This morning while reading through my daily dose of eNewsletters I came across this article about California requiring women on Boards of Directors. I would like to know how my readers feel about a law requiring publicly traded companies to include women on their boards of directors. The measure requires at least one female director on the board of each California-based public corporation by the end of 2019.
A fourth of publicly held corporations with headquarters in California don’t have any women on their boards of directors. These companies have not done enough to increase the number of women on their boards despite the Legislature’s urging, making government intervention necessary, Jackson said
I have been researching the topic since I started writing my book, and I have been experiencing this for decades. I am seeing some change where I live locally, and while you would like to think it happens organically to place women on the boards – it does not. It is most often mandated, whether officially or unofficially, to change the demographics of the board.
Some of the repetition (same ole’ white guys) is simply because that is who their natural network is both professionally and personally. Some times it is fear of change or opposing views assumed by anyone NOT in your inner circle. But the truth is that change on boards will result in changes in practice and direction and men have had decades to figure out how to do it differently and they HAVE NOT figured it out so now the law must intervene, if even only for a short time period.
There will be wins and their will be woes, but I believe this unnecessary law (because we should be able to figure this out as smart people running major public corporations) is a good thing. I believe it is needed at this time and place, when equal candidates are available and ready to serve on these boards. I am open to hear your opinion for or against, but I believe this is good. I give the #win2California #MoreWomenInHighPlaces
