Great Britain: employers want listed businesses to be transparent regarding the number of women on boards

Set targets.  In September 2010, former trade Minister Lord Davies launched a government study on the issue of the lack of women on boards.  At the time, he highly criticized businesses’ attitude and called for a change in corporate policies rather than involving the government….  This attack was apparently fruitful, judging from the CBI’s answer to this consultation.  Indeed, employers ask that all listed companies publish progress made in terms of “diversity” to increase the number of female directors.  For that purpose, the Governance Code should be reviewed to subject businesses to the “comply or explain” criterion.  In other words, businesses should set targets to ‘feminize’ their boards - determined according to their situation – and render accounts as to the evolution of these targets.  For instance, a media company with many employees should set a higher target than a more male engineering company.  According to the CBI, this system, which should be adopted in Australia next year, already led to a major increase in the number of female directors in the country.
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on of these targets. For instance, a media company with many employees should set a higher target than a more male engineering company. According to the CBI, this system, which should be adopted in Australia next year, already led to a major increase in the number of female directors in the country.

Flexible system. New CBI President Helen Alexander insisted on the need for a cultural change, not quotas. “We are calling for a flexible system that will allow firms to set targets that reflect

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