In 1989, the Board Appointments Committee was formed to address the dwindling number of women on corporate boards. EWNJ believes women should have the same opportunities in corporate boardrooms as their male colleagues. However, progress has been very slow.
In 1998, women held only 11.1 percent of the total number of board seats in Fortune 500 companies. In 2005, the number of women on corporate boards increased to approximately 16 percent but has not changed over the past three years.
Although New Jersey based Fortune 500 companies have more female directors and officers than the national average, there are a significant number of major companies in New Jersey with only one female director or no women on the board at all. To address these issues, the EWNJ performs the following:
- Maintains a database of qualified women candidates
- Identifies and recommends qualified women for openings on corporate and non-profit boards
- Allies with regional and national executive women groups seeking board appointment recommendations
- Networks and assists corporations and CEOs in increasing the number of opportunities for women on boards
- Salutes and honors companies demonstrating a commitment to female leadership in their company
The Next Step- Over the next few months, the Board Appointments Committee (BAC) will work closely with the Governor's Office regarding government boards, commissions and authority opportunities.
- The BAC will aid in preparing women for board opportunities through leadership breakfasts and roundtable luncheon seminars that provide insight about board culture starting with how to get on a corporate board to what really happens inside the board room.
- The BAC will aid in increasing and enhancing women's knowledge base regarding board appointments through routine newsletters and press releases found on this website entitled "The Board Room".
- The BAC will target regional and national Fortune 500 companies with fewer than 2 women on their board and approach them about our services.
Angela Foster, Chair
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