Some 31% of the top jobs in the national government civil service are now held by women, meaning the state has hit its target two years earlier than planned.

The government says 30% of executive level jobs in both the public and private sector should be filled by women, but in industry the figure is currently only around 10%.

‘The figures do not lie,’ responsible minister Stef Blok told the Volkskrant. ‘It would appear that industry is not capable of giving women the boost that the state has done.’

The number of women filling the 500 executive positions in national government varies widely from ministry to ministry. They account for 40% of top civil service jobs in the education and culture ministry, but only 17% of those in economic affairs.

Emancipation minister Jet Bussemaker has warned companies that if they don’t do more to boost the number of women on their boards, they may face compulsory quotas.

Within three years, one in five executive jobs should be filled by a woman or quotas will be introduced, she said last year.