German government seeks 30% quota for women in boardrooms

Berlin (dpa) - The German government has unveiled plans legally requiring large companies and the public sector to guarantee more women jobs in upper management starting next year.

In guidelines unveiled in Berlin on Tuesday, Justice Minister Heiko Maas and Womens‘ Minister Manuela Schwesig called for a 30 per cent quota for women on the advisory boards of Germany‘s top 108 listed companies from 2016.

The draft legislation also calls for stronger female participation on advisory boards, managing boards and in upper management at 3,500 other key German firms from 2015. The companies will be allowed to set their own quotas, but success rates will be closely monitored by the government.

The legislation also foresees higher female participation in public sector management, including administration, courts and government-owned companies.

According to the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) in Berlin, only 15.9 per cent of advisory board members at the top 200 German companies were women in 2013. On managing boards, only 4.4 per cent were women. Representation of women was better in upper tiers of the public sector and courts, however, reaching 30 per cent in 2009.

"There have been years of discussion and debate, but far too little has happened. Enough of voluntary goals. We will get this law on more women in management under way," said Schwesig of the Social Democrats (SPD).

In a statement, the German Institute for Economic Research said that various voluntary public-private initiatives since 2001 had failed to significantly increase the number of women in upper management.

Maas, also of the SPD, added: "Today we have the best-educated women in history. This must finally be reflected in management."

Schwesig stressed that the guidelines have been approved by Chancellor Angela Merkel, head of the Christian Democrats, and SPD boss and deputy chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.