Siri Terjesen

Gender Diversity on Boards in the United States, Australia, and Israel

This chapter examines gender diversity on boards in three country cases: the United States, Australia, and Israel. We begin by reviewing each country’s general background, with a focus on the economic and political landscapes, followed by the corporate governance system, political and economic life of women, and women’s presence on corporate boards. We then explore the particularities of each nation’s corporate governance framework and specific legislation concerning women on boards. Here the countries vary considerably: Israel was the first country, in 1999, to have a quota for women on the boards of state-owned companies, while the United States and Australia have comply or explain codes since 2010 and 2014 respectively. We compare and contrast the three distinct national approaches including the enabling and hindering forces, and offer some reflections of key actors in each of the three societies. We conclude with a critical reflection of the cases.