More Māori women needed on boards

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday 4 June 2009

More Māori women needed on boards

An event profiling and promoting Māori women directors to an audience of business leaders, Cabinet Ministers, and government officials will be hosted by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs this evening.

The Ministry’s Kaihautū, Sonya Rimene, said women were an under-utilised talent pool that could make the difference to the performance of business. Tonight’s He Wāhine Pūmanawa event was organised because ‘businesses can find it difficult to locate suitably experienced women though conventional channels as they are not necessarily part of traditional networks’.

‘There is strong evidence, as contained in the Women on Boards report we recently published, that companies can gain a competitive edge through being more gender diverse in their board rooms. Maori women have relevant and particular skills to contribute to boards. Events like this are one way to highlight those skills.’

Sonya Rimene said the report launched by the Prime Minister last month, Women on Boards: Why women on company boards are good for business, was developed by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs with the support of Business New Zealand and the Institute of Directors in New Zealand. The publication brings together the leading international evidence on the connection between women on boards and company performance.

‘It is in everyone’s interests to make better use of women’s skills and talents in the boardroom. At this event we have gathered Māori women directors who we know have the skills to make a valuable contribution.’

ENDS
For further information contact Sonya Rimene, Ministry of Women’s Affairs,
ph 04 916 5848 or cell 021 855 870.

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