California Passes Bill Requiring Women On Corp. Boards

[Cristiano]

California Gov. Jerry Brown Signs Landmark Bill Requiring Women On Corporate Boards | HuffPost

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

I am....ambivalent about this. I'm not sure it's a good idea.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

I've never been much of a fan of forced quotas, and I would hate to be the "token female" on the board. She is guaranteed to never get any respect from her fellow board members. That said, I deeply dislike the mechanism in place that has kept women out of most board rooms in the US. I mean, we make up 50 percent of the population, it stands to reason that we should make up roughly 50 percent of a corporate board, yes?

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

This mandated action will be interesting to watch and worth a kick at the can since relying on the goodwill of the good ole boys network hasn't worked since, basically, ever.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I suppose there are boards out there that are still stuck in the past. While I am not sure required representation is the way to go about it, it is actually in the best interest of those companies. Although maybe companies that refuse to join the last century should just die out anyway.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

This mandated action will be interesting to watch and worth a kick at the can since relying on the goodwill of the good ole boys network hasn't worked since, basically, ever.

No, no it hasn't. It's a shame it had to come down to this.

 

[Essence Lumin]

A more interesting idea in my opinion is one Israel has implemented capping CEO's salaries to no more than 44 times that of the lowest paid worker. It seems likely with California's law, that the women put on the board will be ignored or the companies will just incorporate in a different state. Israel passes law to cap bankers' salaries

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

I suppose there are boards out there that are still stuck in the past. While I am not sure required representation is the way to go about it, it is actually in the best interest of those companies.

Do you think so?

It seems to me a company having no women on its BoD is a symptom. The real root problem is techbro culture and I kinda think it's magical thinking to believe making companies put a woman on the board of directors is going to have any effect on changing their culture. On the other hand, I worry it gives them an "officialized" box to tick that they can use to say they've "taken steps" without actually having to do anything.

 

[Kara Spengler]

A more interesting idea in my opinion is one Israel has implemented capping CEO's salaries to no more than 44 times that of the lowest paid worker. It seems likely with California's law, that the women put on the board will be ignored or the companies will just incorporate in a different state. Israel passes law to cap bankers' salaries

Just incorporating in another state is not always an option. Presumably there is a reason they are incorporated in a given state (tax reasons or whatever) and I doubt this would be enough for them to give up that reason.

 

[Essence Lumin]

Just incorporating in another state is not always an option. Presumably there is a reason they are incorporated in a given state (tax reasons or whatever) and I doubt this would be enough for them to give up that reason.

I have no idea why companies incorporate where they do but I see that 60% of the Fortune 500 is incorporated in Delaware, most likely for tax reasons. I'm more than certain that most of those don't have their main physical headquarters there.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Do you think so?

It seems to me a company having no women on its BoD is a symptom. The real root problem is techbro culture and I kinda think it's magical thinking to believe making companies put a woman on the board of directors is going to have any effect on changing their culture. On the other hand, I worry it gives them an "officialized" box to tick that they can use to say they've "taken steps" without actually having to do anything.

Yes, it will help them, even though it might not be the help they need. Someone looking to buy something rarely cares about things like the BoD composition. Hell, I do not even know offhand who is on the BoD currently for the company I work at. It IS one of many factors people looking to invest will pay attention to. Whether directly or indirectly via how the board acts.

For example, I did not decide to put my money into apple based on financial logic. If I did everyone at the time would have told me I was crazy (this was in the late 90s, people now are kicking themselves for not investing then). Rather it was based on knowing the company for 20 years, liking what I saw more often then not, and having faith in their future. Not that Apple is perfect but they are better than some others in a few areas that I saw as key.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

It seems to me a company having no women on its BoD is a symptom. The real root problem is techbro culture ...

Is this a tech bro culture issue or just the culture? I see sexism in the big "modern" technology company I work at now, but I sure as hell don't think it was better at the tiny, old, redneck manufacturing company I came from. In fact, it was much more overt there. Before "techbro" was coined we just called it "the boy's club." Tech nerd culture is viciously criticized for good reason, but they inherited this problem from older industries.

...I kinda think it's magical thinking to believe making companies put a woman on the board of directors is going to have any effect on changing their culture. On the other hand, I worry it gives them an "officialized" box to tick that they can use to say they've "taken steps" without actually having to do anything.

I honestly don't know... On one hand, I think it's extremely helpful to make sure that women subject to harassment can report it to someone who gives a shit. On the other hand, I worry a lot that this change might force industries with especially few women (most STEM, not just software) to head hunt from industries with a relatively larger number of women. This puts everyone in a very awkward spot as a larger percentage of leadership won't know anything about the work that happens below them. Not because they are dumb, but because they built their careers in different industries.

I don't subscribe to the idea that "a leader is a leader." I've had bad experiences with managers of any gender orientation who rose to management in different industries and made a big jump while retaining rank.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I have no idea why companies incorporate where they do but I see that 60% of the Fortune 500 is incorporated in Delaware, most likely for tax reasons. I'm more than certain that most of those don't have their main physical headquarters there.

Yes, it is for tax reasons. My point is if there is a financial (or otherwise) reason to incorporate in a given state/country a company is not likely to up and move their legal incorporation elsewhere until their perceived disadvantages outweigh their advantages. Note that small mom&pops would not be affected since they usually do not have a BoD.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Is this a tech bro culture issue or just the culture? I see sexism in the big "modern" technology company I work at now, but I sure as hell don't think it was better at the tiny, old, redneck manufacturing company I came from. In fact, it was much more overt there. Before "techbro" was coined we just called it "the boy's club." Tech nerd culture is viciously criticized for good reason, but they inherited this problem from older industries.



I honestly don't know... On one hand, I think it's extremely helpful to make sure that women subject to harassment can report it to someone who gives a shit. On the other hand, I worry a lot that this change might force industries with especially few women (most STEM, not just software) to head hunt from industries with a relatively larger number of women. This puts everyone in a very awkward spot as a larger percentage of leadership won't know anything about the work that happens below them. Not because they are dumb, but because they built their careers in different industries.

I don't subscribe to the idea that "a leader is a leader." I've had bad experiences with managers of any gender orientation who rose to management in different industries and made a big jump while retaining rank.

It is not always ingrained. The company I work for is about 50/50 between the two main genders. Even here in IT there is a good amount of female representation (especially at the director level), including the head of the department. Even the CEO is a woman. I do not know who sits on our BoD offhand but I would be shocked if it were not also diverse.

 

[Essence Lumin]

Yes, it is for tax reasons. My point is if there is a financial (or otherwise) reason to incorporate in a given state/country a company is not likely to up and move their legal incorporation elsewhere until their perceived disadvantages outweigh their advantages. Note that small mom&pops would not be affected since they usually do not have a BoD.

True enough. It also wouldn't apply to mom and pops since it only applies to "a corporation with outstanding shares listed on a major United States stock exchange. "

 

[WolfEyes]

Yes, it is for tax reasons. My point is if there is a financial (or otherwise) reason to incorporate in a given state/country a company is not likely to up and move their legal incorporation elsewhere until their perceived disadvantages outweigh their advantages. Note that small mom&pops would not be affected since they usually do not have a BoD.

Every time a ballot of taxation comes up, one of the huge corps in Beaverton (Nike) threatens to pull out if they aren't exempted or given tax breaks. The government always caves.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Every time a ballot of taxation comes up, one of the huge corps in Beaverton (Nike) threatens to pull out if they aren't exempted or given tax breaks. The government always caves.

Ugh, that is misusing their influence. Most likely they are bluffing but I would not want to find out otherwise.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

Unfortunately they'll all most likely just add Carly Fiorina to their boards.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Unfortunately they'll all most likely just add Carly Fiorina to their boards.

I doubt it. If they have to be dragged kicking and screaming to do something they should already be doing (there should be half the board as female already) they will get someone that actually knows what they are doing.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

I think you're optimistic.