Women on Board 2011 - 13
Strategy for increasing women’s representation
on Tasmanian Government boards and
committees
Community Development Division
Department of Premier and Cabinet
Front Cover Image: Used with permission from
Microsoft
Foreword
A MESSAGE FROM THE
MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The Tasmanian Government is committed to a target of
equal gender representation on government boards and
committees.
Diversity brings valuable perspectives to
government decision-making and can only improve the
quality of decisions that are made.
In the business sector, gender diversity on boards has
proven to enhance the bottom line as well as the
corporate image. Indeed, research demonstrates a direct
correlation between better performance and financial
outcomes for companies that have a higher proportion of
women on their management committees.
The Tasmanian Government is keen to see more boards
and committees draw on the expertise of Tasmanian
women. I believe that the membership of such boards
and committees should reflect the rich diversity of our
community.
outlines
the
participation
The Women on Board 2011-13 strategy
strategies
on
these
Women on Board 2011 -13
for
increasing
important
women’s
governance
and
advisory bodies to ensure they operate to maximum
positive effect.
Cassy O’Connor MP
Minister for Community Development
Women on Board 2011 -13
Index
INTRODUCTION
1
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
2
THE PUBLIC SECTOR
5
NATIONAL
5
TASMANIAN STATE SECTOR
6
Tasmanian Women’s Register
6
Executive search for government business boards
7
Increasing governance capabilities of women
8
THE PRIVATE/BUSINESS SECTOR
10
INTERNATIONAL
10
NATIONAL
11
BARRIERS TO WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
14
BUSINESS CASE FOR INCREASED
GENDER DIVERSITY
16
USEFUL LINKS
19
Women on Board 2011 -13
Introduction
Women are under-represented on boards in the public
and private sectors, nationally and internationally.
Women currently make up more than one third of
membership of Tasmanian Government boards and
committees. This strategy deals with future directions to
increase women’s representations on these decisionmaking bodies to work towards the Government’s target
of equal gender representation.
There is a growing body of work regarding the business
case for increased gender diversity on boards. Gender
diversity has proven to be an asset for corporations,
positively affecting their performance, productivity and
ultimately their bottom line.
The Australian Census of Women in Leadership 2010,
found that Australia has the lowest percentage of women
on boards when compared with New Zealand, United
Kingdom, Canada, the United States and South Africa.
Within Australia, there are only five female chairs in the
top ASX 200 companies and only 8.4 per cent of board
positions are held by women.
Women on Board 2011-13 seeks to clarify and explain the
current position of women on boards in the private and
public sectors.
Future Directions for the Tasmanian
Government are discussed in the first section of this
document, outlining key actions the Government will take
to increase women’s participation.
Women on Board 2011 -13
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Future directions
The Government will undertake a range of new activities
to achieve equal gender representation on boards and
committees.
OUTPUT
Change Cabinet processes.
As from 1 September 2011, the Government
introduced new Gender Equity Guidelines in relation
to the Cabinet Process for Board Appointments;
Agencies are required to contact the Tasmanian
Women’s Register to provide information on the
board vacancy and skill set requirements. Agencies
are encouraged to do this early in the board
appointment process to minimise delays;
In the event that the register does not identify any
suitably qualified women candidates, an agency
may request that an executive search be
undertaken;
Agencies will be required to submit a Tasmanian
Women’s Register Certification Form for inclusion
with their Cabinet Briefing;
The Tasmanian Women’s Register Certification Form
provides Cabinet with information on the existing
and proposed gender balance of the specific
Tasmanian Government board or committee; and
the measures taken by agencies to ensure that
women have been considered for an appointment;
and
Unless the proposed membership meets the
Government’s target of equal gender representation
or the Cabinet Briefing includes a completed
Tasmanian Women’s Register Certification Form, the
Cabinet Office will not accept the Cabinet Briefing
for an appointment to a non-commercial board.
OUTPUT
Women on Board 2011 -13
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Review the board appointment process for Government
business boards.
In 2011-12, the Government through the
Department of Treasury and Finance will review the
process for appointment to Government Business
Enterprises and State-Owned Corporations.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet, through
the Community Development Division, will provide
advice to Treasury in relation to this Strategy and
the revised Cabinet processes
OUTPUT
Encourage Government Business Enterprises and State
Owned Business to recruit more women onto their
Boards and Committees.
Send information to all members of the Tasmanian
Women’s Register regarding the appointment
processes for Government Business Enterprises
(GBEs) and encourage suitably qualified women to
register their interest.
Undertake a number of actions with Treasury,
relevant line agencies, GBEs and State Owned
Business to promote the Government’s policy on
increasing the number of women on boards, the
Tasmanian Women’s Register and professional
development opportunities for women.
OUTPUT
Promote training opportunities for women.
The Australian Institute of Company Directors
(AICD) Tasmania is partnering with Government to
promote the Tasmanian Women’s Register and to
develop strategies to assist women in attending
board courses; and
In 2011-12 AICD will run at least two Foundation of
Directorship one day education courses designed
for potential directors. The Foundation of
Directorship course offers training in the areas of
governance; finance; strategy and risk for potential
Women on Board 2011 -13
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directors. AICD Tasmania will again offer two
Tasmanian Women’s Registrants places in one of
the courses.
OUTPUT
Create mentoring opportunities for women.
Development and implementation of an information
portal with links to mentoring and useful resources
including sharing of knowledge or expertise and
guidance in self promotion Also the facilitation of
an online portal for members of the Women’s
Register for network and access support in a secure
and confidential mentoring environment at no cost
to the user. (The Tasmanian Women’s Register
currently consists of 390 members – over 90 per
cent of these have nominated to be mentors.)
Good mentors can provide knowledge, guidance
and be a role model for mentees. The mentor and
mentee both gain from this relationship through
sharing experiences.
OUTPUT
Develop governance training opportunities for women in
rural and regional areas.
Develop and hold workshops for regional women;
Provide
assistance
to
regional
women’s
organisations to enhance governance; and
The Community Development Division will pursue
partnerships with relevant government agencies for
women to attain skills and become ready to assume
board roles.
OUTPUT
Promote awareness of the Tasmanian Government’s
target for equal participation of women on boards and
committees.
Liaise with organisational bodies that have input
into the nomination process for Government board
positions to involve them in supporting the
Women on Board 2011 -13
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Government’s objectives of equal participation by
nominating more women for board appointments;
and
Offer information sessions to organisational bodies
on the Tasmanian Women’s Register.
OUTPUT
Enhance and promote the Tasmanian Women’s Register
and information products.
Maintain the online Tasmanian Women’s Register
(see page 7), which was launched in December
2005, so that members are able to join and update
their details online at their convenience;
Continue to provide information on and searches of
the database to Ministers, Ministerial Advisers and
designated department staff responsible for seeking
board appointments on request;
Maintain distribution of
Tasmanian Women’s
Register information brochure to Service Tasmania
locations and at appropriate venues and functions;
and
Review web pages, adding updated information
such as the Women on Board 2011-13 Strategy, the
mentoring portal and information products for
women to include ‘how to’ guides and help sheets.
OUTPUT
Recognise and promote women in rural sector boards.
Develop working partnerships with women in rural
industries to promote women on boards.
Women on Board 2011 -13
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The public sector
NATIONAL
Women
currently
appointments
to
make
both
up
over
one
third
of
Tasmanian
and
Australian
Government boards and committees.
Most jurisdictions have a target of achieving equal
representation of women on government boards and
committees.
All jurisdictions monitor and report on
government board appointments.
“Being on a board
requires a different set
of skills than
management does.
To undertake the role
properly takes time and
Notably, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has
effort to acquit your due
achieved the highest proportion of women on public
diligence responsibilities
sector boards. In 2009, the ACT Government introduced
as a board member.
new measures aimed to achieve equal representation of
women on all government boards and committees. As a
Whilst it can be highly
part of the reforms, the ACT Government amended the
rewarding it’s not a
Cabinet Hand Book and Board appointment process to
task to be taken lightly.
require early and full consultation with the ACT Office for
Women, prior to lodgement of Board Appointment
Being on a board of
Advisories with the Cabinet Office.
governance has taught
me to be a better CEO
as I understand what
the board needs from
me in terms of
management reporting.
Lindy O’Neill
Women on Board 2011 -13
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TASMANIAN STATE SECTOR
The Tasmanian Government has a target of equal gender
representation on its boards and committees including
government businesses.
The
current
strategies
being
employed
by
the
Government to increase women’s representation on its
boards and committees include:
“Being a member of a
i.
using the Tasmanian Women’s Register;
ii.
using an executive search firm to identify suitably
of commitment to the
qualified candidates for government business
community and to
boards and committees; and
yourself in achieving
increasing the governance capabilities of women
your goals and not
iii.
board gives you a sense
by facilitating the delivery of training.
To improve gender representation further the Tasmanian
Government will implement a number of other initiatives
which are discussed in the Future Directions section of
this document.
least, it brings a reality
to diversity and
opportunities for
women.......”
Carmen Fitzpatrick
Tasmanian Women’s Register
There are currently around 150 Tasmanian Government
boards and committees with more than 930 members.
They play an important strategic role in providing
leadership and direction across every area of Tasmanian
Government activity.
The online Tasmanian Women’s Register was launched in
December 2005. The Register is a secure online database
of women who would like to be appointed to Tasmanian
Government boards and committees. The Register assists
in
identifying
suitable
are
skilled,
experienced and interested in appointment.
It is
Women on Board 2011 -13
women
who
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administered by the Community Development Division
(CDD) in the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPAC).
Ninety seven per cent of members of the Register hold
one or more tertiary qualifications and have a broad
“Recognition of the
range of business and industry experience.1 Members
benefits of cognitive
have diverse backgrounds ranging from engineering,
diversity in problem-
financial
management,
solving, championing of
governance, building industry, sciences, rural sector to
the issue by male CEOs
management,
resource
the mining and marine sectors.
and directors, mentoring
Women are able to join the Register and update their
programs, pipelining
details online.
initiatives and programs
Ministers,
The database is directly searchable by
Ministerial
advisers,
and
designated
departmental staff responsible for board appointments.
It is maintained in accordance with the Personal
Information Protection Act 2004. There are 462 women
listed on the Women’s Register (as at April 2012).
addressing unconscious
bias in the workplace
and on selection
committees together
with supportive
The Register Administrator sends emails to all registered
government policies
members (or to select groups) advertising board
were all acknowledged
vacancies, as requested, and conducts searches of the
Register as requested.
The Register website links to registers in other Australian
jurisdictions and provides a portal for all agencies to
as playing an important
role in bringing about
cultural change.
advertise board and committee vacancies.
… I returned home with
Executive search for Government business boards
knowledge, inspired by
The Tasmanian Government owns, on behalf of the
Tasmanian community, a diverse portfolio of businesses,
the strength,
a wealth of new
determination, positivity
and quiet achievements
1
Brown, C, Translating Experience: Tasmanian Women’s Register, p31,
UTAS, 2007.
of many of the women I
met there.
…I learnt much from the
experiences of these
Women on Board 2011 -13
women and the
advice
8/20
they offered.”
ranging in size and operating in a variety of commercial
markets including the energy sector, port operations,
transport, forestry and financial services.
Executive search firm Amrop Cordiner King has been
engaged by the Tasmanian Government to assist in
identifying suitably qualified persons for Government
business board positions.
Amrop Cordiner King
maintains a secure database where expressions of
interest are registered.
Women on Board 2011 -13
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CDD actively liaises with Amrop Cordiner King to
promote the database to women and enhance women’s
representation on the boards of Government Business
Enterprises and State Owned Companies.
A Director Selection Advisory Panel advises the
Government on suitably qualified candidates for all
Government business director appointments.
“Our Board of
Governance recently
completed the Essential
Increasing the governance capabilities of women
Governance workshop.
In 2008, CDD partnered with TAFE Tasmania to deliver
training for women interested in joining government,
corporate and not-for-profits boards. This was a highly
successful partnership and governance continued to be a
focus of women’s leadership initiatives, particularly in the
not-for-profit and volunteer sectors.
What a great
The Essential Governance program held in August and
September 2010 were introductory workshops aimed at
assisting individuals to increase their confidence,
competence and professionalism as a voluntary member
of a community board or committee of management.
The workshops delivered in partnership with Skills
Tasmania, the Self-Help Workplace and the Tasmanian
Polytechnic
and
were
designed
to
enhance
understanding of the roles, rights and responsibilities of
board members and to enable women to participate
more effectively on a voluntary board or committee.
experience! Not only
did we focus on the
legalities and essentials
of being part of a Board
but came away from the
session feeling positive
about the direction that
our Board is headed in,
with a list of things that
we are keen to do in the
future.
The resources provided
during the session have
The annual training program is a popular one, and since
its inception, 337 women have participated in the
program.
proven to be a valuable
In 2011, CDD also provided scholarship opportunities for
women to increase their capabilities in governance,
including scholarships to the annual Women on Boards
conference
place and we are excited
support in the months
since our course took
about future planning
for our centre.”
Grace Evorall
Women on Board 2011 -13
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The private/business sector
INTERNATIONAL
The 2010 Australian Census of Women in Leadership2
produced by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the
Workplace Agency (EOWA), found that compared with
New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United
States and South Africa, Australia has the lowest
percentage of women on boards (see Figure 1).
The study also found that when compared with Canada,
South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States,
Australia has the lowest percentage of Executive Key
Management Personnel (see Figure 2).
A recent publication by Western Australia’s Curtin
“As a board member
your role is to guide and
strategically influence
direction.
University, Women in Leadership, Strategies for Change3,
Stepping up for a board
found that women are under-represented in board
position allows you to
positions as well as executive management positions
use your energy in more
internationally.
strategic ways, builds
In 2009, 3 per cent of Fortune 500 companies had a
your confidence as a
female Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and in Europe,
critical thinker and helps
women made up 12 per cent of the boards of directors of
you examine what you
FTSE 100 companies.
know and what you
Twenty-five per cent of those
companies still had all-male boards.
4
believe in, strengthens
your unique qualities
2
Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA),
Australian Census of Women in Leadership, Sydney, 2010.
3
Curtin University, Centre for Women in Leadership, Women in
Leadership Strategies for Change, Western Australia, November 2010.
4
Julie Coffman, The great disappearing act: Gender parity up the
corporate ladder, Orit Gadiesh and Wendy Miller, Bain & Company,
and way of thinking and
connects your ideas with
others in highly valuable
ways.”
Anna Stephenson
Chicago, 2010.
Women on Board 2011 -13
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Figure 1. Percentage of Board Directors who are
women
Figure 2. Percentage of Executive Managers who are
women
NATIONAL
Women are under-represented on private sector boards
in Australia.
A report undertaken by Bain and Company5 found that
women ‘disappear’ as they climb up the corporate ladder.
They do not rise to the ‘top’ of the executive ladder at the
same rate as men.
5
Julie Coffman, The great disappearing act: Gender parity up the
corporate ladder, Orit Gadiesh and Wendy Miller, Bain & Company,
Chicago, 2010.
Women on Board 2011 -13
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According to the 2010 EOWA Australian Census of
Women in Leadership6, there are only five women
chairing the top
ASX 200 companies.
The Women in Leadership report also found that out of
the CEOs of the top 200 Australian companies, just six are
women. Only 8.4 per cent of board positions and 8 per
cent of Executive Key Management positions are held by
women.
“I’ve developed new
skills and gained
experience in doing
things I wouldn’t
The industries with the highest representation of female
board directors were consumer services, banks, insurance,
software and services and diversified financials.
otherwise have had the
opportunity to, and it is
very satisfying to know I
Industry groups with the highest percentage of female
have made a positive
Executive Key Management Personnel were retailing,
contribution to my
telecommunication
community.
services
and
pharmaceuticals.
Automobiles and components, consumer durables and
apparel were the lowest ranked groups with no Executive
This experience has
Key Management personnel.
given me greater
confidence in my ability
Action at a National Level
to take on new and
In the 2011-12 Federal Budget, the Australian Government
stated that it will provide $11.2 million over four years to
increase
gender
equity
in
the
workplace.
The
Government will amend the Equal Opportunity for
Women in the Workplace Act 1999 and provide additional
resources to the EOWA which will be renamed the
Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
different roles, and has
improved my
performance in my
employed position.
I would recommend
becoming a board
The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act
member to any woman
will be amended to explicitly refer to pay equity for both
who wants a personally
6
Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA),
Australian Census of Women in Leadership, Sydney, 2010.
and professionally
interesting, challenging
and rewarding
experience.”
Women on Board 2011 -13
Kelly Banister
13/20
men and women and to require the Workplace Gender
Equality Agency to publish information on progress
towards gender pay equity.
An online reporting
framework for employers will be developed to enhance
compliance with the new legislative requirements and
assistance will be provided to help employers comply.
The ASX has also made amendments to its operations
“It has been important
regarding diversity. On 30 June 2010, the ASX Corporate
for me to be on a board
Governance Council released amendments to the 2nd
Edition of the Corporate Governance Principles and
Recommendations in relation to diversity, remuneration,
trading policies and briefings.
because I feel that I
have something to
contribute, something to
give back to a
The changes to diversity provisions relate to Principle 3,
community, or a certain
promoting ethical and responsible decision-making and
need to address
are considered a significant first-step.
particular issues such as
Recommendation 3.2 of the ASX Corporate Governance
the position of women
Principles and Recommendations states that companies
in Tasmania.
should establish a policy concerning diversity and
disclose the policy or a summary of that policy.
Contributions that I
The policy should include requirements for the board to
both verbal
establish measurable objectives for achieving gender
diversity for the board to assess annually both the
objectives and progress in achieving them.
The Council requires that companies disclose:
the content of a diversity policy;
in each annual report, the measurable objectives for
achieving gender diversity set by the board in
accordance with the diversity policy and progress
towards achieving them; and
have made have been
encouragement, ideas
for action
or information
gathering. I like to
contribute by
personally undertaking
to do work whilst
sitting on the board so
that I contribute to the
effectiveness of the
board.
Women on Board 2011 -13
The experience is
14/20
invaluable for other
areas of work. There
in each annual report the proportion of women
employees in the whole organisation, women in
senior executive positions and women on the
company board.
ASX has created a diversity resources page to assist listed
companies in implementing the changes to the ASX
Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations
that relate to diversity www.asxgroup.com.au/diversityresources.htm
Women on Board 2011 -13
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Barriers to women in
leadership positions
Despite the strong evidence that having more women in
leadership positions is good for business, women are still
facing barriers.
Research shows that a range of personal, situational and
structural barriers prevent women from participating in
representation,
leadership
and
decision-making
opportunities.
“I have been a member
of boards for almost a
These include:
decade now and feel
personal barriers - such as women’s perceptions of
firmly that the
themselves and a lack of confidence about their
experience is one that
skills and abilities, insufficient information about
has not only enriched
organisational structures and processes, a lack of
my personal and
appropriate or recognised experience and a lack of
support structures;
situational barriers – such as timing issues, lack of
flexible working hours, and lack of childcare; and
structural
barriers
–
such
as
the
impact,
perpetuation and reinforcement by the media, and
those in leadership positions, of outmoded beliefs
and values about the role of women and isolation
and marginalisation of women as leaders and
decision makers in organisations.
The United Kingdom’s Centre for High Performance
Development conducted research on leadership qualities
among managerial staff. The company looked at the
performance of 1 500 managers and leaders in
organisations in a variety of sectors.
professional life, but has
also made a positive
contribution to those
organisations with
which I have had the
good fortune to become
involved.
But perhaps equally
significantly is the value
that I have gained in
building my
understanding of
governance processes
and also strengthening
my confidence in
projecting views to
ensure a solid and
Women on Board 2011 -13
strategically based
16/20
future for the
organisation and its key
Chris Parry co-founded the CHPD in 1996 and serves as
its Executive Chairman. Ms Parry has over fifteen years
experience of business consulting, management
development and executive coaching across a wide range
of industry sectors and has extensive international
experience having worked with senior teams in Europe,
North and South America and Asia Pacific.
Parry believes women are given fewer opportunities in a
male-run organisation: "Men are much more capable at
the things that get you promoted, in terms of getting
exposure, being visible, communicating upwards and
getting people to know what you're doing."
Parry claims that women, on the other hand, tend simply
to get on with the job and expect - wrongly - to get
promoted on their ability alone: "If a group has created
that kind of structure and culture, then generally that
group is going to know how to play it much better than
the group that didn't."
Lack of self-confidence is another reason given for fewer
women becoming leaders. "If you ask men and women to
rate their capability, men always rate themselves higher
and women always rate themselves lower than they really
are," says Parry.7
7
In Kim Thomas, Hidden Barriers that Stall Women Leaders, The
Guardian, viewed 31 May 2011,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2005/mar/31/businesssolutio
nssupplement1
Women on Board 2011 -13
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Business case for increased
gender diversity
There is a growing body of research into the benefits of
having women on boards.
Research shows that when women occupy leadership
positions, benefits not only flow to the organisation, but
also to other women and the community as a whole.
Indeed, research has shown that companies with a higher
proportion of women on their management committees
are also the companies that have the best performance.8
“For me the issue of
board diversity is not a
While male board members tend to have had a
continuous background in business enterprise, resulting
in an economic viewpoint, research suggests that women
encourage business integrity.
matter of numbers; it’s a
Dr Jeremy Galbreath, a research fellow at Curtin
University’s Graduate School of Business in Western
Australia, explored the relationship between corporate
governance and sustainability. He found women board
members often come from more ‘social’ organisational
roles (not-for-profit organisations or charities) which will
help to “ensure economic activities are balanced against
environmental and social requirements. Such balance
might be a result of the greater relational capabilities of
women, who work to see that all stakeholder requirements
distinct advantages
sound policy that will
ensure that corporate
governance has the
brought about by the
inclusion of women in
decision making.
My experience is that
competent, skilled
women bring a strength
of purpose and
approach to the work of
a board, and very often
a fresh and dynamic
8
Jane Allen, Women on Boards: Why would you do it? , Egon
Zehnder International, viewed 31 May 2011
perspective on issues.
http://www.ceoforum.com.au/article-detail.cfm?cid=6308&t=/Jane-
Boards have everything
Allen-Egon-Zehnder-International/Women-on-Boards-Why-would-
to gain from developing
you-do-it
and implementing
diversity policy for board
and senior executive
Women on Board 2011 -13
positions.”
18/20
Tony Reidy
and concerns are addressed – not just those that are
economic in nature.”9
9
Dr Jeremy Galbraith, Curtin’s Graduate School of Business (GSB),
Women on Board, 2009, viewed 31 May 2011,
http://news.curtin.edu.au/cite/women-on-board/
Women on Board 2011 -13
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A gender gap can have real implications for company
performance. Companies that hire and retain more
women can also gain a competitive edge.
These
companies will be able to draw from a broader pool of
talent. Research shows a correlation between high
numbers of female senior executives and stronger
financial performance.
Professor Alison Konrad of Richard Ivey School of
Business (who is an expert on issues of gender and
diversity at the workplace) conducted research and cowrote a report entitled Critical mass on corporate boards:
Why three or more women enhance governance. Based on
interviews and discussions with 50 women directors, 12
CEOs, and seven corporate secretaries from Fortune 1 000
companies, she found that a critical mass of three or
more women can cause a fundamental change in the
boardroom and enhance corporate governance10.
A Catalyst study of the period 1996 to 2000 examined
353 companies on the USA Fortune 500 list and found
that the group of companies with the highest
representation of women on their senior management
teams had a 35 per cent higher return on equity and a 34
per cent higher total return to shareholders than
companies with the lowest representation of women.11
Similarly, a study in Australia by McKinsey and Company
(2008) showed that organisations with the most diverse
10
Alison M. Konrad et al, Critical Mass on Corporate Boards: Why
Three or More Women Enhance Governance, in As Shatter Proof As
Ever, Carol Stephenson, Dean, Richard Ivey School of Business, 17
March
2011.
http://www.businessandeconomy.org/17032011/storyd.asp?sid=6010
&pageno=8
Catalyst, The Bottom Line: Connecting Corporate Performance and
Gender Diversity, January 2004, viewed 31 May 2011
http://www.catalyst.org/publication/82/the-bottom-line-connectingcorporate-performance-and-gender-divertity
11
Women on Board 2011 -13
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management teams had 48 per cent higher average
earnings (before interest and taxation).12
Not only does having a higher proportion of women on
boards and in senior management positions appear to
deliver better performance, but a survey conducted by
Colmar Brunton found that investors think more women
should be on their boards. Fifty per cent of investors (out
of the 2 000 surveyed) believed there were not enough
women on boards.
One-third of investors thought there should be some
form of affirmative action to increase the number of
women on boards.13
Curtin University, Centre for Women in Leadership, Women in
12
Leadership Strategies for Change, Western Australia, November 2010.
13
Adele Ferguson, Investors back more women on boards, viewed 31 May 2011,
http://www.smh.com.au/business/investors-back-more-women-on-boards20110415-1dgyd.html
Women on Board 2011 -13
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Useful links
The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace
Agency (EOWA)
The EOWA Census of Women in Leadership identifies the
status of women in the most senior leadership positions
for the top 200 organisations listed on the Australian
Stock Exchange.
ASX Corporate Governance
In order to promote investor confidence and to assist
companies meet stakeholder expectations, the
ASX Corporate Governance Council has developed and
released corporate governance guidelines for Australian
listed entities. This includes diversity requirements of
listed companies.
Boards, Committees & Governance Centre
The Boards, Committees & Governance Centre (Victoria)
has been established by Our Community and Hesta
Super Fund to help community groups and their
board/committee members to build a better board, be a
better board member, and find or advertise board
positions. The Centre also has a series of help-sheets
which will step you through all of the things you need to
know and do in order to prepare for a new board role,
improve yourself as a board member, or ensure your
board is functioning effectively.
Women on Boards
Women on Boards (New South Wales) is the leading
advocate for improving gender diversity on Australian
boards. It works to improve women's access to, and
opportunities to be selected for, board positions in ASX
listed and private companies and in the public unlisted
(NFP), and in the government, sport, rural and
community sector.
Australian Institute of Company Directors, Tasmanian
Branch
Women on Board 2011 -13
22/20
The Tasmanian Division has over 900 members and
represents directors from all forms of business and across
all industry sectors. The Division supports directors
through courses, events and providing information
resources.
The Victorian Office of Women’s Policy
The Office has a series of help sheets for women
interested in joining a government board or committee.
AppointWomen
AppointWomen is a register that gives women an
opportunity to be considered for appointment to a
variety of Australian Government boards and other
decision-making bodies. It is managed by the Australian
Government Office for Women, within the Department of
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous
Affairs.
The Office for Women maintains AppointWomen and
matches qualified and experienced candidates to
vacancies on Australian Government decision-making
bodies.
Queensland Government’s Office for Women
Read practical advice about obtaining board positions,
case studies of women active on boards and under the
Office’s ‘Resources’ section you will find help sheets on:
Writing an effective Board CV; Why Women on Boards?;
and What should I do?
Let’s Get On Board
A handbook encouraging
committees and boards.
Women on Board 2011 -13
young
people
to
join
23/20