Activities of Mojca KLEVA KEKUŠ related to 2012/0299(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges (debate)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on improving the gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges and related measures
Amendments (20)
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) European institutions, bodies and agencies should set the example as regards gender equality in decision- making by implementing and monitoring gender equality strategies such as quota systems.
Amendment 39 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The efficient use of human capital is the most important determinant of an economy's competitiveness, development and growth and is key to addressing the EU's demographic challenges, to competing successfully in a globalised economy and to ensuring a comparative advantage vis-à-vis third countries. The pool of highly trained and qualified women is constantly growing as evidenced by the fact that 60 per cent of university graduates are female. A continued failure to draw on this pool in appointments to economic decision-making positions would amount to a failure to fully exploit skilled human capital.
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) At company level, it is widely acknowledged that the presence of women on boards improves corporate governance, because team performance and the quality of decision-making are enhanced due to a more diverse and collective mind-set incorporating a wider range of perspectives as well as a more proactive business model and therefore reaching more balanced decisions. Numerous studies have also shown that there is a positive relationship between gender diversity at top management level and a company's financial performance and profitability. Enhancing female representation on the boards of publicly listed companies in the Union can therefore have a positive impact on the performance of companies concerned.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Existing evidence also shows that labour market equality can improve economic growth substantially. Enhancing female presence in the boardrooms of listed companies in the Union not only affects the women appointed to boards, but also contributes to attracting female talent to the company and ensuring a greater presence of women at all levels of management and in the workforce. Therefore, a higher share of women on company boards has a positive impact on closing both the gender employment gap and the gender pay gap. Making full use of the existing female talent pool would constitute a marked improvement in terms of return on education for both individuals and the public sector. Female under- representation in the board rooms of publicly listed companies in the EU is a missed opportunity in terms of achieving long-term sustainable growth for Member States' economies at large. Member States should therefore introduce measures to encourage career progression of women at all levels through positive actions such as networking and mentoring programmes.
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) European institutions, bodies and agencies should set the example as regards gender equality in decision- making by implementing and monitoring gender equality strategies such as quota systems.
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The efficient use of human capital is the most important determinant of an economy's competitiveness, development and growth and is key to addressing the EU's demographic challenges, to competing successfully in a globalised economy and to ensuring a comparative advantage vis-à-vis third countries. The pool of highly trained and qualified women is constantly growing as evidenced by the fact that 60 per cent of university graduates are female. A continued failure to draw on this pool in appointments to economic decision-making positions would amount to a failure to fully exploit skilled human capital.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) At company level, it is widely acknowledged that the presence of women on boards improves corporate governance, because team performance and the quality of decision-making are enhanced due to a more diverse and collective mind-set incorporating a wider range of perspectives as well as a more proactive business model and therefore reaching more balanced decisions. Numerous studies have also shown that there is a positive relationship between gender diversity at top management level and a company's financial performance and profitability. Enhancing female representation on the boards of publicly listed companies in the Union can therefore have a positive impact on the performance of companies concerned.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Existing evidence also shows that labour market equality can improve economic growth substantially. Enhancing female presence in the boardrooms of listed companies in the Union not only affects the women appointed to boards, but also contributes to attracting female talent to the company and ensuring a greater presence of women at all levels of management and in the workforce. Therefore, a higher share of women on company boards has a positive impact on closing both the gender employment gap and the gender pay gap. Making full use of the existing female talent pool would constitute a marked improvement in terms of return on education for both individuals and the public sector. Female under- representation in the board rooms of publicly listed companies in the EU is a missed opportunity in terms of achieving long-term sustainable growth for Member States' economies at large. Member States should therefore introduce measures to encourage career progression of women at all levels through positive actions such as networking and mentoring programmes.
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) While this Directive does not aim to harmonise national laws on the selection procedures and qualification criteria for board positions in detail, the introduction of certain minimum standards as regards the requirement for listed companies without balanced gender representation to take appointment decisions for non- executive directors on the basis of a transparent and clearly defined selection procedure and an objective comparative assessment of the qualifications of candidates in terms of suitability, competence and professional performance is necessary in order to attain gender balance among non-executives directors. Only an EU-level binding measure can effectively help to ensure a competitive level-playing field throughout the Union and avoid practical complications in business life.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) While this Directive does not aim to harmonise national laws on the selection procedures and qualification criteria for board positions in detail, the introduction of certain minimum standards as regards the requirement for listed companies without balanced gender representation to take appointment decisions for non- executive directors on the basis of a transparent and clearly defined selection procedure and an objective comparative assessment of the qualifications of candidates in terms of suitability, competence and professional performance is necessary in order to attain gender balance among non-executives directors. Only an EU-level binding measure can effectively help to ensure a competitive level-playing field throughout the Union and avoid practical complications in business life.
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The methods of recruiting and appointing directors differ from one Member State to another and from one company to another. They may involve the pre-selection of candidates to be presented to the shareholders' assembly, for example by a nomination committee, the direct appointment of directors by individual shareholders or a vote in the shareholders' assembly on individual candidates or lists of candidates. The requirements concerning the selection of candidates should be met at the appropriate stage of the selection process in accordance with national law and the articles of association of the listed companies concerned. In this respect, this Directive only establishes a minimum harmonisation of selection procedures, which should be based on transparency and merit, therefore making it possible to apply the conditions provided for by the case-law of the Court of Justice with a view to attaining the objective of a more balanced gender representation in the boards of listed companies.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The methods of recruiting and appointing directors differ from one Member State to another and from one company to another. They may involve the pre-selection of candidates to be presented to the shareholders' assembly, for example by a nomination committee, the direct appointment of directors by individual shareholders or a vote in the shareholders' assembly on individual candidates or lists of candidates. The requirements concerning the selection of candidates should be met at the appropriate stage of the selection process in accordance with national law and the articles of association of the listed companies concerned. In this respect, this Directive only establishes a minimum harmonisation of selection procedures, which should be based on transparency and merit, therefore making it possible to apply the conditions provided for by the case-law of the Court of Justice with a view to attaining the objective of a more balanced gender representation in the boards of listed companies.
Amendment 132 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) Member States should provide for effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions for breaches of this Directive, which cshould include, inter alia, administrative fines and nullity or annulment declared by a judicial body of the appointment or of the election of non- executive directors made contrary to the national provisions adopted pursuant to Article 4(1).
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) Member States should provide for effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions for breaches of this Directive, which cshould include, inter alia, administrative fines and nullity or annulment declared by a judicial body of the appointment or of the election of non- executive directors made contrary to the national provisions adopted pursuant to Article 4(1).
Amendment 137 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
Amendment 139 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
Amendment 181 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. The number of non-executive director positions necessary to meet the objective laid down in paragraph 1 shall be the number closest to the proportion ofat least 40 per cent, but not exceeding 4950 per cent.
Amendment 197 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Amendment 209 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. The number of non-executive director positions necessary to meet the objective laid down in paragraph 1 shall be the number closest to the proportion ofat least 40 per cent, but not exceeding 4950 per cent.
Amendment 228 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6