Debate on Gender Quotas

Organizer

American Chamber of Commerce
in the Czech Republic

When

14.06.2013, 09:00 - 14.06.2013, 11:00

Where

AmCham offices, Dušní 10, Prague 1 Show on map

What

Despite the fact that many companies are implementing measures to increase the number of women in management and leadership positions, it is still not sufficient as the data shows. The lack of progress has prompted EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Redding in the spring of 2012 to launch a public consultation to ask what measures the EU should take to get more women in the boardrooms. Many see this as a prelude to the eventual implementation of mandatory gender quotas for publically traded companies in the EU. Currently several EU member states have already introduced such quotas: France 40% by 2016, Italy 30% by 2014, Spain 40% by 2015, Netherlands 30% by 2016 and German companies now have flexible quotas, meaning that publically traded companies on the DAX have a until 2018 to voluntarily reach 30% and then it will be imposed by law. Several German companies have already imposed internal targets (Deutsche Telekom, RWE, Allianz, Adidas so name a few). Norway was the first country to achieve 40% of women on corporate boards in 2005. A recent study by KPMG in the Czech Republic (source from June 2012) shows that only 19% of those surveyed are in favor of gender targets - quotas. 23% of women surveyed were in favor and only 14% men. The debate on quotas is extremely heated and controversial and it will eventually come to the Czech Republic. Moderator: Vera M. Budway-Strobach, Group Diversity Officer, Erste Bank Group/Česká spořitelna, a.s., Member of AmCham HR Committee Speakers: Arguing for: · Jitka Schmiedová, Vice President for People & Property of Vodafone · Mikael Zakarian, CFO of MICROSOFT Arguing against: · Magdalena Soucek, Managing Partner of Ernst & Young · Andrea Colantoni, Country Manager of Hudson Global Resources The panel will address the following questions: · Do we need quotas to break the glass ceiling? · If the business case for diversity and inclusion is so obvious, why is it so hard to sell? · Can affirmative action lead to reverse discrimination? · What are the alternatives to increasing the number of women on boards? Contact person: Lucie Vrbová, lvrbova@amcham.cz, 733 685 318