Close X
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
ADVT 
National

More women serving on corporate boards, but not yet enough, says study

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 19 Nov, 2014 10:55 AM
  • More women serving on corporate boards, but not yet enough, says study

TORONTO — A new study suggests that while number of women on the boards of top Canadian companies is improving, there still is ”significant work to be done.”

The study by the Canadian Board Diversity Council shows women held 17.1 per cent of the positions on boards on the Financial Post 500 list.

The organization says that was up from 15.6 per cent in 2013 and reflects a pace of change of more than four times the average between 2001 and 2012.

However, the council says visible minorities and aboriginals on boards are at their lowest level since the survey began in 2010.

It says visible minorities hold only two per cent of board seats, aboriginals hold just 0.8 per cent of the seats and people with disabilities fill just 1.4 per cent.

The council is calling on corporate boards to consider three board-ready diverse candidates for each open board seat. It also asks boards to replace at least one of every three retiring directors with a director of a diverse background.

"We're making progress, with more women than ever before sitting on Canada's corporate boards, but it's simply not enough," said CBDC founder Pamela Jeffery.

"We're still not seeing substantial progress, particularly in other areas of diversity, including aboriginal peoples, visible minorities and people with disabilities, despite the fact that there are many highly qualified candidates out there."

The study also says while most directors feel their boards are already diverse, only 25 per cent of FP500 boards report having a formal diversity policy in place.

To conduct the survey, the CBDC compiled a list of every director on an FP500 board using public data and through a survey conducted on line and by mail.

MORE National ARTICLES

Federal bill to expand anti-terror powers through tracking, source shield

Federal bill to expand anti-terror powers through tracking, source shield
OTTAWA - The Conservative government plans to amend the law governing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to give the spy agency more authority to track terrorists overseas.

Federal bill to expand anti-terror powers through tracking, source shield

EX-SNC senior executive Ben Aissa extradited to Canada to face fraud charges

EX-SNC senior executive Ben Aissa extradited to Canada to face fraud charges
MONTREAL - A former SNC-Lavalin senior executive accused of fraud in a superhospital project arrived in Montreal on Wednesday after his extradition from Switzerland.

EX-SNC senior executive Ben Aissa extradited to Canada to face fraud charges

Canadians paying more for cable, wireless, Internet and telephone services: CRTC

Canadians paying more for cable, wireless, Internet and telephone services: CRTC
OTTAWA - Canadian families spent more on communications services in 2013, suggests a report by the CRTC.

Canadians paying more for cable, wireless, Internet and telephone services: CRTC

Canadian forecasters say Gonzalo could bring heavy winds, rains to Newfoundland

Canadian forecasters say Gonzalo could bring heavy winds, rains to Newfoundland
HALIFAX - The Canadian Hurricane Centre says hurricane Gonzalo could unleash potent winds in central and eastern Newfoundland this weekend as it barrels north from Bermuda.

Canadian forecasters say Gonzalo could bring heavy winds, rains to Newfoundland

Security lawyers oppose plan for blanket intelligence source protection

Security lawyers oppose plan for blanket intelligence source protection
OTTAWA - Proposed anti-terrorism legislation that would extend blanket protection to spy sources could seriously endanger the fairness of court proceedings, warn two lawyers with deep experience defending clients in national security cases.

Security lawyers oppose plan for blanket intelligence source protection

Quebec Woman Tells Harrowing Tale Of Surviving Avalanche And Blizzard In Nepal

Quebec Woman Tells Harrowing Tale Of Surviving Avalanche And Blizzard In Nepal
A Canadian survivor of the Nepal avalanche that has killed 27 people is telling a harrowing tale of survival and being buried waist-high in thick, heavy snow.

Quebec Woman Tells Harrowing Tale Of Surviving Avalanche And Blizzard In Nepal