The CBI has welcomed the code, which encourages 30% female participation at board level.
Katja Hall, CBI chief policy director, said: “We strongly support the drive to get more women on boards and headhunters have a crucial role to play. “This voluntary code will encourage headhunters to work with companies to widen their search to reach beyond the usual suspects to produce more diverse long lists of candidates. Chairs really need to drive this process and ensure they do not over-emphasise existing boardroom experience and consider other transferable skills.
“We believe the best way of getting more women on boards is by allowing companies to report on internally-set targets that reflect their business, culture and sector.”
The CBI’s own proposals for boosting the number of women on boards can be found in the report, Room at the Top, at: http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/room-at-the-top.pdf
