By Andrew Hill
“Some of Europe’s biggest companies on Thursday responded to political pressure by publishing their targets for increasing the number of women in senior corporate roles and launching a database of female board candidates.
The twin initiatives – under the umbrella of the European Round Table of Industrialists – come just days before Viviane Reding, European Union justice commissioner, is set to give her assessment of corporate progress in bringing more women on to boards. Ms Reding had threatened legislation if by this month she judged progress was insufficient and will make a statement on Monday.”
Thirty-one companies have so far agreed to sign up to one or both ERT initiatives. They include Siemens, Total, Telefónica, BASF and Philips. Twenty-three of them on Thursday published their targets and timetable for increasing the percentage of executive or non-executive women.
STMicroelectronics’ president and chief executive Carlo Bozotti, who heads the ERT working group handling the initiatives, said that the organisation would have pressed ahead with its plans irrespective of the European commissioner’s imminent progress assessment.”
