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In order to increase the proportion of women in management positions, there should be legal regulation in the future. The grand coalition has now basically agreed on this. Recently there has been a movement on the subject in the Union.
The black-red coalition has basically agreed to a binding quota for women on executive boards. According to Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD), on Friday after the working group created by the coalition committee reached an agreement on this issue, a member of the executive boards of listed companies jointly determined with more of three members must in the future be a woman.
The compromise will be presented next week with the coalition councils for a final decision. Subsequently, departmental coordination and the participation of states and federal associations will begin so that the cabinet’s decision can be taken promptly, Lambrecht said. The quota is an essential point in the so-called Executive Positions Act: for the first time, there would be binding requirements for more women on executive boards.
Also share in companies with federal participation
The Union and SPD working group also agreed that in the future there should be a supervisory board quota of at least 30 percent and a minimum stake on executive boards for companies with a majority stake from the federal government. A minimum participation of women should also be introduced in public enterprises, such as health insurance and pension and accident insurance institutions, as well as in the Federal Employment Agency.
In the coalition agreement, the Union and the SPD agreed to improve the law on women in leadership positions. At the beginning of the year, the Federal Minister for Women Franziska Giffey (SPD) and Lambrecht presented the corresponding bill. After the differences, the heads of the coalition decided to create a working group in the summer.
Giffey spoke of a “historic breakthrough” on Friday. Because nothing is done voluntarily, guidelines are needed to move forward. “We are exploiting the full potential of our country so that the best can be more successful in mixed teams.” Lambrecht explained that women contribute to the success of the company with high qualifications and performance. “This is a great success for women in Germany and at the same time offers a great opportunity both for society and for the companies themselves.”
“There is still a lot of room for improvement in the board of directors”
More recently, votes for the women’s quota also increased in the Union. “As for the participation of women, there is still room for improvement in the board of directors,” said the deputy of the Union parliamentary group, Thorsten Frei, of the Reuters news agency. Group Vice President Nadine Schön (CDU) commented on a corresponding approach by CSU leader Markus Söder with the words: “I think Prime Minister Söder’s proposal is good. I have sympathy for that and we should implement it.”
Söder, like the CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt, proposed a fixed quota for women in DAX companies. Chancellor Angela Merkel also supports the project. On the other hand, Friedrich Merz, candidate for the presidency of the CDU, told the magazine “Wirtschaftswoche”: “The quota is always only the second best solution. I hope we can think of something better.”
According to a report recently released on behalf of the federal government, voluntary self-specifications had little effect on the quota of women on executive boards. On behalf of the Ministry of Family Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, the effects of the 2015 law on women in leadership positions were examined. Consequently, the proportion of women on the executive boards of the companies in question is currently 7.6 per cent.
