Women On Track to Achieve Parity on Corporate Boards by 2062


According to Catalyst, women represented 15.2% of S&P 500 directors in 2008, and made up 19.2% in 2014. Progress at smaller companies has been slightly better; the Russell 3000 companies’ directors were 22 percent female in 2014, double the proportion we were in 2008. Men of color are ridiculously underrepresented as well. In the Fortune 100, African American, Asian Pacific and Latino men fill a respectively dismal 7,1.9 and 3.5% of all board seats, according to the Alliance for Board Diversity.
By my back of the envelope calculations, at its current pace the S&P 500 will reach gender parity by…2062. Come on, self-nominating boards of directors! We’re not even seeking dominance, just parity. As Bette Davis said*, “I’ve no time for broads who want to rule the world alone. Without men, who’d do up the zipper on the back of your dress?” She’d have made a great director.
We look forward to doing more outreach to our portfolio companies on board diversity and filing proposals as appropriate in the months and years ahead.
 
*Or possibly Mae West. The Internets are unclear.