One third of ASX 200 appointments so far this year have been to females, now making up 13.8% of ASX 200 directors compared with 11.2% this time last year. The appointments have been credited in part to measures implemented by the Australian Institute of Directors to encourage greater gender diversity. These measures include mentoring programs, a board ready program and scholarship programs, supported by ASX requirements for listed companies to provide increased disclosure around diversity policy.  

Numbers of women on Australia’s leading boards continue to grow

In a clear sign that Australia’s leading businesses are embracing a gender-diverse board, the number of women on ASX 20 boards is now 20 per cent.

Further, there are now 18.7 per cent of female directors on the ASX 50 and 17.3 per cent in the ASX 100. In December 2010, there were 15.4 per cent of female directors on the ASX 50 and 13.4 per cent on the ASX 100.

“The growing numbers of women on our most elite boards prove that companies recognise that a gender-diverse board is good for business and are actively seeking out female talent,” John Colvin, CEO and Managing Director of the Australian Institute of Company Directors said to mark International Women’s Day.

Real gains are also being made in the ASX 200, where one-third of appointees so far this year have been female.  This compares to just 5 per cent in 2009.

Women now make up 13.8 per cent of directors on ASX 200 boards, up from 11.2 per cent this time last year.

It is also noteworthy that of the 68 women appointed to ASX 200 boards in 2011, over half had never previously held a Non-Executive Director position on an ASX 200 board.

“We have put in a place a number of concrete measures aimed at helping to achieve greater gender diversity on Australian boards which, along with the ASX Corporate Governance Council introduced its Principles and Recommendations on Diversity, have contributed to the real progress that is evident in the latest figures,” said Mr Colvin.

Measures include our preeminent Chairman’s Mentoring Program, our newly piloted Public Sector Mentoring Program, the highly successful Board Ready program as well as the Company Directors-Federal Government Board Diversity Scholarship and the Victorian Women’s Governance Scholarship Program.

“When boards adopt an open approach that aims to select the best possible directors from a diverse range of candidates, it is not only good social policy but it makes good business sense,” Mr Colvin said. “It means that our boards and companies can benefit from all the talent that is available to them.”