ASX500 companies with women directors deliver higher returns to shareholders
Monday, October 10, 2011
Key findings
- Over three and five year periods, ASX500 companies with women directors delivered significantly higher return on equity (ROE) than those companies without any women on their boards.
- 6.7 per cent higher over a three year period.
- 8.7 per cent higher over a five year period.
- The highest number of women on an ASX500 board is four.
- 267 companies, 47 per cent, or ASX500 companies have no female board representation, compared with almost 66 per cent last year.
- The average board has 6.2 people.
Who are our women leaders?
- The average age of women directors on ASX200 boards is 52.2, which is up slightly from last year’s average of 50.3.
- More than one third of women directors on the ASX200 studied Commerce or Economics as part of their undergraduate degrees. New backgrounds included this year include Pharmacy and Town Planning.
- Women hold 9.5 per cent of ASX500 board positions, up from 7.1% from last year.
- The ASX500 as a market has 235 unique women holding 307 director positions and 10 chairs roles.
- 20 per cent of female directors serve on more than one ASX500 board whilst 12 per cent of their male counterparts serve on multiple boards.
The Reibey Institute is an independent, not-for-profit research centre, which provides non-judgemental insight and exploration of women’s leadership issues. It was founded by WOB members, Tina Brothers, who spent 15 years in financial services working in Sydney, Brisbane, London and New York with firms such as Macquarie Bank, UBS, Bank of New York, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Suncorp.
To visit the website go to: http://www.reibeyinstitute.org.au/
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