Einde inhoudsopgave
Female representation at the corporate top (IVOR nr. 126) 2022/3.2.1
3.2.1 Legislative history of introducing gender quota
dr. mr. R.A. van ’t Foort-Diepeveen, datum 13-05-2022
- Datum
13-05-2022
- Auteur
dr. mr. R.A. van ’t Foort-Diepeveen
- JCDI
JCDI:ADS659191:1
- Vakgebied(en)
Ondernemingsrecht (V)
Ondernemingsrecht / Corporate governance
Voetnoten
Voetnoten
Wet ter bevordering van een evenwichtige verdeling van mannen en vrouwen op de kandidatenlijsten voor de verkiezingen, Belgisch Staatsblad 1 July 1994, 17681; P. Meier, ‘From laggard to leader: explaining the Belgian gender quotas and parity clause’, West European Politics, 2012, 35(2), p. 362-379, p. 362.
However, Norway and Iceland were the very first countries that adopted gender quota in the European Economic Area. See Senden & Kruisinga, Gender-balanced company boards in Europe, 2018, p. 9 and 54.
Kamerstukken 2010 – 2011, no. 53 – 211/001.
Levrau, in: Gender diversity in the Boardroom: Volume 1: The Use of Different Quota Regulations, 2017, p. 164; Senden, Utrecht Law Review, 2014, 10(5), p. 59; Boschma et al., Evaluatie Wet bestuur en toezicht, 2018a, p. 483.
Boschma et al., Evaluatie Wet bestuur en toezicht, 2018a, p. 483-484; Senden, Utrecht Law Review, 2014, 10(5), p. 59-60.
Boschma et al., Evaluatie Wet bestuur en toezicht, 2018a, p. 483-484; Senden, Utrecht Law Review, 2014, 10(5), p. 59-60.
Boschma et al., Evaluatie Wet bestuur en toezicht, 2018a, p. 483-484; Senden, Utrecht Law Review, 2014, 10(5), p. 59-60.
Kamerstukken 2010 – 2011, no. 53 – 211/001, p. 6.
Kamerstukken 2010 – 2011, no. 53 – 211/002, p. 5. See also Coen & Wyckaert, Tijdschrift voor Rechtspersoon en Vennootschap, 2016, p. 1031; Boschma et al., Evaluatie Wet bestuur en toezicht, 2018a, p. 485.
Kamerstukken 2010 – 2011, no. 53 – 211/002, p. 5. See also Coen & Wyckaert, Tijdschrift voor Rechtspersoon en Vennootschap, 2016, p. 1031; Boschma et al., Evaluatie Wet bestuur en toezicht, 2018a, p. 485.
Belgium has a long history when it comes to gender quota. In 1994, a Belgian quota was introduced for women on election lists for political positions.1 Belgium was also the first country in the EU to adopt mandatory gender quota.2
In August 2010, a legislative proposal was initiated for the introduction of a gender quota for management boards in Belgium.3 This proposal was adopted on 28 July 2011 after intense political debate.4 Criticism centered around the introduction of quota in combination with sanctions for non-compliance. Some political parties argued that it should be left to companies to voluntarily appoint more women to their boards.5 Others claimed that the introduction of a binding quota was justified given the fact that little progress had been made in increasing the number of women on boards in the past, and given that voluntary approaches had proven to be ineffective.6 Eventually the law was passed.7 The aim of introducing the quota was to eliminate the unequal gender representation in management boards within five years.8 The reason for introducing the quota was that it was seen as a company’s responsibility towards society and its stakeholders to have a diverse representation of men and women within its corporate top.9 Diverse representation is regarded as necessary for an optimal decision-making process because a broader variety of angles will be taken into account, which in turn increases the likelihood that the interests of all relevant stakeholders will be considered.10