The People Bulletin

A group of leading headhunters have signed up to a voluntary code which aims to ensure that the list of potential candidates for boardroom positions is comprised of at least 30% women. 

The guide comes in response to the Lord Davies’ review of women on boards which urged FTSE 100 companies to double the number of females on their boards or possibly face mandatory quotas.[1] The Davies Committee will be examining the steps that companies plan to make in order to increase female presence in the boardroom in September and the findings will be released in October. 

The code suggests that recruiters should take in to account personal qualities as well as experience when selecting candidates as well as supporting women during the recruitment process. 

Katja Hall, chief policy director at the CBI said, “This voluntary code will encourage headhunters to work with companies to widen their search to reach beyond the usual suspects to produce more diverse long lists of candidates. Chairmen really need to drive this process and ensure they do not over emphasise existing boardroom experience and consider other transferable skills". 

The guide will come as a welcome development for the 73% of women who still believe that the glass ceiling is still firmly in place.[2]

However, the EU parliament which earlier this year passed laws to ensure women fill at least 40% of boardroom positions in France, Spain and Norway, are keen to see similar quotas imposed in the UK.

Commenting on the guide Karen Gill, co-founder of everywoman said:

“While mandatory quotas are not the way forward, the new voluntary code is to be supported as it puts in place a framework which will make finding female talent front of mind for headhunters. The role of the headhunter is particularly critical for women who tend not to be as self-promoting as men. There are many great women out there who are ready to join a board, they just need to be sought out and matched to the opportunities. By putting a code in place, finding top women candidates is on the agenda for headhunters, without it I fear they are not.”[3] 

For further information on the voluntary code see: www.30percentclub.org.uk 

[1] www.bis.gov.uk/uk/news/2011/feb/women-on-boards

[2] 'Glass ceiling still stubbornly intact according to new research' in The People Bulletin, 23 February 2011

[3] www.everywoman.com

See also: ‘Someone has to keep the home fires burning’ in The People Bulletin, 7 July 2011