The women on boards agenda

[forkful]

Just interested to see what other MNers know/think about the women on boards agenda.

I'd like to send out a big to the Liberal Democrats for pushing on this issue. It was Vince Cable who launched the Davis review and I just notice that Nick Clegg mentioned this in his speech:

"The most passion in the speech came with his genuine concern for equality of opportunity or social mobility. As he acknowledged everyone supports these themes in theory and then quite often get worked up about the specific policies aimed to bring these about. Clegg?s problem is that the reach of his undoubted ambition is incomparably greater than the timescale in which verdicts will be made on specific policies at the time of the next election. In his speech he highlighted: ?Making universities open their doors to everyone. Making firms work harder to get women on their boards. Breaking open internships. All controversial. All difficult. Not easy, but right?, the last sentence being the overall theme of his speech.

From this article.

I am really pleased that this issue is "on the agenda". Personally I'd like to see quotas but I know that's not the British way and I'm hoping that the "comply or explain" concept of corporate governance will lead to more women on boards of UK companies.

I am concerned that there is no feminist angle on this at the moment. I went to a talk about this a few months ago and one of the speakers said "get your household task/childcare oursourced etc". There was no mention of sharing responsibility with the fathers of the DC.

[Hullygully]

Quotas

They should stop arsing about and have quotas.

People would get used to it. Other countries have quotas.

[MooncupGoddess]

Definitely to the pay audits.

Quotas - I worry that it would be divisive, men not taking women on boards seriously because they'd be seen as just there to make up the numbers. And women feeling insecure and worrying that they couldn't have made it under their own steam.

How do they work in countries that do it?

[scottishmummy]

quotas are appalling.no such thing as positive discrimination.i dont want a token women parachuted in just because she is a woman

pay audit,yes by all means.it should be transparent too

[MarginallyNarkyPuffin]

If you've been a chief exec or high up in a company then you'll end up being on boards. Note the plural. When looking at the number of women on boards you actually need to divide by around 4, as you'll find each woman is on several boards. That's how it works. Once you're at a certain level and you know the right people you'll an invite. Then another and another ... Once you're in the circle you'll be in for life.

If there are less women at the top of companies - and we know there are - there'll be less women on boards. And the women who are at a higher level that are less likely to get that first invite.