The GCC Board Directors Institute, in collaboration with the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute, the Hong Kong Institute of Directors, the Mauritius Institute of Directors, the Institute of Directors New Zealand, and the Institute of Directors South Africa, completed a global webinar series that addressed key themes and issues surrounding women in governance roles.
Corporate Governance and Why Gender Matters, Women on Boards, and Corporate Governance Policies that Support Women were among the topics covered in the three webinars.
Mr. Robert Riley, BP’s retiring Chairman and CEO, Ms. Helen Brand, ACCA’s cEO, and Mr. Ada Chung, Hong Kong’s Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, were among the keynote speakers.
Valls Jane Executive Director GCC BDI
“Women aspire to leadership positions in various sectors of the economy, including government, public and private companies. However, they often face many challenges which prevent them from taking on leadership positions, Our new series has helped to raise and explore the most pressing issues around women in governance and help steer the conversation in the right direction.”
The online Women in Governance Series, which took place in July and August and drew senior directors from all around the world, examined the critical roles women play in governance, their value, and how society can support more women in leadership roles, particularly with boardroom access.
In addition, Ms. Kamla Rampersad de Silva, CEO at Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute, commented that “We all know the benefits of having more women directors. But still, though some progress has been made, many corporations are failing to act. And in some cases, women themselves are failing to take advantage of opportunities. Discussing exactly why these challenges continue to exist has helped us to explore some of the solutions to the problem.”
Ms. Parmi Natesan, CEO at The Institute of Directors South Africa, stated, “Our notion of good corporate culture has evolved significantly over the last decade. But many organizations are still falling short and failing to reach their true potential. We are thrilled to have been part of a conversation which has helped to educate bosses about the value women can bring to boards and the impact gender parity can have on bottom lines.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Sheila Ujoodha, CEO at Mauritius Institute of Directors, said: “Challenges to women aspiring to reach leadership roles are truly global. And they need a global response. By gathering thought leaders and experts in this field, GCC BDI’s series has demonstrated several universal trends. We now look forward to working with our international counterparts to solve some of the issues.”
