Women on Boards review

The Prime Minister has welcomed the steps forward shown in the Women on Boards six month progress report, commending the companies who have pledged to increase the number of women in senior positions, and challenging more businesses to follow suit.

In his review in February, Lord Davies recommended that the FTSE 100 should be aiming for a minimum of 25% female board representation by 2015 and that the FTSE 350 should be setting their own, challenging targets. He also called on chairmen to announce their goals and said companies should disclose the number of women sitting on their boards and working in an organisation.

The new progress report finds that 61 of the FTSE 100 companies have responded to the Lord Davies review, acknowledging that gender diversity is an issue, with 33 setting themselves targets for the percentage of women they aim to have on their boards. The report also shows that only 21 women have been appointed to board positions out of a possible 93 – 22.5%, some way short of the 33% recommended in the Davies report.

The Government is publishing a list of the number of women on the boards of top UK companies together with their pledges, in line with Lord Davies’ recommendations.

Receiving the independent report at a No. 10 event to celebrate women’s contribution to business, the Prime Minister made clear that although progress had been made, he wanted more businesses to step up and drive this forward and that’s why he has also written to the FTSE350 companies that have still to set out their plans.