Making Diverse Boards
More Effective Boards

Representation matters, but inclusion is the next step.

Boards are now striving for more than targets when it comes to representation and more than acceptance when it comes to inclusion. They’re recognizing they need directors who bring a mix of perspectives to the boardroom and a culture that integrates these views into every decision the board makes. Many are discovering that building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive board is an ongoing journey, with moments that inspire them to rethink some of their own practices and beliefs.

Every board’s journey will be different, and the 2022–2023 Global Board Diversity Tracker captures the progress that has been made and offers a view of what the destination can look like. We have seen boards that have reached, or come close to, gender parity shift their focus to identify diversity, including race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, education, experience, and disabilities. Now, their attention must move to inclusion.

Egon Zehnder has been tracking diversity on boards for 18 years. We are actively part of ensuring that organizations are not only bringing more diversity into the boardroom, but also adapting their cultures to be more inclusive—to help diverse boards be more effective boards.