Germany: Families Minister wants sanctions on companies failing to set female management board targets without valid justification

On 22 January 2020 the DIW Berlin (The German Institute for Economic Research) published its latest ‘Female Manager Barometer’ survey that revealed the proportion of women on the management and supervisory boards of Germany’s big companies had risen slightly in 2019. However in spite of the progress, the level of female representation at the company board level remains derisory, remarked the DIW. In a similar vein the German Families Minister (SPD) Franziska Giffey intends to harden the tone and announced in an interview on Sunday 19 January her willingness to impose ‘heavy fines’ on companies without targets for female management board representation and without presenting valid grounds as intended by law. Draft legislation on sanctions is currently being prepared, she warned.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

Progress being made. Roughly a month after Christmas the DIW Berlin publishes its annual ‘Female Manager Barometer’ survey (in German) that examines changes in female participation at the management table of Germany’s top 500 companies. The DIW noted some progress has been made but nonetheless retained a cautious tone. Progress has been made in the private sector in terms of gender equality at management level, some of which has been of real substance, such as for example the nomination of the

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
Germany: major day of union action in the automotive industry ahead of collective bargaining
A few weeks before the start of collective bargaining in the German metalworking sector, the IG Metall trade union mobilised nearly 175,000 workers across more than 200 industrial sites on 21...
22 September 2026
UK: clothing retailer Next allowed on appeal to pay warehouse workers more than store staff
The news. On 7 September 2026, the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled in favour of clothing chain Next, which pays warehouse staff more than store staff. At first instance, the Leeds tribunal had...
21 September 2026
Denmark: government seeks to temporarily maintain early retirement age at 64
The news. On 12 September, the Danish government confirmed that the age limit for early retirement (“tidlig pension”) will remain at 64 for individuals born between 1963 and 1965, for...
21 September 2026
EU: insurance sector social partners commit to addressing violence and harassment at work
The news. The trade union UNI Europa Finance and the employers’ federations Insurance Europe, Amice and Bipar signed an addendum to their 2022 joint declaration on diversity and inclusion on...
18 September 2026
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
France: Medef puts forward proposals to improve management quality
On 31 August, Medef, French main employers' organisation, published a practical guide to managerial skills, which it considers to be a driver of economic performance for businesses. Concerned by...
2
AI: uneven integration but a global challenge for the world of work
The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in business is profoundly transforming the world of work, and some occupations are now under threat. However, the full extent of its effects remains...
3
Germany: AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt raises concerns over labour supply and workplace cohesion
The rise of Germany’s far-right AfD, which could soon gain influence over migration policy in Saxony-Anhalt and, following elections on September 20, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well, is...
4
Netherlands: towards a ban on housing cost deductions from migrant workers’ wages
The news. On September 10, Dutch Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Hans Vijlbrief (centre-left) sent a letter to the House of Representatives, stating that he intends to prohibit employers...
5
UE: Commission proposes measures to facilitate “fair” worker mobility across the Union
The info. On 15 September, the European Commission adopted a series of measures aimed at encouraging “fair” worker mobility within the EU. It wants to remove the administrative...
6
Denmark: introduction of a professional ID card for construction site workers
The news. On 3 September, the Danish Parliament adopted a bill introducing a mandatory professional ID card for people working on large construction sites. The card will include, among other...