Although good progress has been made overall, nearly a fifth of boards have no ethnic minority member yet.

In a trend ‘deeply concerning’ to some, a number of major US firms, including Walmart and McDonald’s, plan to scale back their DEI practices.

Only 4% of new director roles went to ethnic minority candidates, down from nearly 30% two years ago, latest figures show.

With 14% of organisations reporting difficulty in finding diverse voices, it’s time to reframe the narrative.

Companies benefit from diverse workforces, but also from having the input of different opinions and ways of thinking.

Although there is some progress in diversity in other board roles, research suggests that boards are prioritising experienced directors.

But organisations that approach diversity, equity and inclusion from a compliance perspective fail to reap its benefits, research finds.

Meeting reporting responsibilities means boards are left with less time for strategic discussions, reveals annual survey.

Neglecting diversity and inclusion in volatile times will prove to be a false economy for boards in the longer term.

This year’s report shows that, although significant progress has been made, many companies have increased diversity through NED appointments.