 |
Sharon Bowles MEP |
Sharon Bowles MEP backs controversial quotas for women
Lib Dem MEP Sharon Bowles has today voted in favour of forcing large companies to have more women directors on their boards.
A proposed new EU law, backed by the European Parliament, would require public companies employing more than 250 people to have at least 40% of their non-executive directors from each gender.
The proposals will now be considered by EU governments.
Ms Bowles, who also chairs the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, said:
"Less than 20% of non-executive directors in Britain are women and this is a problem.
"The banking crisis showed us what happens when the people running our economy are drawn from a tiny pool of men who all know each other and protect each other's interests.
"We need legislation to change the culture of big business and make sure we are using all of the talent in our workforce.
"You cannot build a stronger economy if only half of the population gets considered for the top jobs at FTSE 100 companies."
ENDS