Gender diversity at corporate board level is a driving force for company performance resulting in better quality decision making and a better use of the talent pool. A diverse leadership team means diverse opinions, ultimately resulting in more refined results.

The facts speak for themselves:

• 17 percentage-point higher stock price growth ("Women matter" by McKinsey (2007)) 
• 41% higher return on equity (“Women at the top of corporations: Making it happen” by McKinsey (2010))
• 26% better share price performance (Credit Suisse Institute (2012))

Conference Content

The focus of the conference will be the Gender Quota Directive and its implications for company performance. The proposed directive has the support of all EU Commissioners holding economic portfolios. It sets an objective of a 40% presence of the under-represented sex among non-executive directors of large companies listed on stock exchanges. This objective should be met by 2020 for publicly listed companies and by 2018 for public undertakings. The European Parliament and the Council will start their discussions on the proposed Directive in the next days with a view to adopting the proposal by the end of 2013. Both institutions stand on equal footing, with the Council voting by qualified majority and the Parliament by simple majority.

Speakers

We are delighted that EU Commission Vice-President Reding who proposed the quota legislation and Monika Queisser, Head of Social Policy Division at OECD have confirmed their presence at the conference. Yvonne Beiertz, Partner Spencer Stuart Associates will deliver a presentation. Furthermore contributions will be made by Sybilla Dekker, President of Talent to the Top Foundation and former Minister of Infrastructure and Environment of Netherlands, Dr. Juliane Hilf, Partner Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Kounenaki-Efraimoglou, Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) and representatives of the Confederations of Norwegian and Czech Enterprises.  

The debate will be moderated by Alison Smale, Chief Executive Editor of the International Herald Tribune.

Why you should attend

This timely event will provide you with ample opportunity to exchange views on the subject with our speakers and will provide you with valuable input and perspectives on the key topic of gender quotas.

Attendance

Please confirm your interest in attending by 22nd March to denisa.kuchtikova@ep.europa.eu