Corporate boardroom diversity sinks to lowest in more than a decade: Analysis
Women and racial minorities accounted for 40% of new directors, the lowest share since 2014, according to Spencer Stuart.
- On Tuesday, global executive search firm Spencer Stuart released data showing diversity in new S&P 500 board appointments dropped to 40%, the lowest level since 2014, threatening to unwind years of corporate boardroom diversity gains.
- The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that race could not factor in college admissions, prompting companies to reassess diversity initiatives; Trump administration actions targeting DEI programs intensified legal and political pressure on boards.
- Current and former CEOs now comprise 37% of new board appointments—the highest level in 15 years—while diverse directors still hold 49.3% of S&P 500 seats; disclosure of diversity criteria fell to 12% from 48% in 2024.
- IBM paid US$17 million in April to resolve allegations it failed to comply with Trump's DEI orders, while companies including Johnson & Johnson and American Express reassessed long-standing diversity commitments.
- Conservative shareholder proposals targeting DEI won just 1.5% support at recent annual meetings, yet George Anderson, co-leader of Spencer Stuart's North American Board Advisory Practice, said boards respond to mounting legal and political pressures.
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Corporate Boardroom Diversity Sinks to Decade Low
“A new analysis released Tuesday shows corporate boardroom diversity among S&P 500 companies has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade,” NewsNation reports. “The analysis from global advisory search firm Spencer Stuart found that diverse board appointments among S&P 500 companies have been on the decline since 2021, when it peaked at […]
Corporate boardroom diversity sinks to lowest in more than a decade: Analysis
A new analysis released Tuesday shows corporate boardroom diversity among S&P 500 companies has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade. The analysis from global advisory search firm Spencer Stuart found that diverse board appointments among S&P 500 companies have been on the decline since 2021 when it peaked at 72 percent. It also found that fewer new directors are joining boardrooms than at any time since 2026.
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