[Brussels, 15 October 2015]
The European Women’s Lobby ongoing work to ensure that parity at all levels of decision-making becomes reality recently saw the publication of their Second Progress Report on Women on Boards. The report: Women on Boards Cracks in the Glass Ceilling or Just a trick of the Light? tracks developments, progress, and stagnation regarding women on company boards in 11 European countries, including Italy, since the EWL’s first Progress Report on Women on Boards in 2012.
Continuing the work on Women on Boards, the EWL and PwC invite you to join our joint conference on Gender Equality in business on the 21st of October at the European Parliment titled:
‘Changing the Game: Gender Equality in Business’
21 October 2015,
Hosted by Catherine Bearder, MEP
11.45 – 13.30pm followed by sandwich lunch
European Parliament (Brussels), PHS building, room P5 B001
The issue of gender equality in business has received much more focus over the past few years with a number of initiatives proposed by the European Commission.
In September 2010 the European Commission adopted its Strategy for Equality between Women and Men (2010-2015) and announced that it was considering using “targeted initiatives to get more women into top jobs in decision-making”. The first steps towards action were taken on 1 March 2011 when Viviane Reding, then the EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, launched the “Women on the Board Pledge for Europe”.
But what has happened since the publication of that pledge? In pursuit of a better balance of women and men on company boards the Commission set a target for 2020 of having at least 40% representation from each gender as non-executive directors and in its 2014 report on equality between women and men the European Commission found that gender equality still remains very much an “unfinished business”.
‘The Women on Boards’ Directive, which is expected to be adopted by early 2016, is a step, however, to the Commission reaching its ‘target’.
Are quotas a starting point? What initiatives are necessary to increase women leaders in business?
A panel of experts will consider these issues and discuss possible steps that the EU, national policy makers, as well as businesses could take to ensure that the EU meets its gender diversity targets for 2020.
Agenda
10.45h registrations (at the accreditation center of the EP)
11.45h Welcome speech by Catherine Bearder MEP
12.00h Roundtable moderated by Joanna Maycock (Secretary General EWL)
• Daniela Bankier, Head of Gender Equality Unit, European Commission
• Representative of Business & Professional Women Europe (BPWE)
• Sarah Haslam, Product Development Team at Ford Motor Group
• Gillian Lord, Partner for Regulatory Affairs, PwC
13.00h Key note speech Sirpa Pietikainen MEP
13.15h Concluding remarks Catherine Bearder MEP
13.30h Sandwich lunch
Registrations closed, please enter with an EP badge.
