Categories: Fortune

Three Factors That Are Organically Driving Board Diversity

The calls to diversify board leadership are justified for many reasons. First, it’s about time corporate leadership started looking like the rest of the employee base and the customers they serve. Second, diverse leadership can have a positive, cascading effect on inclusion and company culture. It has also proven to lead to better decision-making and more profitability.

The value companies are seeing from board diversity is not merely from the presence of a woman or person of color. Today’s newest board members bring different skill sets and commit more time to the job. More than any regulations, these needs are going to help improve representation on corporate boards in the years to come.

Friso van der Oord, senior vice president at the National Association for Corporate Directors, told Fortune that board turnover has gone up lately and he expects it to increase due the urgent need for board members with more free time and wider-ranging skills.

The emergence of ESG has also come through in recent board appointments, van der Oord shared. NACD analysis of MyLogIQ data found that the presence of board members with ESG backgrounds has doubled since 2018, from 6% to 12%, and HR or human capital nearly has as well, growing from 6% to 11% in their presence on boards. Those with technology expertise increased from 34% to 43%.

admin

Recent Posts

‘Mission First:’ Military Directors More Likely to Hold CEOs Accountable

Boards have been steadily reinforcing their ranks through the addition of more directors with military…

2 months ago

Boards Consider Politically Connected Directors Under New Administration

Governance Professionals Caution Against Knee-Jerk Reactions to Shifting Political Winds Meta Platforms added Dana White,…

2 months ago

Let It Snow: CEOs with Cozy Pay and Cold Returns

Where CEO pay climbed and performance sank last year Danaher and United Parcel Service were…

3 months ago

How Boards Can Craft a Next-Level AI Strategy for 2025

As artificial intelligence grows more accessible, boards may have no choice but to embrace it…

3 months ago

Director Details: Who’s at the Table in 2024

A look at the demographics and skills of S&P 500 directors. Corporate boards have greater…

3 months ago

Long-Tenured Independent Directors Lower Litigation, Activist Risks

Companies with independent directors who've served on the board for more than 15 years are…

3 months ago