THE Missing Voice On Your Business Board of Directors

Creating diversity in the board room has reached critical mass according to Bloomberg findings supported by Catalyst Census. According to Catalyst, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for women in the workplace, only 11% of corporate directors of Fortune 500 companies are women.

Over 25% of those companies do not have a single woman on their boards, and that is unacceptable in 2012. If women control $20 trillion of annual consumer spending decisions, what is the hold up? Yes, Europe is taking a stronger stance in making it uncomfortable for businesses who are not actively putting more women in C-suite leadership roles.

One such success has been in Norway. Quotas helped them to increase women in the boardroom by 44% in 2008, according to European Professional Women’s Network. The conversation is not about whether women are better than men. Because women are different, they bring an added-value to corporate boards that compliments the strengths currently secured there by men. The naked truth is, until we start have an honest discussion about this that is business focused, not social injustice focused, forward progress will be missed by all corporate boards.

The Proof Has Been Presented

1. Why is it that growth on corporate boards is growing elsewhere but not in the States?
2. Why is it that the proof shows that companies with more women on their boards outperform their rivals?
3. Why is it that corporations with at least three women directors have “notably stronger financial performance?”

What Do We Need To Do To Make This Happen Faster?

1. Is it going to take government mandates?
2. How can we change the culture and thinking which continually rewards traditional male networks?
3. What are they afraid of already?
4. Has this improved for other countries?

As women consumers, how willing are you to hold companies accountable for not having more women in C-suite leadership roles?  Women favor companies who place women in both leadership and governance positions.

Are you willing to use your “Social Voice” to bring attention and compliance to companies?

Why would we as women continue to support a company who ignores these simple straight forward facts? What are we as women willing to do to put visible pressure on companies to stop “playing games” when it comes to creating richer and robust representation that reflects their consumer audience? Here are “Women in Houston” who are making a difference at the Greater Houston Women Chamber of Commerce.

Image Credits: [Time] [Breakthrough Business Strategies radio]