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Gender equality on boards by 2020

First Minister joined by business leaders in call for equality.

Business leaders will join First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to encourage companies, third sector organisations and public sector bodies across the country to make a commitment that by 2020, 50 per cent of their board members will be women.

Virgin Moneyinvestment company Alliance Trust and communications agency Gate Interactive have now committed to the First Minister’s pledge to work towards equal gender balance on their boards by 2020.

Representatives from the companies will join Ms Sturgeon at Napier University to address 200 ambitious young people from across Scotland and hear their views on how to remove barriers and promote gender equality in the workplace.

As well as 16 private companies and 44 third sector organisations, 77 public bodies in Scotland are now signed up to the Partnership for Change.

Currently women make up just 38 per cent of regulated public bodies’ boards and are less likely to enter senior management positions. The latest figures show that men are also paid on average nine per cent more than women for doing the same job.

Speaking ahead of the event, Ms Sturgeon said:

“When I became First Minister back in November, I made it clear that one of the things I wanted to do in my time in office is make major and lasting progress towards true gender equality - towards shattering the glass ceiling for good and for all.

“I want to ensure that every person in this room, and across Scotland, is able to fulfil their potential. One of the ways we want to address this is by promoting gender balance on boards.

“That is why I am calling on business across Scotland to make the commitment to support equality and work towards achieving a 50/50 gender split on their boards by 2020.

“Today, for the cause of gender balance, is a real milestone. Already, there are 137 organisations signed up to this ground-breaking 50/50 pledge. I want them to be joined by many more in the months and years ahead.

“I am clear that gender equality is good for the economy as a whole. For Scotland, as for any nation, our greatest resource is our people. So we can’t afford to underuse the skill and talent of more than half of our population.

“My ambition for all of the young people in Scotland is that they will have a fair chance to succeed, and that they will know that if they work hard, and have the ability, there’s nothing to stop them realising their dreams.”

Katherine Garrett-Cox, Chief Executive, Alliance Trust said:

“Board room diversity is an essential component in building long term and sustainable businesses. This is an area that has been high on the agenda for some time, but as a society there’s still a lot of work to do. Initiatives like this are crucially important to raise the profile of this important issue, and we’re delighted to offer our support.”

Helen Hourston, Managing Director at The Gate said:

“The Gate are delighted to support the Partnership for change programme.

“As an organisation we already have an equal gender balance on our board, and within the organisation. Something that can be unusual within the digital and creative industries. It makes for diversity of opinion, more open discussions, better debate and ultimately better informed, decisions because not everyone is coming at things from the same angle.

“Equally, as a communications business, we’re trying to reach, engage and communicate with people from across society, and 50 per cent of them are likely to be women. Recognising, understanding and reflecting that diversity within our own business, just makes sense.”

 

Channel website: http://www.gov.scot/

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