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Progress on board diversity slow and disappointing, says ACSI
It would take 11 years to reach the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI's) benchmark of two female directors on ASX200 boards at the current rate of progress, according to ACSI's latest audit into board diversity.
Rather than meeting the benchmark in 2014, it would not be realised until 2024, it said.
An additional 12 companies met the ACSI benchmark of at least two women on the board in 2013.
The audit showed that only 24 female directors were appointed in 2012, increasing overall numbers to 15.5 per cent or 230 positions. Over 25 per cent of the 164 individual women board members held multiple directorships.
Currently 66 per cent of ASX200 companies underperformed the ACSI board diversity benchmark set in 2010, but for the first time all ASX50 companies have at least one female board member.
ACSI found men held more than 1000 more board positions than women, while no company had a majority of women board members.
ACSI president Gerard Noonan said progress was too slow. He said it painted a disappointing picture of board diversity overall.
"Although there has been some progress, the rate at which change is taking place is incredibly slow," he said.
"Frankly, it is unacceptable.
"Surely there were more than 24 women available for appointment to board positions in the last year?" Noonan queried.
If the European Union directive on gender diversity was ratified, at the current rate of progress Australia would not achieve the benchmark of 40 per cent female board members until 2030, ACSI said.
Only 4 per cent of board chairs were women and the same percentage were chief executives, while the median company board was made up of six men and one women, according to ACSI.
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