APPENDIX 3: CALL FOR EVIDENCE
The European Commission has announced that it is
considering proposing legislative quotas to improve the representation
of women on boards across the EU, and recently held a consultation
into the matter.
In March 2011, Lord Davies of Abersoch published
a review of women on boards in the UK, examining the business
case for gender diversity and the obstacles faced by women in
achieving board level appointments. This put forward 10 recommendations
to business, including a target of a minimum of 25 per cent female
representation on FTSE 100 boards by 2015.
One year on, the Government report that nearly three
in 10 board appointments in the FTSE 100 went to women, with the
UK on course to achieve a 27 per cent total representation of
women on boards in 2015. At the same time, around one in 10 FTSE
100 boards, and almost half of FTSE 250 boards, are composed entirely
of men. With this inquiry, the House of Lords European Union Committee
intends to examine the case for European intervention in this
area.
Contributions are invited from all individuals and
organisations with an interest in this issue. Particular questions
to which we would like you to respond are below; however, respondents
need only reply to those questions which they consider relevant
to them.
Instructions regarding the call for evidence are
attached at Annex 1 (not printed)
Questions
(1) To what extent does the EU have a role to
play in improving the representation of women on boards? Should
this be tackled through measures at a European level or is it
a matter for national Governments? Do the differences in board
structures across the EU affect the pursuit of a common European
approach?
(2) Can a "voluntary approach", or
self-regulation, achieve a fair representation of women on boards?
How can change through voluntary measures be sustained?
(3) How should progress be monitored and audited?
Should monitoring be coordinated at the European level?
(4) Should progress be incentivised, or a lack
of progress punished? If so, how could this be achieved?
(5) What level of progress is acceptable? Is
there a point at which it should be determined that self-regulation
is not working and that a legislative intervention (whether at
national or European level) is needed?
(6) Has the introduction of quotas in some Member
States had any impact on the single market? What are the arguments
for and against consistency across the EU on women on boards?
(7) What impact would a higher level of representation
of women on boards across Europe have on the UK? Would it bring
any advantages and/or disadvantages?
(8) What are the positive and negative effects
of legislative quotas?
(9) Other than quotas, what measures could be
considered at European level to directly improve the representation
of women on boards? Are there alternative measures that should
be pursued, but which are better suited for action at a national
level?
(10) Is support needed for women when making
their choice of careers, and throughout their careers, to ensure
that there are sufficient candidates for board appointments? Is
this a matter for European-level action, or should it be a matter
for national governments?
(11) What does success look like? What should
be the ultimate goal with respect to women on boards across the
EU?
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