A study released by researchers from La Trobe University’s Business School has found that companies with more women on their boards make higher profits. The study examined around 300 of Australia’s top companies between 2005 and 2011 and found strong economic case for having women on boards.
The proportion of women on major listed company boards almost doubled to about 12 per cent over 2005-2011. One of the factors helping get more women onto boards was a 2010 change to ASX corporate governance guidelines that effectively forced companies to disclose their gender diversity policies.