50/50 WOMEN ON BOARDS KICKS OFF SECOND ANNUAL 50 WOMEN TO WATCH FOR BOARDS CAMPAIGN

Groundbreaking Initiative Aims to Close the Gender Gap in Corporate Boardrooms by Spotlighting Board-Ready Women, Fostering a More Diverse and Inclusive Corporate Landscape

LOS ANGELES, March 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 50/50 Women on Boards™ (50/50WOB), the leading global nonprofit education and advocacy organization driving the movement toward gender balance and diversity on corporate boards, kicks-off  its second annual 50 Women to Watch for Boards campaign on International Women's Day.

"We are steadfast in our mission of amplifying women in the pipeline for corporate board leadership," stated Heather Spilsbury, CEO of 50/50 Women on Boards. "Our inaugural year saw significant achievements, with five finalists from our 2023 cohort earning positions on public company boards. This year, we are focused on furthering our impact by providing continued opportunities for our finalists to expand their networks and visibility for board candidacy."

According to 50/50 Women on Boards' 2023 Q4 Gender Diversity Index Research, 43 percent of Russell 3000 Index companies still have two or fewer women on their boards. Women currently hold only 29.4 percent of corporate board seats, a mere 1.4 percentage point increase from the previous year, signaling a significant slowdown in women's board appointments compared to previous years. The 50 Women to Watch for Boards campaign addresses this disparity by providing corporations, nominating and corporate governance committee chairs, and recruiters access to a curated list of highly accomplished women ready to serve on public company boards. This initiative aims to combat the misconception that there are not enough qualified women candidates available.

Applications are now open with a submission deadline of April 30, 2024. Women with the qualifications to serve on a public company board, but not yet serving on a publicly traded board are encouraged to apply. Individuals may recommend women in their networks, who will then receive an invitation to apply. To be eligible for the 50 Women to Watch for Boards list, candidates must be based in North America.

Sponsored by EY, Mastercard and McKesson, the final 50 will be chosen by an elite selection committee composed of public company Chairs of the Board, Nominating Governance Committee Chairs and Stock Exchange Leaders in the U.S. Mexico and Canada, including: Maria Ariza, CEO of BIVA; Gabriella Halasz-Clarke, VP, Governance Solutions, Nasdaq; James D. White, Board Chair, The Honest Company; Joe Hurd, Non-Executive Director, Lloyd's of London; John Driver, Chairman and CEO, Lynx Technology; Janet Wong, Independent Board Director, Lucid; Maria Contreras, 24th Administrator, U.S. Small Business Association, Zions Bancorporation; Nicole Rosenberg, Vice President, Governance and Stability, TMX; Kris Pederson, EY Americas, Center for Board Matters Leader, EY; Ariana Bourassa, Head, Sustainability and ESG Strategy, TMX. The Selection Committee is appointed to nominate the 50 women who demonstrate the highest level of qualifications and potential to serve on a public company board.

Finalists will receive unparalleled public exposure and visibility, access to board-readiness programs, and participate in speaking engagements, and provided opportunities to expand their networks by meeting with corporate directors. For more information or to submit, please visit 5050wob.com. 

About 50/50 Women on Boards (50/50WOB)
50/50 Women on Boards™ (50/50WOB) is the leading global nonprofit education and advocacy campaign driving the movement toward gender balance and diversity on corporate boards. Since 2010 the campaign has published its 50/50 Women on Boards Gender Diversity Index™ directory and research reports to track the gender and racial diversity of Russell 3000 company board directors. Educational programs and advocacy efforts produced by 50/50WOB include its annual Global Conversation on Board Diversity™, year-round board-readiness educational workshops for individuals and corporate groups, and the Networking Hub for alumni to connect to experts and corporate directors in support of their board journey. For more information visit: 5050wob.com or contact [email protected].

SOURCE 50/50 Women on Boards