Women on board presentation 2013

Women on BoardpresentationNovember 2013

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1. Why more women on board ?2. Who are we ?3. Our members4. Challenges 2012 – 20145. Contact

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1. Why more women on Board ?

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Because women represent :

•Half the market

•Half the workforce

•Half the talent

Women represent a huge underexploited reservoir of talent !

In Belgium, the share of women among tertiary students amounts to 54,9%, slightly lower than the EU-27 average of 55,2 %. The percentage of women in humanities & Arts amounts to 59% and is of 30% in maths, sciences & computing (Source : Eurostat – last available year 2007)

Today’s situation in Belgium

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Proportion of women on the Boards in Europe

Source : McKinsey's Women Matter 2012: Realizing the breakthrough.

1. Why more women on Board ?

1. Why more women on Board ?

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Significant analysis confirms that companies with a higher proportion of women in their executive committees are also the companies that have the best performance. While this link does not demonstrate causality, it does provide a strong factual basis to continue to argue in favor of greater gender diversity in corporate top management.

The 2008 Women Matter study demonstrated that some leadership behaviors, observed more frequently among women than among men, have a positive impact on a company’s organizational performance. Ultimately, this study highlighted that the complementarity and diversity of leadership styles make a difference on companies’ performance.”

1. Why more women on Board ?

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Their positive contribution to a Board :

-Diversity of perspectives-Innovation-Creativity-Performance-Governance

there is a positive link between PERFORMANCE and GENDER BALANCE

1. Why more women on Board ?

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This positive link between performance & gender balance is proven by – at least - 2 studies:

CATALYST REPORT (US Research organisation) “Linking Performance and Gender Balance on the Board” – October 2007: Fortune 500 companies with 3 or more women on the Board gain a significant performance advantage over those with the fewest + 73% return on sales+ 83% return on equity+ 112% return on invested capital

McKINSEY REPORT: “Women Matter: Gender Diversity, a corporate performance driver” - 2008Similar findings come from the McKinsey Report, with those companies with the most women on their senior team showing superior growth in equity, operational results and share price. If at least a third of the senior team is made up of women, then companies outperform those with no women on 9 criteria of organisational excellence.

1. Why more women on Board ?

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“At three members of the board, the benefits of women start to make a real difference. But which comes first: the relatively large number of leading women or the type of corporate culture that facilitates a broader leadership? Well, argues a VP at the source of one of the studies, does it matter?”

Some companies act like Deutsche Telekom imposing quota’s for female managers (30% at top and middle management in 2015) :

“This is not about hiring women just for the sake of hiring women but about achieving a competitive edge by tapping into talent.”

Women on Board asbl - vzw Created in December 2009

With the financial support of the Belgian Institute for The Equality of Women and Men (IEFH/IGVM) for the launch phase (2009-2010), of cabinet Marcours (Wallonia) for 2011 and of the Ministry of Economy of Region Brussels Capital for 2011 and 2012.

Objective : to promote access of women to directorship roles in Belgian enterprises, public and private

Primary goals :

• create a pool of women candidates board members • Introduce the concept of competences and skills• Take initial action to promote the initiative and facilitate access of Belgian

enterprises to this pool.

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2. Who are we ?

Mission & Vision

Our mission: provide visibility to capable and motivated women to stimulate diversity in the boards

Our vision : provide female talents to boards

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2. Who are we ?

Founding membersSonja Rottiers, Chair Woman CFO, AXA Belgium Françoise Roels, Vice Chair Woman

Secretary General, Cofinimmo

Cécile Coune, Vice Chair Woman CEO, Aviabel Marie Evrard, Secretary

Partner, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP

Emmanuèle Attout, Treasurer Partner, PwC

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2. Who are we ?

• Jean-Claude Ettinger, Prefessor Emeritus, Solvay Business School ULB and President, Cap Innove• Philippe Lambrechts, Director & Secretary General FEB/VBO• Dirk Tirez, General Secretary & Group Counsel, bpost

Board members:5 ladies and 3 men

Women on Board’s functioning

• Board of Directors: strategy and action towards Women on Board goals (bylaws). 3 men have joined the board since the beginning of 2012.

• Admission Committee: advise the board on candidate members according to the core competencies profile

• Advisory Board (to be created in a second step): to consult with the Board of Directors on all factors which may influence the purpose of the Association.

• Members (Founders, Talent Pool, Sympathizers)

• Sponsors (Diamond, Gold, Silver)

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2. Who are we ?

Women on Board’s Belgian talents (160 members on 29/10/2013)

3. Our members

3. Our membersWomen on Board’s Belgian talents

(160 members on 29/10/2013)

Success stories"Thanks to Women on Board we could quickly identify the right person to achieve the gender diversity we decided to bring to our board : efficient, professional and reliable !” Pierre H.Rion Ir.Chairman of the BoardEVS Broadcast Equipment SA

“When looking for new board members, we found at Women on Board high level potential candidates with pertinent corporate governance views and significant business experience. We had the pleasure to enrich our board team with two qualitative persons, after a seamless evaluation process from both sides.” Thierry JanssenExecutive ChairmanRealDolmen

“Being a member of “Women on Board” has given me the opportunity to be appointed as director of the Board of a family-owned business and to benefit from all the events and trainings organized by the Association. This clearly contributed to increasing my professionalism and my network. It’s a great experience ! “Catherine AlexandreVP Internal & Sustainability CommunicationsDelhaize Group

“In only 5 days, Women on Board put us in contact with a number of interesting persons with great track record for our Board. The organisation is very efficient. We are really ambassadors of this initiative. “Anneleen Desmyter Partner, Quares

Increase pool to 300 members by end 2014 Increase number of sponsors Mentoring programme – second edition 2013-2014 Meet chairmen of Bel 20 companies Support adoption of diversity label by the government Advertize vacant board positions Make entreprises more aware and leverage more support from them

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4. Challenges 2013-2014

5. Women on Board asbl - vzw

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Website : www.womenonboard.beemail : [email protected]

Women on Board asbl/vzwL’Arsenal Boulevard Louis Schmidt 29B-1040 Bruxelles

Contact presseGunther De [email protected]+32 475 903 909