Diversity in senior roles is not about appearances only, according to Sarah Churchman, director of diversity and engagement, PwC.

Churchman’s comments come ahead of publication of Lord Davies’ report on diversity in the boardroom and reports that Germany is proposing an introduction of mandatory quotas for women on boards, while France, Spain and Italy are also considering the idea.

Churchman says: “Diversity is not a numbers game nor about having visible diversity in senior roles just for the sake of looking diverse. Our approach means making business decisions that consciously consider all the people and their potential in our organisation, and taking any action required to ensure potential is not weighted in favour of a particular gender.”

Maggie Berry, managing director at IT job board and diversity recruiter  Women in Technology, adds: “There is evidence that shows having more women at board level has a positive effect on the bottom line, as well as bringing more ideas to the table. But there needs to be more education within organisations about the case for diversity. The CEO may be really bought into the idea but this attitude needs to filter down to middle management who must understand the real benefits that having a more diverse team can bring.”


“Good female talent can be difficult to find, especially at senior level, so it’s also important that employers mentor and support future female leaders in their organisations. More equal parental leave is also needed if we want women to realistically be able to reach board level positions, and hopefully Nick Clegg’s plans around this will have a positive impact, but this will take time. Quotas aren’t the ideal solution but must be considered if we don’t see improvements.”