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Towards the Top Advancing Women in the
Workplace"

• Gender balance in corporate leadership positions
  an economic and business imperative
• Daniela Bankier,
• Head of Gender Equality, DG Justice
• 29 April 2013, Dublin
•  

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• Gender balance in corporate leadership
• an economic imperative
• a matter of interest for society
• and not just a "women's issue"
• Progress has been slow and the issue remains a
  challenge for all EU Member States

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Women account for just 15.8 of board members
(Oct-2012)
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All men at the top

•  

97 of board chairs are men and just 3
women There are even fewer female CEOs just 2
In October 2012 just 19 out of 582 of the largest
companies in EU Member States had a female
chairperson or president. Only 14 had a female
CEO.
Source European Commission Database on women and
men in decision-making
5
Progress is slow around 0.8 pp. per year between
2003-2012
Figure 1 - Gender balance on corporate boards in
the EU, 2003-2012
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A comprehensive approach to tackle the existing
barriers

• - legislation the 40 rule
• - complementary measures

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Improving gender balance among non-
executive directors of companies listed on stock
exchanges (excluding SMEs)

• Proposal for a Directive (November 2012)
• Binding objective of 40 for non-executive
  directors
• by 1 January 2020 (or 2018 for public
  undertakings)

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Complementary measures

• Support initiatives to combat gender stereotyped
  representations of women's and men's roles
• Contribute to the creation of a social, economic
  and business environment that facilitates equal
  opportunities for women and men in leadership
• Promote the economic and business case for gender
  equality
• Support/monitor progress across the EU

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Thank you for your attention!
http//ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/index_
en.htm http//www.eige.europa.eu/