Is gender diversity in the boardroom an EU issue?
The House of Lords EU Sub Committee looking at the representation of women on company boards will quiz investment and equality organisations on Monday 2 July about approaches to boardroom diversity.
Women's equality experts will face questions from the Committee about issues such as what the target percentage of women on boards should be and whether the EU should introduce legislative quotas to achieve this. The Committee will then question investment associations about the attitudes of investors across Europe to diversity, touching on issues such as how engagement with gender balance in boardrooms varies across Member States and whether companies that have more diverse boards are more attractive to investors.
At 4.05pm, the Committee will hear from:
- Scarlet Harris, TUC Women's Equality Officer;
- Karen Jochelson, Director of Economy & Employment Programme, Equality and Human Rights Commission;
- Dr Annette Lawson OBE, Chair of the National Alliance of Women's Organisations; and
- Professor Sylvia Walby OBE, UNESCO Chair in Gender Research, Lancaster University.
Immediately following, at 5.00pm, the Committee will question:
- Liz Murrall, Director, Corporate Governance and Reporting, Investment Management Association;
- Joanne Segars, Chief Executive, National Association of Pension Funds Ltd; and
- Otto Thoresen, Director General, Association of British Insurers.
The evidence sessions will take place on Monday 2 July in Committee Room 2 of the House of Lords and will be webcast live at www.parliamentlive.tv.
The evidence session is also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.
