A greater pool of qualified women candidates exists today than ever before. Not so long ago, almost no women were considered qualified to be members of a corporate board. The 2000 Catalyst Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners reveals that women comprised 12.5 percent of the corporate officer ranks of Fortune 500 companies. Women are nearly half the managerial workforce. They hold 49 percent of managerial and professional specialty positions.
Women are shareholders.
Using their own resources, women make up over 40 percent of investors. Several other developments are putting increasing pressure on companies to deepen and diversify their pool of board candidates. Companies are increasingly emphasizing director independence. Corporations are recognizing that boards can benefit from diverse perspectives , particularly in light of the challenges and opportunities posed by technology and globalization. Read more about action steps companies and women can take in the most recent Perspective.