Germany wants more women leaders in its big companies
The leader in smart card components Infineon is one of those German giants who have few or no women among their leaders.
AP - Matthias Schrader
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Germany decides to set quotas to feminize the boards of directors of large listed companies.
The country is seen as a poor student when it comes to women's access to management positions in large companies.
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Germany may have a Chancellor at its head, but it still has some progress to make in terms of parity.
From the chemicals giant Bayer to the leader in chip card components Infineon, Germany's listed flagships have few women among their leaders.
According to the German-Swedish foundation Allbright, they represent only 12.8% of the governing bodies of the 30 companies listed in Dax, the flagship index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
While this proportion is much more advanced elsewhere in the world: 28.6% in the United States, 24.9% in Sweden or 22.2% in France.
In France, this proportion is rising among the 120 companies making up the SBF 120 stock market index thanks to a 2011 law introducing quotas which allowed women to reach 43.6%.
Tired of seeing things move too slowly, Angela Merkel's government also wants to go through coercion.
At least one woman must sit on the management committees of companies with joint management and with more than three directors.
In companies where the State has a majority or sole shareholder, such as the railway operator Deutsche Bahn, the participation of women will be compulsory from two seats on the board.
If the law passes, the proportion could reach 16%, ie the level of Spain or Portugal.
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