New seminar series aims to increase gender diversity on major FTSE boards
22nd February 2012
In response to Lord Davies’ 2011 report on the slow rate of progress towards gender diversity in FTSE 100 and 250 boardrooms, Cass Business School, part of City University London, and NCVO are pleased to announce a new initiative.
From April to June 2012 we will be running an invitation-only seminar series for outstanding female chief executives from the UK voluntary sector who are open to serving on private sector boards.
The sector's senior women typically bring a wide breadth of knowledge to the table – charities are leaders in accountability, demonstrating impact, building public trust, motivating staff, stakeholder engagement, and the need to produce high quality results to a strict bottom line. Often they do this in competitive and international environments.
NCVO has pulled together a group of outstanding women chief executives in the sector, and Cass is providing these individuals with a series of top-level seminars on a pro bono basis. The seminars will cover subjects key to private sector board work which differ in the voluntary sector, including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and the latest thinking in commercial strategy and governance.
The participants are:
- RNIB CEO Lesley-Anne Alexander,
- Action on Hearing Loss CEO Jackie Ballard,
- Canal and River Trust Vice Chair and Cass Senior Visiting Fellow Lynne Berry OBE,
- St John Ambulance CEO Sue Killen,
- Oxfam GB CEO Dame Barbara Stocking,
- Action for Children CEO Dame Clare Tickell,
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust CEO Julia Unwin CBE.
Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of NCVO, said:
“This initiative reflects a broad consensus across the main political parties and many business and investor groups in support of “responsible capitalism”. It is an excellent example of how we can practically support talented women with vast experience in the voluntary sector to get significant roles in companies across the UK. We were pleased to be involved in this programme from the very beginning as it addresses two key issues – gender equality across UK PLC and the contribution the voluntary sector can make to the decisions taken by our most successful companies.”
Cass Dean Richard Gillingwater CBE comments:
“The UK voluntary sector has a number of exceptional individuals who have proved themselves by leading complex, innovative and performance-oriented organisations delivering in turbulent environments. Some of these organisations operate in the toughest countries overseas; the turnover of some exceeds £100m. These chief executives have learned how to lead thousands of people in highly ethically conscious environments; how to earn and keep the public's trust and manage valuable brands; how to grapple with governments while preserving independence; and - fundamentally - how to thrive in an income-uncertain world while sticking close to purpose."
