Australia Proposes Gender Diversity Rules for Public Companies

Australian authorities are formulating plans that would force public companies to reveal the proportion of women at various levels of their organizations, as well as steps they’re taking to increase female representation. ASX Ltd., which operates the country’s main stock exchange, wants businesses to formulate and disclose diversity policies, and also set representation targets for their boards, senior executives and total workforce in annual reports. Among Australia’s 200 biggest public firms, women held 27 percent of board seats at the end of February, according to the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ gender diversity progress report, with 74 companies meeting the 30 percent target.