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The percentage of female appointments to ASX 200 boards has spiked in 2018, according to a new report released on International Women's Day by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
Women accounted for 47 per cent of ASX 200 board appointments in the first two months of 2018, up from 36 per cent in 2017.
The AICD Quarterly Gender Diversity Report, which tracks progress towards the Institute's target of achieving 30 per cent female representation across ASX 200 boards by the end of 2018, also shows that women now account for 26.7 per cent of ASX 200 directorships.
There are also now only five ASX 200 companies which have no women on the board, down from 14 on International Women's Day 2017.
The AICD report shows that across the ASX 200, a total of 74 companies have reached or exceeded the 30 per cent target.
"Today's report revealed that 2018 has seen the highest rate of female appointments to ASX 200 boards since the AICD began tracking gender diversity statistics," says AICD Chairman Elizabeth Proust.
"While this news is encouraging, it is only reflective of the first two months of 2018. We'll need sustained momentum of this kind if we are to reach our goal of 30 per cent female representation across the ASX 200 by the end of the year.
"The boards of our largest companies have 10 months to prove to prove to the community that they take the issue of gender diversity seriously."
The five ASX 200 boards with no female directors as at 28 February 2018 are:
- ARB Corporation
- Ardent Leisure Group
- Pilbara Minerals
- Speedcast International
- TPG Telecom
Proust says gender diversity on boards is vital to the future of good corporate governance in Australia.
"Diverse boards and leadership teams lead to better outcomes for shareholders and stakeholders alike. They lead to greater innovation and better bottom lines," she says.
To coincide with International Women's Day, the AICD has released a video showcasing the types of questions female board candidates are still being asked in interviews. Enjoy below!
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