The cascade of geopolitical events and systemic issues that society and business have to confront is set to continue with the fallout from the war in Ukraine, ongoing supply chain woes, and a looming economic recession. In this context, corporate boards will need to continue to evolve their composition and practices in order to successfully lead their organizations through both the near- and long-term futures.

Corporations’ license to operate—the fundamental contract between organizations and the communities within which they do business—has been changing markedly over the past few years, with society increasingly demanding that businesses and business leaders step up to fill a perceived vacuum of political leadership. There is a very clear expectation that companies take a stand on social and political issues,¹ the war in Ukraine being a clear example of when companies were expected to sacrifice their profit and operations for the greater good. In Europe, in particular, businesses and business leaders are also being called on to support and help integrate the millions of war refugees. Even more immediate, requirements that companies act in a sustainable manner are being set into regulations all over the world, with Europe still leading the way.

Another increasingly important aspect of societal expectations is that companies take a broad approach to their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts, factoring in characteristics such as race and ethnicity, disability status, LGBTQ+ status, nationality, age, and religion. In Europe, a focus on gender continues to stand out. Gender is the only diversity characteristic that is being legislated across the European countries in our report. Norway was the first country to introduce quotas at the board level, in 2003. Almost 20 years later, the EU followed suit, requiring its member countries to allocate 40% of seats to women before June 2026.

So, how did boards move the dial last year on changing their composition to tackle these new expectations and mitigate the risk of losing their license to operate? In Europe:

In the face of increasing uncertainty, boards need to make sure they are prepared not only for today’s challenges but can anticipate what type of directors they will need to appoint to lead and future-proof their organizations.

For more, download the full Board Monitor Europe 2022 report.

The analysis in this report includes: Belgium (BEL 20), Denmark (OMX Copenhagen25), Finland (OMX Helsinki 25), France (CAC 40), Germany (DAX and MDAX), Ireland (ISEQ), Italy (FTSE MIB), the Netherlands (AEX), New Norway (OBX), Portugal (PSI20), Spain (IBEX 35), Sweden (OMX 30), and Switzerland (SMI Expanded).

Reference

¹  Edelman Trust Barometer 2022, Edelman, January 2022.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Alice Breeden, Sylvain Dhenin, Imke Lampe, Claire Skinner, and Nicolas Von Rosty for their contributions to this report.