'Women on Boards in Ireland 2015', details the findings of research carried out exclusively among 196 women members of the Institute of Directors in Ireland (IoD) in April / May 2015.
The report follows on from similar IoD research conducted with women members in 2013 and aims to find out about womens' experiences as a director to date, to seek their views on the obstacles, if any, that they may have faced in being appointed to boards, and on how gender diversity across boardrooms in Ireland can be improved.
Key results:
Awareness versus action
- 82% say awareness of importance of gender diversity has improved in Ireland
- Over 1 in 2 women claim gender diversity on boards is improving generally
- 27% of women say a ‘glass ceiling’ exists in certain sectors, up 9% since 2013
- 13% increase in level of priority placed on gender diversity in the boardroom
Women locked out of the boardroom?
- 57% believe women do not have equal access to information
- Majority say it is more difficult for women to become non-executive directors
- Interlocking directorships, lack of contacts and access, ‘male dominated’ boards - all barriers facing women in accessing the boardroom
- 62% say women more reluctant to go forward for board positions than men, up 19% since 2013
Changes needed
- 82% argue that women themselves need to take some responsibility for the low level of women on boards in Ireland
- 74% say rotation of board members needed to enable more women to be appointed to boards in Ireland
- Decreasing appetite for gender quotas to increase number of women on boards
