Changing the Chemistry (SCIO)’s Post

This report is a good read and, as others have remarked, it shows both how much progress has been made over 5 and 10 years and how much more is needed. I come at board diversity from (at least) two perspectives. - The first is 'sociomoral'. There is a strong argument for boards to reflect the society from which they are drawn, albeit with the right competencies. Granted, there's the chicken-and-egg challenge of growing an adequate diverse talent pool, but we have to start somewhere (and, frankly, the talent exists, for those willing to give it a chance). - The second is practical. Diversity of thought leads to better decisions. In large part, as Changing the Chemistry (SCIO) advocates, that diversity arises from the combination of who we are, how we think and what we have experienced. Recruiting board members exclusively in one's own image may seem comfortingly dependable, but it's not clever. #diversityofthought #boardcomposition #nonexecutivedirectors #gooddecisionmaking #effectiveleadership

We are incredibly proud that Sapphire Partners Executive Search has been recognised by the FTSE Women Leaders Review 2024 for exemplary executive search work supporting companies keen to encourage women into board and leadership roles. Sapphire has been helping to lead on this agenda for over 19 years and is proud to be one of a small number of search firms to be consistently accredited. While the headline results were encouraging - with women’s representation now at 42% on FTSE 350 Boards (having exceeded the target ahead of the 2025 deadline), the focus is now appropriately on strengthening the pipeline of women in executive leadership roles, especially CEO and CFO and stepping stone roles. The type of search mandates that Sapphire relishes. https://lnkd.in/eZeYTW3V

We are incredibly proud that Sapphire Partners Executive Search has been recognised by the FTSE Women Leaders Review 2024 for exemplary executive search work supporting companies keen to encourage women into board and leadership roles. Sapphire has been helping to lead on this agenda for over 19 years and is proud to be one of a small number of search firms to be consistently accredited.   While the headline results were encouraging - with women’s representation now at 42% on FTSE 350 Boards (having exceeded the target ahead of the 2025 deadline), the focus is now appropriately on strengthening the pipeline of women in executive leadership roles, especially CEO and CFO and stepping stone roles. The type of search mandates that Sapphire relishes. Women hold 42% of board seats at big UK firms, but just 10 are FTSE 100 bossestheguardian.com • 3 min read

Two organizations supporting the advancement of women in the financial advisor profession are uniting to boost their shared mission together. Here’s a look at what led to the merger of the Female Advisor Network into the Women’s Leadership Alliance and what the two groups hope to accomplish as one organization, with insights from Kimberlee Bouska, CFP®, CRPC® of Addison Avenue Investment Services and Nina O'Neal of AIM Advisors. #professionaldevelopment #financialadvisors #wealthmanagement #careers

NEW #DATA: #White #Men Are Now Less Than HALF of #Corporate #Board Directors - After a Decade of Progress #corporate #governance #business #leadership https://lnkd.in/ehmAhJ9S

Celebrating progress in UK board diversity! FTSE 350 now boasts a remarkable 42% female representation, a significant jump from 24.5% in 2017. Globally ranked 2nd, outpacing even Norway. However, we still see just 10 female FTSE 100 CEOs. Big shoutout to Burberry, Marks & Spencer, Next, and National Grid for leading the way. Positive trends are also seen in roles like finance directors and CIOs. Though progress is evident, 9 FTSE 350 companies still have all-male boards, a drop from 54 in 2017. FCA mandates 40% female representation - let's keep pushing for a more balanced and inclusive leadership landscape. To know more: https://lnkd.in/eJQ6UJNb #DiversityandInclusion #Leadership #GenderBalance #FTSE350 #UKBusiness

NEW #DATA: #White #Men Are Now Less Than HALF of #Corporate #Board Directors - After a Decade of Progress #corporate #governance #business #leadership https://lnkd.in/eV3PwK8E

Spencer Stuart shares intriguing, fact-based insights on how boards of public companies around the world compare on governance measures like board composition, diversity, and effectiveness, based on 2023 data. Here some highlights: 🔹Board refreshment: average tenure of directors decreased from 7.5 to 6.8 years. 🔹 First-time directors* are on the increase in many countries, e.g., France (63% of all board appointments), Norway (47%), Denmark (46%) and Ireland (37%). 🔹 Diversity: 95% of the leading companies in France and 80% in Norway now have at least 40% women on their boards.  🔹 Board leadership: In only five countries women occupy 10% or more board chair roles: Italy, the U.S., Norway, UK, and Canada. * Share of new directors who have not previously served on a listed-company board To explore more, here the summarizing article: https://lnkd.in/dgWVYFRt and the detailed data table: https://lnkd.in/dQyehFuQ #CorporateGovernance #leadership #SupervisoryBoard #Aufsichtsrat 

Private equity-backed firms are struggling to build diverse Boards, so we decided to do something about it, and together with industry experts we have developed the Future Board Leaders Programme. The initiative, which kicked off last week, supports established business leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds to transition into non-executive careers advising PE backed companies. Find out more on why we've created the programme and what it entails in our blog below 📰 https://lnkd.in/eQJrGyX8 #buildbettergrowbeyond #diversity #privateequity

The pace of change for boards has never been this rapid. Stakeholders are expecting more. Governance is increasing. Complex issues keep piling onto the agenda. How are boards adapting? The board size has barely changed. Most boards still average 9-11 directors despite the growing demands. Independence is becoming the norm, but some countries still need to catch up. 94% of UK boards are independent. Brazil? Only 41%. Director tenure is shrinking as fresh perspectives are needed. In the U.S., it’s 7.8 years. Spain? Just 3.7. Gender diversity is rising, but progress remains uneven. France leads with 47% women on boards. Japan trails at 17%. More boards are recognizing the value of external reviews. In South Africa, 59% of boards undergo external evaluations. In Norway, it's fewer than 10%. Boards are evolving, but is it fast enough? Are there good reasons why boards of international companies operate significantly differently?