Sector News

Men named John, Robert, James, William outnumber women on corporate boards

February 27, 2015
Diversity & Inclusion
Corporate boards aren’t exactly famous for being bastions of diversity.
 
As it turns out, there are more men named John, Robert, James and William than there are women total on corporate boards at U.S. companies, according to a new report by Ernst & Young’s Center for Board Matters.
 
Still, there’s hope. Somewhat. The percentage of new board members who are women at S&P 1500 companies climbed to 23 percent in 2014 from 18 percent in 2013. And, nearly 15 percent of those S&P 1500 companies have increased the number of female-held directorships since 2013. But that raises questions of whether boards are purposely bringing in fresh blood to their boards or simply adding more directors, according to the report.
 
The report notes that it’s been a “slow march,” to get women on corporate boards, adding that the proportion of women on boards has increased only 5 percentage points over the past 10 years. And those female directors tend to be younger, less tenured and more likely to serve on multiple company boards than their male counterparts. They also are less likely to be current CEOs.
 
Currently, 81 percent of S&P 1500 companies have at least one woman on their boards. According to the report, 16 percent of board seats were held by women in 2014, up from 11 percent in 2006.
 
Furthermore, the report said, boards of larger companies are significantly more diverse, with 98 percent of Fortune 100 companies claiming at least one woman on their boards, while only two-thirds of small-cap companies have a female board member.
 
By Corilyn Shropshire
 

comments closed

Related News

June 3, 2023

How this first-gen immigrant became a tech executive by finally accepting her differences

Diversity & Inclusion

The biggest career wins often come with risk. On our series, The Big Bet, Chief speaks with some of the most powerful members in our network about that single moment when they bet on themselves — and won. When reflecting on her career, Suman Rao, VP Business Technology Group at HelloFresh, says her journey has been “very checkered yet connected.”

May 27, 2023

When great minds don’t think alike

Diversity & Inclusion

The author, who has more than 50 years of experience in industry and academia, explains how she processes information as a visual thinker and shares how business leaders can harness the power of different kinds of thinkers. Doing so will increase creativity, ignite problem solving, and lead to more cohesive workplaces.

May 21, 2023

How recruiters can attract top talent from different generations

Diversity & Inclusion

In today’s ever-changing job market, recruiters need to focus on innovation and adaptability when it comes to their recruitment strategies. They must keep up with the shifting demands of different generations of candidates and create an attractive work environment that appeals to them. This was the finding of Monster’s recent research.

How can we help you?

We're easy to reach