Lessons learned – The Norwegian Experience, Example for a European Gender quota?
08.02.2012, 10h00 - 13h00, public debate
Venue: Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rue Montoyer 47, Brussels
On average 12% of board members of the largest publicly quoted companies in Europe are women, only 3% are leaders of corporate boards. How to break the glass ceiling and finally increase the gender balance at European corporate boards?
With “Women on the Board Pledge for Europe” EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding calls on large companies in Europe to increase the women’s presence on the board level to 30% by 2015 and to 40% by 2020. Should this self-regulatory initiative not bear fruit until March 2012, the Commissioner considered legislative provisions by the EU later this year.
In Norway, this exercise already succeeded. Since 2009, 40% of company board members are female. Which lessons can the EU learn from its Nordic neighbour and does the Norwegian experience serve as an example for a European Gender quota?
Against this background the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung EU Office organised a public debate on "Lessons learned – The Norwegian Experience, Example for a European Gender quota?”, to discuss with Gunn Karin Gjul, Head of Family and Cultural Committee in the Norwegian Parliament, experts and representatives of the European Institutions as well as trade unions, companies and NGOs the advantages and challenges of a European quota for women in boards.
The event was organized in cooperation with Kerstin Westphal (MEP).
Contact: Friederike.Kamm(at)fes-europe.eu
