In February 2011, the 2011 Davies Report called for substantial change in the boardrooms of the United Kingdom, noting a marked absence of women in boardrooms as non-executives. And while the report did not set mandatory quotas for women on U.K. boards, it suggested that FTSE 100 companies should strive to make their boards at least 25 percent female by 2015, with the expectation that many would achieve a higher figure than that.
While that was not quite achieved at the time of the publication of the 2015 Davies Report last March, the target was, in fact, met by the end of the year. According to Elin Hurvenes, founder and chair of Professional Boards Forum: “In average percentage terms, the Lord Davies target was met towards the end of 2015. However, it is interesting to note that 42 FTSE 100 companies still have less than 25 percent women directors.” Most of this increase has occurred among female non-executive directors. There are still very few women executives. Added Hurvenes: “We might see the end of all-male boards in the FTSE 250 by the end of 2016, something that disappeared from the FTSE 100 two years ago.”
