Peter Crush posted on CIPD.co.uk about the role headhunters and executive search firms play in the consideration of women for boardroom roles in the UK. He shares this quote from REC chief executive Kevin Green about why this attention to diversity is important: “…balanced boards better represent customers and stakeholders, make better decisions and have been proved to deliver better financial results.”
The call for search firms to include at least one woman in all board shortlists is part of a review of the Voluntary Code of Conduct for search firms conducted by Charlotte Sweeney, formerly the head of diversity at bank Nomura International.
Sweeney calls for these improvements in the process:
- As well as putting forward more female candidates, headhunters should look beyond the minimum standards set out in the code, and start sharing statistics on gender balance ratios at all stages of the recruitment process with the government at least.
- All employers’ financial reporting councils should highlight their knowledge of the code with search firms they use, so headhunters are aware they take it seriously.
- Firms should include compliance with the code in their contracts with search firms.
- A database of ‘board-ready’ women should be created, led by Lord Davies – who is due to publish his annual report – Women on Boards – later this month.
Source CIPD.co.uk, March 4/14 by Peter Crush
Read the full article here.