There are twice as many women in top jobs in the voluntary sector than in any other suggesting employers there are doing better at embracing flexible working.

That's the view of Elizabeth Gardiner, policy officer at campaigning charity Working Families, on new research which shows that nearly half of senior managers in the charity sector are women. This compares to one in five in the private and public sectors.

“Previous research that we've done has shown the voluntary sector is ahead of the game in promoting work-life balance and recognising the importance of retaining good employees,” said Gardiner.

The research, undertaken by Agenda Consulting, also showed that nearly two thirds of all-level managers in the voluntary sector are women compared to just over a third in others.

This is good news for ethical job seekers but Gardiner says we shouldn't be happy until women make up at least 50% of senior management in the charity sector.

She continued: “So many women are still working below their potential, paying the penalty for choosing to work part-time and this can hinder promotion and progression. There's so much more that needs to be done to make family-friendly working environments.”

This is echoed by Kiran Dhami, policy officer at the Women's Resource Centre, a charity supporting women's organisations to be more effective and sustainable. Dhami says that while the figures are encouraging, they should not be taken on face value as a sign that women have now achieved equality in the voluntary sector workplace.

“A 50% target for women in senior management is not enough considering the fact that women make up 70% of the sector's workforce,” said Dhami. “