08-05-2022, 11:23 AM
Those old attitudes still prevail for some.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3005825...-boardroom
"One female board member, who joined the governance of a newly listed company in the late 1980s, is not surprised that sexism in the boardroom still exists.
“I found it quite challenging and was worried that I wasn't making a sufficient contribution, she said, asking not to be named. “I felt I wasn’t smart enough to come up with the right questions.”
When she asked a male board member for guidance the response was a shock: ‘it doesn’t really matter, all they are looking at is your legs’.
Justine Smyth is chair of Spark, and co-chair of Champions for Change, a group of 40 or so CEOs and chairs who believe a prosperous New Zealand relies on working together to promote diversity in leadership.
Smyth said Henry’s comments were “nothing short of disgraceful”.
“The fact the Chair and CEO of an NZX listed company felt it appropriate to voice such derogatory, racist and chauvinistic views is a sad indictment on him personally, and a reminder of how much more work we have to do in Aotearoa to build a business community where inclusion is the norm,” Smyth said.
“His ignorance of the overwhelming body of evidence that demonstrates the benefits diversity brings to the board table is matched only by his arrogance in thinking he is entitled to belittle another business leader in the first place."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3005825...-boardroom
"One female board member, who joined the governance of a newly listed company in the late 1980s, is not surprised that sexism in the boardroom still exists.
“I found it quite challenging and was worried that I wasn't making a sufficient contribution, she said, asking not to be named. “I felt I wasn’t smart enough to come up with the right questions.”
When she asked a male board member for guidance the response was a shock: ‘it doesn’t really matter, all they are looking at is your legs’.
Justine Smyth is chair of Spark, and co-chair of Champions for Change, a group of 40 or so CEOs and chairs who believe a prosperous New Zealand relies on working together to promote diversity in leadership.
Smyth said Henry’s comments were “nothing short of disgraceful”.
“The fact the Chair and CEO of an NZX listed company felt it appropriate to voice such derogatory, racist and chauvinistic views is a sad indictment on him personally, and a reminder of how much more work we have to do in Aotearoa to build a business community where inclusion is the norm,” Smyth said.
“His ignorance of the overwhelming body of evidence that demonstrates the benefits diversity brings to the board table is matched only by his arrogance in thinking he is entitled to belittle another business leader in the first place."
in order to be old & wise, you must first be young & stupid. (I'm still working on that.)