Women on Boards are Good for Business

04 June 2009
Press Release

Women on Boards are Good for Business

The National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) applauds Business NZ and the Institute of Directors for their recent statements highlighting the benefits that women on boards can bring to all New Zealand businesses.

The two organisations in collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs have published a report that shows how having women on boards is good for business.

NCWNZ urges the business sector to prioritise female appointments in the wake of this business case and listen to the valuable advice that this report provides.

“New Zealand has a reputation for gender equality, but despite gains in labour market participation there is still a long way to go before women are on equal footing with men in professional life.”

The New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) have shown that women are under-represented in governance and professional life.

These reports have previously identified the benefits of recruiting women onto boards and have made recommendations on how to improve participation.

“There has been strong business case arguments put forward time and time again showing the benefit of having a mix of men and women on boards” says NCWNZ National President Elizabeth Bang, “but yet there is still a large number of boards without a single women”

The New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2008 reported that 60 of the top 100 companies in the private sector do not have any women on their boards.

Increasing the amount of women in leadership roles is listed as a priority in the recently released Statement of Intent of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs

NCWNZ calls for both the private and public sector to clearly outline what strategies have been put in place and set clear targets for the future. In particular, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs needs to communicate its targets, since the 50:50 representation for men and women on boards by 2010 does not appear attainable.

The wish of Amey Daldy as spoken at the first NCWNZ Meeting in 1896 has still not been realised.

“That all disabilities be removed which at present hinder women from sitting as members of either House of the Legislature, or from being elected or appointed to any public office or position in the colony which men may hold, and with regard to all powers, rights, duties and privileges of citizens, to declare absolute equality to be the law of the land for both men and women”.

ENDS

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