The Hindu Business Line : `More women needed on corporate boards'

WOMEN POWER: (From right) Minister of State for Industry, Dr Ashwani Kumar, Ms Usha Agarwal, President, FLO, and Mr Rajan Bharti Mittal, Joint MD, Bharti Enterprises, at the 22nd annual session of the FLO conference in the Capital on Monday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi , May 8

"Affirmative action on reservations has been recognised within the framework of the Constitution as a medium to promote certain sections but it need not be at the cost of merit," said the Minister of State for Industry, Mr Ashwani Kumar.

While speaking at the 22nd annual session of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) on Women Empowering India, Mr Kumar emphasised the need for more women in corporate boardrooms "because of their quest for excellence, grit and compassion."

Better corporate governance

Ms Sushma Berlia, President, PHDCCI pointed out that women at the board level ensured better corporate governance, because of their "more conscientious approach towards work, the induction of different judgement and values, disciplined boardroom behaviour and sensitivity to issues such as business ethics, community and environmental concerns."

Meanwhile, the FLO President, Ms Usha Agarwal, said, that women on boards inspire "a corporate ethos of diversity and inclusion, enhance a company's market-insight and consequently performance."

The challenge of effective and mature corporate governance was how to bring in more and more talented and intelligent women in key positions of power so that mere tokenism can give way to fundamental changes in the character of governance, she added.