Wednesday 9 February 2011

Deloitte report published - Women in the Boardroom: a Global Perspective

Deloitte has published a report titled Women in the Boardroom - a Global Perspective, available here (pdf). The report provides a summary of measures that have been taken (or which are being taken) with regard to the gender diversity of boards in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

The report provides a useful starting point for further research although it contains omissions. For example, with regard to the UK, there is no mention of the work being done by Lord Davies (recommendations are expected this month) and, in respect of Belgium, there is no mention of the recent proposals put forward by the Belgium Corporate Governance Committee with regard to board diversity. It is also worth noting, with regard to Canada, that a Board of Directors Gender Parity Bill (S-206) is currently before Parliament. However, the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce recommended that the Bill should not proceed further in the Senate: see here. The Committee's report was received in Senate on 3 February and was due to be considered yesterday (the record of debate, Hansard, will in due course be available here).

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