Women are playing an increasingly important role in the Polish economy. A growing number of businesses run by women, their stronger presence in management positions, and their rising activity in public life mean that their influence on the country’s social and economic development is steadily increasing. In terms of female entrepreneurship, Poland ranks among the leading countries in Europe.
“Polish women are extremely active – they run 37% of all businesses in Poland, which is about 10 percentage points more than the average for women across Europe. We see that they are hardworking, creative and eager to contribute, playing roles that reflect their talents, vocation and place both in Poland and in the wider world,” said Dr. Jolanta Rzegocka, President of the Polka XXI Century Foundation, in an interview with the Newseria news agency.
Data from the Central Registration and Information on Business (CEIDG) analysed by the Polish Economic Institute (PIE) show that in 2025 women established 102,800 sole proprietorships, accounting for 39% of all new sole businesses registered in Poland. Most of these – 87% – were set up by Polish women, while 13% were established by foreign women.
Six out of ten new sole proprietorships founded by Polish women operate in sectors such as professional, scientific and technical activities, trade, healthcare, social assistance and other services. Within the sectoral structure of businesses run by Polish women, healthcare and social assistance account for 16%, compared with only 5% among businesses run by foreign women. A similar pattern can be observed in professional and scientific activities, finance and insurance, and trade.
“More than half of Poland’s population are women, and they are also more strongly represented in the older stages of life. This is becoming increasingly important from the perspective of managing the Polish economy, so their role continues to grow. In 1989 there were fewer than 80 women MPs in the Polish parliament; today they make up nearly half of the members of the lower house. We also see that almost 40% of companies in Poland are run by women, so statistics on women in managerial positions are steadily rising,” said Jadwiga Emilewicz, founder of the Polka XXI Century Foundation.
European data show that although the share of women in management is increasing, they remain underrepresented at the highest levels of the economy. According to the EU Labour Force Survey, 3.7 million women held managerial positions in the European Union in 2023, compared with 3.1 million in 2014.
At the same time, women accounted for 46.4% of all employees in the EU, but only 34.8% of managerial positions. In 2014 these figures were 45.8% of employees and 31.8% of managerial roles respectively.
Compared with other EU countries, Poland stands out for its relatively high share of women in leadership. According to Eurostat, women hold more than 42% of managerial positions in Poland, placing the country among the EU leaders in terms of female representation in management.
“The presence of Polish women in science, business and management positions is well above the European average. I would say ‘yes’ to women, but not necessarily to quotas. Let women make their own choices, on their own terms. If they prefer to focus primarily on family or personal life to build their well-being, they should have that opportunity. We should not force statistics to reach a strict 50–50 balance. If a woman feels comfortable in her role, let us value that culturally rather than pushing her into positions where she does not feel at ease,” Emilewicz explained.
Despite growing activity, however, certain factors still limit the development of women-led businesses. According to the Polish Economic Institute report “Business in High Heels”, women more often than men cite fear of failure and lower self-assessment of their business competencies as barriers to starting a business. Studies also highlight the difficulty of balancing entrepreneurship with caregiving responsibilities and family life.
“Looking ahead ten years, we clearly see that it will be Poland’s time – and therefore also the time of Polish women, who will be active in all areas of social life, culture and business. This is a moment when they should demonstrate their potential, remain true to themselves, and draw on their talents, experience and traditions to become part of the forefront of social life,” said Dr. Jolanta Rzegocka.
Issues related to the role of women in the economy, science and public life are among the main themes of the “Polka XXI Century” conference, organised by the Polka XXI Century Foundation.
“The patron of this year’s edition is Maria Skłodowska-Curie – an extraordinary woman, scientist and mother who overcame numerous obstacles and pushed the boundaries of knowledge. She is deeply inspiring. She shows us what modern leadership looks like and how to set new challenges and expand the limits of what we can achieve,” said Dr. Rzegocka.
As she emphasised, the conference provides a space for discussion about the challenges women face in public and economic life, as well as the opportunities for greater female engagement in Poland’s social and economic development.
“We focus on courage, building resilience, learning how to communicate and working together. That is the challenge we set for ourselves. We want to grow. Polish women have enormous potential – more women are joining us, new projects are emerging and we have many ideas. We want to move forward so that the Polish woman becomes a lasting value in our public life,” concluded the President of the Polka XXI Century Foundation.
