More women needed at top

MORE women should be encouraged to make an active contribution to the corporate world, says visiting chair of Corporate Women Directors International Irene Natividad.

“We’ve focussed on getting women into the workplace, on getting them to become executives and then, hopefully, CEOs,” Ms Natividad said.

“But we’ve never focussed on the boards that hire CEOs and who give their blessings to the way a company is run,” she said.

“We need women to aim for these board positions as part of an overall goal of creating a level playing field in business.”

There are 34 women serving on boards of some of WA’s top 300 public companies, according to the Business News’ Book of Lists.

A workshop in Perth on June 10 is aiming to improve the management and leadership skills of women in business.

Strategies for Women in Management speaker Helen Woods said more effort was needed to help the increased number of women seeking greater management responsibilities.

“Leadership is much more than being Prime Minister or a CEO of an organisation,” Ms Woods said.

“It can include advocacy or creating a legacy by establishing assets and systems for future generations,” she said.

For more information on the seminar see the Business Planner.