Boards are in the spotlight
THE DIVERSITY policies of several UK firms that still have no female board members will be in focus today, as they receive a letter from the Prime Minister urging them to make clear their plans for change.
Lord Mervyn Davies recommended in February that women should make up a quarter of boards of FTSE 100-listed firms by 2015. Firms have since scrambled to either appoint a female non-executive or set out their strategy for a more balanced board.
Yet several of the FTSE 100 still have all-male boards, including Associated British Foods (ABF), Aggreko and miners such as Fresnillo.
An ABF spokesman said yesterday shortlists for any senior post had to include equal numbers of men and women. Aggreko said it was “currently considering” how to address the new rules, but it had “considered women as candidates for directorships and naturally will continue to do so”.