Spike in female board appointments as 30% deadline looms

The December 2017 – February 2018 quarterly Gender Diversity Progress Report shows that female representation across ASX 200 Boards has hit 26.7%.

The AICD’s Quarterly Gender Diversity Report tracks progress towards the Institute’s target of achieving 30% female representation across ASX 200 boards by the end of 2018. Today’s report shows that;

• The percentage of female appointments to ASX 200 boards has spiked in 2018, up from a sluggish 36% in 2017 to 47%.
• Women now account for 26.7% of ASX 200 directorships.
• Across the ASX 200, a total of 74 companies have reached or exceeded the 30% target.
• Only five boards on the ASX 200 report no female representation.

AICD Chairman Elizabeth Proust AO cautiously welcomed today’s results.

“Today’s report reveals that 2018 has seen the highest rate of female appointments to ASX 200 boards since the AICD began tracking gender diversity statistics,” she said.

“While this news is encouraging, it is only reflective of the first two months of 2018. We’ll need sustained momentum of this kind if we are to reach our goal of 30% female representation across the ASX 200 by the end of the year.

“The boards of our largest companies have 10 months to prove to the community that they take the issue of gender diversity seriously.”

“This International Women’s Day, our challenge to directors is to look around your board table and ask yourself – how diverse is this group of people? Are you putting your organisation in the best possible position for the future with the team you have?”

Download 30% by 2018: Gender diversity progress report for December 2017 – February 2018