Red tape and diversity giving boards a headache

Despite an increase in economic confidence, one-third of boards will fail to meet the gender target for women.

Strength in diversity. Photo: OregonDOT, Flickr.
Economic confidence is improving, but uncertainty around the UK’s continued membership of the EU and a reduction in red tape are strong concerns in the latest FT–ICSA Boardroom Bellwether report.
The biannual survey, which shows how boards are responding to the challenges of the economy and the wider business and social climate, also found that one-third of boards do not now expect to meet the target of 25% women on boards by the end of 2015—the most pessimistic result since December 2012.
Rowena Ironside, chair of Women on Boards UK, said: "Reduced red tape is the manifesto commitment most companies want, according to the survey.
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