Board Ready Women’s Post

Women occupy more than two in five seats on the boards of the UK’s biggest listed companies according to the latest annual FTSE Women Leaders Review report. Findings show that the proportion of board positions held by women in the FTSE 350 rose to a record high of 42% this year. However, progress in the proportion of women in key decision-making roles remained slow, with just 10 female CEOs in the FTSE 100. Research from our annual report revealed that businesses in Ireland are also struggling to increase representation in this area, with a slow pace of change in female representation across the CEO, CFO and Chair roles. Developing gender balanced and pipelines for key leadership roles is key to addressing this challenge and providing concrete pathways to top positions. Read the article below for more. #B4BB #GenderBalance #FTSE350 #Leadership https://lnkd.in/eJQ6UJNb

The number of female CEOs in the FTSE 350 has been called “the standout disappointing statistic among a sea of progress at every level.” In 2011, that number was 15. Now, over a decade later, it’s risen to just 21. According to the annual FTSE Women Leaders Review, more than two in five seats on the boards of the UK’s biggest listed companies are now occupied by women - but there are still not enough women in top leadership positions. What is your company doing to support and empower female leaders? The Guardian reports on the figures: https://hubs.ly/Q02qJ8xx0

Inclusion and diversity in boardrooms are not only moral requirements but also strategic requirements. Diverse boards are: ✅ 25% more likely to be profitable than average (McKinsey). ✅ Twice as likely to reach or surpass financial targets and six times more likely to be creative and adaptable (Deloitte). Two main models can be used to boost inclusion and diversity on boards: ✅ The Rooney Rule: Originally implemented in the US Football League (NFL), it mandates that teams interview minority applicants for leadership roles. Today, organisations have modified the policy to allow a diverse group of individuals to be considered for board positions. ✅ Several European nations have instituted the Diversity Quota System, which sets a minimum percentage of women or minorities on company boards to guarantee proper representation. In summary, organisations can enjoy the rewards of expanded perspectives, improved decision-making, and higher profitability by combining tried-and-true frameworks with novel approaches like mentorship programmes, unconscious bias training, and skills-based selection. Accepting diversity is a step towards building a more robust and successful company as well as an equitable society. Our ‘Eyes On Production’ survey is professionally crafted to benchmark your team’s progress as well as guide you in DEI initiatives. Learn more about our 'Eyes On Production' survey at: https://lnkd.in/gVkhacWR Sources: 1.https://https://lnkd.in/dYf8gVS 2.https://https://lnkd.in/ey5YSb56 #diversity #inclusion #boardofdirectors #dei ***This is advice only. Always ask a consultant. 

While there have been many improvements made regarding the diversity of board members, there is still a ton to be done, as the numbers suggest. The Conversation reports, "In the next decade, the percentage of new diversity appointments to boards increased dramatically, from 39% in 2013 to 60% in 2018, to 86% in 2021, and then tapered off to 82% in 2022 and 75% in 2023." We cannot trail off in our diversity efforts. DEI is what ensures that boards prevent groupthink and are representative of our diverse society. People want to see that change being made for board members, and it is doing amazing things for societal progress. #DEI #BoardMembers

Five tips for aspiring women leaders in the NHS from ICB chief executives

📣 Important new data out on gender diversity in the key decision-making roles in UK FTSE and AIM-listed companies: - less than 1% of CEO, CFO, Chair and SID roles are held by women of colour - 13% of these roles are held by women overall (with representation worse in CEO and Chair roles) - just 17% of energy companies are meeting the FCA target of having at least one woman in these roles. Hidden Truth by Women on Boards has really useful insights on the data on female representation and also the blockages to progress. Check it out! 👇

Interesting piece on tenure. In relation to succession planning another very important aspect to consider is diversity and inclusion. Having a tokenistic view of this is counterproductive. Diversity goes beyond gender. Boards must endeavour to represent the communities they serve; in particular when it comes to disability.

In partnership with the Virginia Society of CPAs (VSCPA), join us April 26 for the latest installment of the Women's Leadership Series: Navigating Burnout in the CPA Profession. In the demanding world of the CPA profession, burnout has become an increasingly prevalent and concerning issue, especially among women. Long hours, tight deadlines, and the ever-evolving landscape of financial regulations can take a toll on even the most resilient professionals. This session aims to shed light on the pervasive issue of burnout within the CPA profession and provide practical strategies for prevention, intervention, and recovery. Save your spot: https://ow.ly/qxFw50RjuNh #CPALeaders #OregonCPE

I usually post some charity and community board roles on a Friday but this week we launched our Hidden Truth Report. Here are some of the findings; Significant progress is still needed to achieve the diversity in leadership we are working towards as shown by the Women on Boards UK fourth Hidden Truth report, sponsored by global consulting firm Protiviti UK, published on 19 June. For the first time, we brought an intersectional lens to diversity among the four key roles in the boardroom (CEO, CFO, Chair and SID). Alarmingly we found less than 1% are held by women of colour, with 13% being held by women overall. Also shocking is the significant rise in all-male boards in AIM listed firms. Currently over one third of AIM listed boards have no gender diversity at all. We know the reasons behind a lack of diversity are multi-faceted and complex. That is why our report also unpicks some of the challenges in driving change on ED&I via a survey of over 200 People, Culture and ED&I professionals, whose commitment to ED&I was clear. This reflects the conversations we have with our 30+ Corporate Partners as we work with them to support their wider strategies. Our findings show a significant expectations gap - with over 70% saying employees expectations on ED&I have risen, but just 21% saying their budgets have increased. This shows a huge need for enhanced communication to build a shared vision and aspiration for each firm, across board, leadership and workforce. Read the full report here  >> https://lnkd.in/gpej9mMF I’d be interested to hear your thoughts too  - and do join our upcoming LinkedIn Live session on 26th June >> https://lnkd.in/gqwHYTTk #WomenOnBoards #HiddenTruth #HiddenTruth2024 #DiversityMatters #PeopleAndCulture #EDandI #EDI Lisa Jones, Jodi Newton Fiona Hathorn

Board diversity is crucial for better decision-making and innovation. Diverse company boards offer diverse viewpoints and experiences. It also ensured representation of the communities served, fosters trust, and strengthens organisational performance. Women, and particularly women of colour, are lacking on company boards, with representation stagnating at 30% for a few years now in the US. In the UK figures are slightly higher at 31.8% in the 50 largest UK private companies but still below what they should be. Easy fixes, like expanding a board’s size to accommodate more women or fast-tracking a few women into high visibility roles, may have helped boost the numbers in the short term. But they could also be stifling progress and feeding opposition. Companies should instead be regularly reviewing and evaluating the board’s needs and adjusting their collective capabilities. Likewise, Executive experience is a prerequisite for many board roles. More and more board seats are going to directors with CEO or CFO. However, only 26% of C-suite executives are women. More therefore needs to be done to see women getting into Director and C-Suite positions. What is your company doing to increase female executive leadership? https://ow.ly/R8wu50PLyc2 #DEI #FemaleRepresentation #BoardDiversity #VertusValues