Gender Balance in the Boardroom
So you finished school and then went to college or university? Maybe you’ve worked a couple of jobs? You’re a dreamer and aspire for greatness… Your ambitions are higher than Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Sir Richard Branson.
Now think back… was your primary/secondary school headmaster, your university director, your boss at work male or female? Chances are most of them were male. Also the list of successful people we quoted (and that most people would name, also guys!)
According to research conducted by the European Commission, women account for only one out of ten board members and only 3% of chairpersons!
The reasons for the under-representation of women in power and decision-making are complex and it’s true that the discrepancy is most severe in business.
Although fixing the discrimination is the responsibility of individual EU members, the European Commission is tackling this in a few ways.
On 1 March 2011, Vice-President Reding encouraged publicly listed companies to sign the “Women on the Board Pledge for Europe” and to develop self-regulatory initiatives to get more women into top jobs, with a view of reaching the target of 30% of women on boardrooms of listed companies by 2015 and 40% by 2020.
On 5 March 2012, Vice President Reding presented a Progress report on women in economic decision-making in the EU (385 KB). In parallel, the Commission launched a public consultation that will contribute to assessing the impact of possible EU measures, including legislative ones, to redress the situation.
These measures, along with all the others, are definitely a step in the right direction and the European Commission should be applauded for encouraging this process.
But if I’m to leave you with one question, it would be, ‘Why?’
Why does this happen… As we move through our careers, if we are cognizant of this question and the inherent discrimination, we can move society in a fairer direction.
For more information, visit the European Commission’s justice and gender equality website.
Category: Politics
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