To coincide with International Women’s Day, The Prime Minister has set out measures to do more for women in the UK and abroad in a new podcast.
He has hailed the progress to improve gender equality over the past decade and says all state-owned companies in the UK will be required to increase the number of women on their boards over the next two years.
The Financial Reporting Council has also been asked to consider a new principle in its governance code requiring companies to consider the diversity of their boards.
He said: ‘If we don’t see a dramatic change in the composition of company boards in the future, we will need to consider taking more serious action to ensure companies recruit from the diverse pool of exceptional talent we have in the UK.’
He added: ‘And because I believe the public sector can and should set an example, I’m also making a new commitment that all state-owned companies will be required to increase the number of women on their boards over the next two years. Not through rigid quotas but by reaching out to successful women in all walks of life who have got a big contribution to make.’
Mr Brown, who visited Afghanistan at the weekend, also highlighted work that has been done to improve the education and equality of women in the region, and Britain’s role in creating a UN Gender Agency to ensure women’s rights have top priority in global negotiations.
For more on this topic, read Lisa Buckingham’s column.
Tags: Women in the boardroom
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