Schroders, Standard Life Aberdeen and the London Stock Exchange are among a handful of companies praised for big gains in boardroom equality, as a UK government initiative aimed at boosting women in business draws to a close.

The Hampton-Alexander review, launched in 2016, set a target of increasing the representation of women on FTSE 100 boards from 27% that year to 33% by 2020. The following year, it was extended to cover the FTSE 350.