care during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.
Despite their widespread presence in and significant impact on the sector, women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles. This imbalance raises important questions about how value is assigned, recognised, and rewarded within bereavement services.
At the heart of bereavement care is the ability to listen, empathise, and respond to complex emotional needs. These are areas where many women excel, not because of innate traits alone, but due to social conditioning and professional pathways that have historically encouraged women into caregiving roles.
Women often bring a person-centred approach, prioritising dignity, cultural sensitivity, and emotional support alongside logistical responsibilities. This is particularly evident in roles such as bereavement counselling, where trust and emotional intelligence is crucial.
In addition, women have been instrumental in reshaping bereavement services to be more inclusive and responsive. Many have led innovations such as personalised funeral planning, environmentally conscious burial options, and community-based grief support networks. These contributions have expanded the scope of what bereavement services can offer, moving beyond transactional models toward more compassionate and individualised care.
And yet, despite all this, our leadership remains disproportionately male. One reason for this disparity lies in the historical structure of the funeral industry, which has roots in family-owned businesses traditionally passed down through male lineage. Leadership positions have often been associated with operational control and financial management, areas that have historically excluded women or limited their advancement.
Another factor is the broader issue of gender bias in the workplace. Women in bereavement services may face subtle but persistent barriers, such as being overlooked for promotion, lacking access to mentorship, or being steered toward supportive rather than strategic roles. The emotional labour women provide is o often undervalued compared to administrative or revenue-generating tasks, despite being central to the quality of care.
Work-life balance considerations also play a role. Leadership positions in bereavement services can involve long, irregular hours and high levels of responsibility, which may be difficult for our traditional leaders to reconcile with caregiving responsibilities outside of work – responsibilities that still disproportionately fall on women.
Addressing this imbalance requires intentional change. Organisations must actively support women’s career progression through mentorship programs, leadership training, and equitable hiring practices.
There also needs to be a cultural shift that recognises emotional intelligence and compassionate care as leadership strengths rather than secondary skills.
The value women bring to bereavement services is profound. Ensuring that this value is reflected not only in frontline roles but in leadership positions will lead to more balanced, empathetic, and effective services for those navigating loss.
This needs to be a conscious decision to get women into senior roles to provide diversified leadership because that is better for everyone.