Board diversity

There is increasing pressure on corporates to enhance the diversity of boards.

There have been a number of global reports and recommendations (in the UK the Parker review is an example of this) that have called for greater diversity and enhanced disclosure/reporting on the composition of boards. These reports have been supported by a wide range of stakeholders including investors, regulators and wider society.

Companies are facing much greater scrutiny and investor activism where actions have not been taken to enhance board diversity. Examples of this has seen major investors sell shares, publicly rebuke boards and remove funding lines from companies that fail to address diversity issues.