Women on Boards: is there a case for legislative intervention?

• Parliament TV: Women on Boards
• Inquiry: Gender balance in the boardroom
• EU Sub-Committee B - Internal Market, Infrastructure and Employment

Witnesses:

Government officials:

• Helene Reardon-Bond, Head of Gender Equality Policy and Inclusion, and Jonathan Rees, Director General, Gender Equalities Office
• Caroline Normand, Deputy Director for Corporate Governance, and Helen Whitehead, Assistant Director

Lord Davies of Abersoch

In this first evidence session of the Committee’s current inquiry, the Committee will question witnesses about the case for EU involvement in gender diversity policies, and the point at which the Government would consider legislative intervention to be necessary. The GEO and BIS will be asked about benefits of a UK-style voluntary, business-led approach rather than legislative intervention, as well as whether governance reforms could achieve better boardroom gender balance.

Lord Davies of Abersoch, whose report Women on Boards argues against quotas in the UK, will face questions about whether the approach he proposes – with voluntary targets and business engagement – can and should be EU level. He will also be asked how EU Member States can be encouraged to engage with the issue at hand, in the process overcoming varying European corporate cultures to make diversity an integral part of policy and practice in the area.

Further information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees