U.S., International Business, Government Leaders Recommend Business-led Initiatives to Advance Boardroom Diversity
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Center for Women in Business (CWB) today hosted the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Center for Transatlantic Relations 5th Annual Global Conference on Women in the Boardroom. The full day plenary brought together CEOs and board chairs of publicly traded companies, leaders of business organizations, stock exchange executives, government officials, institutional investors, search firm executives, academics, and international experts, to assess progress in the United States and abroad on achieving gender balance on corporate boards.
“Despite the United States having the largest pool of talented women in the world, women comprise only 16.9% of the boards of directors of Fortune 500 companies, and that number has moved at a glacial pace,” said Susan Ness, chair of the SAIS Global Conference. “Other countries have recognized the competitive advantage of diversity and have made great strides, with a number of countries approaching 30% or above. The SAIS Conference has tapped the collective wisdom of a wide-ranging group of business and other leaders to develop a roadmap for practical, business-led solutions to accelerate progress in the United States.”
The discussion highlighted the role that institutional investors, stock exchanges, board nominating committees, and government can play to advance gender diversity in the boardroom.
“We believe that women’s advancement in business and in the Boardroom is indisputably a significant economic issue,” said Gov. John R. McKernan, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “With women comprising half of our workforce today, the simple truth is that the business community needs to actively engage more women on Boards and in executive leadership for the American economy to prosper. Only by utilizing the full potential of all our talent will we keep America competitive in the global economy.”
The event also featured keynote remarks from Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White, and Ambassador of the European Union to the United States João Vale de Almeida, as well as interviews with CEOs and board chairs, and panel discussions.
The SAIS Center for Transatlantic Relations is a think tank within the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. The Center has been rated as the top university affiliated think tank in Washington, DC and one of the top ten university-affiliated think tanks globally.
The Center for Women in Business (CWB) promotes and empowers women business leaders to achieve their personal and professional goals by increasing opportunities for women to serve on corporate boards and in the C-suite; mentoring women in the early stages of their careers or re-entering the workforce; and building a network of women entrepreneurs to encourage peer-to-peer networking, education, and professional growth.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness by addressing developments that affect our nation, our economy, and the global business environment.
cwb.uschamber.com
@ChamberCWB
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