More women in the authorities of the largest companies under the EU Directive

pracodawcagodnyzaufania.pl 3 weeks ago

– It is the right course to warrant women seats on boards and supervisory boards by law.

We've seen over the last fewer decades that it's not happening. Women have more hard access to a certain level of hierarchical career due to many circumstances, so if, as a society in the European Union, we have not been able to do so naturally, then we should aid legislativeally – says Newseria agency Michał Wawrykiewicz of KO, associate of the European Parliament for the European People's Party.

Poland is already very late in the legislative process on the law implementing the directive into the Polish legal order

By 30 June 2026, large stock companies across the European Union will gotta increase women's participation in boards and supervisory boards. It forces the Women on Boards directive on them. In Poland, the fresh regulations will cover over 100 companies listed on the Stock Exchange. The proposed requirements so far meet all 10 of them. In addition, Poland is already very late in the legislative process of the law implementing the directive into the Polish legal order.

Parity in supervisory boards is to supply EU Women on Boards Directive 2022. It imposes on listed companies (employing at least 250 persons, with a turnover of over EUR 50 million or a balance sheet full of more than EUR 43 million) an work to accomplish 1 of the 2 objectives by 30 June 2026. Firstly, this is to be the 40-percent participation of women among non-executive directors (i.e. in supervisory boards), and secondly, the 33-percent participation of women in all managerial positions (both executives, i.e. on board and non-executive).

Two companies from the WIG20 index meet the principles of the Polish bill implementing the directive

Under the largest indices (WIG20 + WI40 + WIG80) The WSE 76.4% of companies are subject to the employment and financial performance requirements of the Directive. These are all companies included in the WIG20, 34 from the mWIG40 and 53 index from sWIG80 – a full of 107 companies. A survey conducted by the Business Leaders Foundation entitled “Women in the Authorities of Stock Exchange Companies in Poland. Where are we after 10 years?” it is clear that 2 companies from the WIG20 index meet the principles of the Polish bill implementing the resolution of the directive. Under the mWIG40 index there are 10 specified companies. According to the FLB study, in 2024 women made up 13.6 percent of board members and 18.7 percent of board members, and more than 60% of companies did not have a single female on board. Regular reports show that although women's participation in the authorities of listed companies has increased, the pace of change is far besides slow.

– There's a lot more ahead of us. I believe that the directive will be rapidly introduced in Poland and that we will be able to catch up with EU trends – says Michał Wawrykiewicz.

Fırmy will have small time to adapt to the fresh requirements

The implementation of the bill transposing the Women on Boards Directive to Polish law expired in December 2024, but it was inactive not accepted – the draft prepared by the Ministry of Justice is at the phase of government work. Experts believe that given the current share of the underrepresented sex in the authorities of companies covered by the Directive, fırmy will have small time to adapt to the fresh requirements.

– This will have a very affirmative impact on the functioning of economies in the European Union and the economy in Poland. The competence of women entering supervisory boards, boards and another business management bodies would benefit Polish economics, says the associate of the European Parliament.