Gender boardroom pledge sought by Childers

Published: Thursday, May 12, 2011

By Jacqueline Purse

Nessa Childers has urged the top 100 Irish publically-listed companies to sign the EU Commission's "Women on the Board Pledge".

Speaking at a meeting with the Vice President of the European Commission, Viviane Reding, and the German Minister of Social Affairs, Ursula von der Leyen, Ms Childers said: "This pledge represents a commitment to increase women's presence on corporate boards to 30% by 2015 and to 40% by 2020.

Ms Childers said the Irish people needed to be protected from any future economic crashes. The MEP said the "groundbreaking initiative" represented "a shift in
attitude of public representatives all over Europe, a shift away from the macho culture, cronyism, and golf buddy trips that are such a key feature of corporate Ireland.

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