Equality body Women in Sport has received backing from banking specialist Investec to compile and publish a report examining the role sport plays in progressing the careers of female professionals.

The Sport for Success investigation will look at the the skills and qualities women can develop playing sport which can lead to personal progression in the field of work. It will also try to discover what impact the increased effectiveness of female staff has on the workplace.

While the work is yet to be published, Women in Sport chief executive Ruth Holdaway said the research found that “a significant majority – 77 per cent – of women who are in management roles play sport”, while women who play sport are “more likely to be in those management roles in the first place”.

“This makes clear the importance of having a greater number of opportunities for girls to be active and play sport from a young age – schools, colleges and community groups should take note,” added Holdaway.

“We want to see every woman and girl across the UK gain the same benefits from sport that men do and with almost 1.7m fewer women than men playing sport every week, this research is yet another reason to be clear that until we close this gender gap we are doing a disservice to women, to society and to the success of our economy.”

The research follows on from Women in Sport’s From Barriers to Benefits report – commissioned by The Young Foundation in 2015 – which laid out the significant health and economic benefits of women participating in sport.