AUTO INDUSTRY SUPPORT FOR BOARDROOM DIVERSITY REPORT – reproduced with kind permission from Auto Retail Agenda, written by Iain Dooley, 30 October 2015
Pleased to be quoted in this piece by Auto Retail Agenda, which references Lord Davies’ report about women on boards.
The report into gender diversity in boardrooms, led by Lord Mervyn Davies, has now been published, and has stated that a “major milestone” has been reached regarding the number of women in boardroom positions.
Lord Davies has said that there are no more all male FTSE 100 companies thanks to a voluntary 25 percent target of women board members, however Lord Davies said the focus should now be on a new target of 33 percent at FTSE 350 companies by 2020. In 2011, women made up 12.5 percent of board members.
Commenting on the report’s finding’s, Lynda Ennis, Founder of Automotive Search firm Ennis & Co, recalled an event held to discuss the need to attract more women to the automotive industry – and the need for women in senior roles was one of the subjects discussed.
Lynda says: “In a poll we took that night, over 70 percent of our (almost all) female audience was against legislation to increase the numbers of women on boards. 50 percent of the audience felt that women’s leadership styles do not place them at a disadvantage within their career.
“They felt, as I do, that getting more women into senior roles – in any sector – is about education, perception, attitude and company culture. Having women on boards in the first place is a great start, because it creates an example that women entering the industry can aspire to. I am in favour of the right person for the right role, and I welcome these latest figures from the Davies report.”
