Boosting Women’s Representation in Corporate Boardrooms

Cassie Burr, co-founder and executive director of the Women on Boards Project, is working to increase the number of women serving on corporate boards.

This post originally appeared in Entrepreneur by Amanda Breen.

Despite research showing women drive 70-80% of consumer purchasing decisions and companies with at least one woman on their board have a higher return on equity, women only occupy 20% of board seats globally.

Burr argues the issue isn’t a lack of qualified women leaders, as many organizations claim, the real challenge lies in organizations being too rigid in their definition of “board-ready” candidates and failing to take chances on first-time directors.

In its first year, the Women on Boards Project helped 20 private consumer companies add women to their boards. Burr says private companies have more flexibility to redefine what it means to serve on a board, focusing on having a voice and being paid rather than just voting rights.

Burr advises organizations to avoid the pitfall of “onlyness” on their boards, ensuring diverse representation that reflects their consumer base. She encourages companies to look beyond the traditional mold and consider passionate, gritty first-time directors with highly relevant expertise.

With 60 women connected to board roles so far, the Women on Boards Project continues working to accelerate gender parity in the boardroom. Burr is on a mission to challenge the outdated mindsets holding women back from these influential positions.

Please head over to Entrepreneur to read the full post by Amanda Breen.