Gender quotas for company boards are becoming a totemic issue of gender diversity policy in today's labour market. Throughout the Western world many countries are experimenting with compulsory gender diversity measures for board rooms. The European Union as a whole is considering to make such quotas obligatory. This book analyses the EU proposal and brings together the experiences of countries that have, to various degrees, taken the road towards formalising gender balance in the board room. It offers a critical context to these evolutions by testing the presumptions of the quotas drive on two key fronts: their relation to corporate governance and their compatibility with non-discrimination law. As the gender composition of company boards is gaining widespread attention, this book offers a timely analysis and useful perspectives that will inform both proponents and opponents. Blending disciplines as well as countries, this book will appeal to anyone with a professional interest in the topic, in particular lawyers, management consultants, and policy makers.

Gender quotas for company boards are becoming a totemic issue of gender diversity policy in today's labour market. Throughout the Western world many countries are experimenting with compulsory gender diversity measures for board rooms. The European Union as a whole is considering to make such quotas obligatory. This book analyses the EU proposal and brings together the experiences of countries that have, to various degrees, taken the road towards formalising gender balance in the board room. It offers a critical context to these evolutions by testing the presumptions of the quotas drive on two key fronts: their relation to corporate governance and their compatibility with non-discrimination law. As the gender composition of company boards is gaining widespread attention, this book offers a timely analysis and useful perspectives that will inform both proponents and opponents. Blending disciplines as well as countries, this book will appeal to anyone with a professional interest in the topic, in particular lawyers, management consultants, and policy makers.