The Magazine of Corporate Responsibility

Tag Archive for ‘Women’

“Business in Society” Program Covers CSR Issues on TV

A new television/video program, “Business In Society,” delivering news and analysis on how business is addressing global society’s macro problems — among them, the environment, energy conservation, and women’s empowerment — debuts Saturday, March 30th, 2013.

Women in the C-Suite: Finding Ways to Break the ‘Seal’

Even though the business case for increasing the number of women in senior management and on corporate boards has been made – successfully – columnist Gael O’Brien wonders why there hasn’t been more progress in making it happen. The answer, she suggests, may lie in the “self-seal” that often surrounds organizations and their leaders.

Gender Composition of Boards Important for Competitiveness

A top Ernst & Young executive says that by not recruiting more women to corporate boards, U.S.-headquartered businesses are encouraging a “brain drain,” as women join the boards of non-U.S. competitors. It’s time, she says, for corporate leaders in America to “take advantage of the power of diverse views from leaders who don’t think, act or look like themselves.”

Women Advancing to the C-Suite: Why So Difficult?

For women seeking to advance in greater numbers to CEO and board roles, gender diversity continues to move at a tortoise pace. At Fortune 500 companies, women still represent only 3.6 percent of CEOs and hold only 16 percent of board seats. Improving on that, says columnist Gael O’Brien, will require a leadership of engagement.

Have We Placed Too Much Faith in Corporate Governance Reform?

Across the globe, the trend toward corporate governance reform continues in response to the global financial crisis and to the opening of markets in developing economies. But consultants for the executive search firm Spencer Stuart think some of that may be overdone. “Governance regulation plays a valuable role,” they write, “but those who elevate its standing to that of corporate savior are exaggerating its power.”

Why You Need to Retain Women: The Business Case for Gender Diversity

Author Caroline Turner suggests that enrolling others in creating a culture of inclusion requires that you present a clear business case that fits your industry and organization. “It requires,” she writes, “that the leaders of your organization understand the business value of inclusion and gender diversity.”

Women in the Boardroom: Should the U.S. Have Quotas?

Columnist Gael O’Brien says the U.S. has failed to show leadership in gender diversity on corporate boards, raising questions about what it can learn from other countries that have imposed quotas for women directors. While quotas can stir up discomfort, she writes, there’s a “complacency, even smugness” about boardroom diversity in the U.S. that argues in favor of requiring companies to take action.

Women and Leadership: Roadmaps for the Journey

Acquiring the skills needed for leadership isn’t easy for members of either sex. But for women who pursue careers in companies, there is the daunting reality that unless you start your own business, a leadership role can be hard to come by. Columnist Gael O’Brien speaks with McKinsey consultant and author Joanna Barsh about her research into “centered leadership” and how it might help accelerate the leadership journey for women.

Women in the Board Room: Change Comes Slowly

Mounting documentation on the extent of gender inequity has brought with it the attendant media attention that opens boardroom doors. As a result, writes columnist Gael O’Brien, the work of Nominating Committees has been moved into the public domain. Politicians, governments, investors, activist groups and others are saying things have to change.

Opinion: When Women Rule the C-Suite

I have a theory. It is that once women rule the “C-suite,” corporate social responsibility (CSR) will become the norm for U.S. business. Why? Call me sexist, but I think that helping others is a function of nurturing and comes more naturally to women than it does to men.