Women Lose Ground on New Board Seats for First Time in 8 Years
- Men took 72 percent of vacant seats on Fortune 500 boards
- Three-quarters of new directors had previous board experience
A Step Back for Gender Equality in the Board Room
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After seven years of progress, gender equality has taken a step back in the board room. Just under 28 percent of the 431 open board seats in Fortune 500 companies were awarded to women in 2016, down from 30 percent the year before.
Last year saw the first decline since executive recruiter Heidrick & Struggles started tracking director appointments in 2009. At this rate, the firm says, women won’t make up 50 percent of directors until 2032.