FTSE 100 companies that follow best practice on corporate governance are far more likely to have women directors than those that do not, says a study published today by Cranfield School of Management.

Cranfield scored the top companies on 13 measures of good governance re- commended by Sir Derek Higgs and Laura Tyson, dean of London Business School. Companies with the highest scores were significantly more likely to have at least one female director on the board.