No to women quota!

The European Commission was to present its proposal for a Directive on improving the gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchange on 23rd October 2012. Nevertheless, the college of Commissioners has decided to postpone the discussion to 14th November.

For us, it is a good sign that Members of college are aware of potential risks the proposal could have on companies. Chosen approach of the Commission to deal with low representation of women on boards by obligatory quota is not a good step forward according to Czech industry. On the contrary, this approach may be counterproductive. Czech businesses striking with crisis on one hand and lacking employees with right professions on the other hand still (voluntarily) do support employment of women and development of their potential. Businesses are aware that women represent 45% of active people and 56% of tertiary-educated graduates and do not doubt their important contribution to better competitiveness of companies.

The principle of gender equality and workforce diversity is always applied in human resource management in each company. Any profit-oriented company does not choose the persons of the board according to their sex, but according to their qualities and experience. We should, therefore, rely on auto-regulation and not set up obligations, which are not possible to be fulfilled given to other reasons. Proposed sanctions could hit hard companies already hit by crisis trying to sort out of the recession!