Business Case for Diversity Drives Demand for Women Leaders

The business case for diversity is driving demand for a broader talent pool, and especially for more women at executive and board level, according to Egon Zehnder. But “Many of the clients who we deal with in our day-to-day consulting activities are increasingly perplexed over the right path to follow to achieve greater diversity,” notes Egon Zehnder consultant Simone Stebler. According to the firm’s Global Board Diversity Analysis 2016 (GBDA), the average share of women on supervisory boards worldwide is currently at 18.5% versus 19.2 percent in Switzerland. How can companies boost this figure? “Consistent measures and customized development programmes targeting specific values with a ‘Comply or Explain’ approach, for example, could make a significant contribution in Switzerland,” notes Stebler.