Female representation at the corporate top (IVOR nr. 126) 2022/5.4.2.4.1:5.4.2.4.1 Commitment from the top and tone at the top

Female representation at the corporate top (IVOR nr. 126) 2022/5.4.2.4.1

5.4.2.4.1 Commitment from the top and tone at the top

Deze functie is alleen te gebruiken als je bent ingelogd.Deze functie is alleen te gebruiken als je bent ingelogd.Deze functie is alleen te gebruiken als je bent ingelogd.

The results of the study indicate that commitment from the corporate top, especially the management board, is considered crucial for increasing the number of women on boards. Commitment from the corporate top is for instance exhibited by making diversity and inclusion a top priority and part of the company’s strategy, or by focusing specifically on this topic.

Interview participants indicated that they believe in tone at the top, meaning that if the top is more gender diverse the rest of the organization will follow suit, as is also illustrated by the following quotes:

“I am definitely convinced that for all complex change, and certainly with this subject, (…) tone at the top, and especially that of the CEO is important for achieving change.” (Prof.ServicesCo)

“If you see in an organization that half of your executives are women, then the rest will follow.” (ChemiCo)

It became evident during the study that several interview participants believed commitment from the top to be incredibly important. Some believed that commitment from the top is even more important than the interventions per se. Even if interventions are implemented, they will most likely not lead to increased female representation at the top, or elsewhere, if there is no commitment from the top. The following quotes are illustrative hereof:

“You can have so much policy, and I really know that policy is good. (…) But I have also seen that even when you have so much policy, if there are people on the supervisory board or executive board who do not find it relevant or don’t really find it very important, then policy is of no use.” (ITCo)

“I really believe that with all the policies in the world you are not going to solve this. (…) We design those policies, those procedures. (…) On top of that, it’s up to us. It simply depends on the partners who are there now, on the leadership that is there now. (…) They have to do it. Because if they don’t do it, then we can still make a policy, but then, of course that doesn’t help at all.” (Prof.ServicesCo)

This finding indicates that even when interventions are implemented, commitment from the top is ultimately more important for increasing the number of women at the corporate top than the interventions as such.

Deze functie is alleen te gebruiken als je bent ingelogd.