What is the #1000youngdirectors campaign?
The #1000youngdirectors campaign aims to ignite 1000 young directors onto community boards to increase diversity, support succession planning and improve our local communities through better discussions, decisions and outcomes on boards.
We believe when a variety of perspectives are included around the boardroom – everyone wins. More robust discussions happen, the community is represented better and generations work together for the betterment of society.
The question is not why would you involve a young professional under 40 on your NFP board. The real question is why wouldn’t you?
Why do we need more diversity on boards?
Research undoubtedly shows that diversity improves financial performance, innovation, reputation and decision making. This occurs when a wide range of perspectives are taken into consideration¹. This means including diverse perspectives is not only the right thing to do morally, it’s also good business sense!
What is the current diversity on boards?
- 57% of Board members on ASX200 Boards are over the age of 60²
- only 23.4% of ASX200 Boards have female representation³
- 3.2% of Board members onASX200 Boards are from an Asian cultural background4
Is it any better on NFP Boards?
The respondents of the AICD’s 2016 NFP Governance and Performance study included:
- 61% male and 39% female
- 7% under 40, 18% between 40 – 49, 40% between 50 – 59 and 35% over 60
So yes, there is work to be done!
Igniting 1000 more young directors (under the age of 40) on community boards is a MASSIVE goal. So here’s how we want to support change!
What can you expect?
- Young Board Director Profiles – #1000youngdirectors
You can’t be what you can’t see!
Each Wednesday (starting tomorrow!), Alyceum will profile impressive young board directors from around Australia. We have an incredible list of young board directors to share with you already. You will find them on our Facebook page and Linkedin page. If you would like to be included in this series or know someone who should be profiled, complete the form at the end of this post.
Please use the hashtag #1000youngdirectors to share wins, add resources and promote the young board director profiles!
- Tools and Resources
Learning the ropes!
We will be blogging tools and resources and hosting online webinars here to help you get onto community boards. Discover what it means to be a board director, what the role involves, how to find a board position and more! You may want to sign up to our mailing list!
- Register for the Board Ignition Online Course
Fast track your board journey here!
Alyceum has created an exciting online resource for young professionals (or anyone!) who are keen to get their first community board appointment. We have a very special pre-order offer during our launch month – June 2017. So if you’re keen, this is the course for you!
- Buy the Difference Makers Book Pack
Discuss the benefits of diversity on your board
Alicia Curtis along with Dr Nicky Howe have written a practical board guide for championing diversity called Difference Makers: A Leader’s Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards. As part of this campaign, we are promoting a Board Book Pack of 10 books for your board directors for $240. This is a 20% discount on the retail price of $29.95 each plus we will ship to you for free! Order your Board Book Pack here.
Share about this campaign
Involve your workplace or community board by downloading and sharing the following posters:
About the Business Case for Diversity
About the Board Ignition Online Course
About the Difference Makers Book
Be Profiled
If you’re under 40 years old and on a community board, add your details here to be profiled in this campaign. Please like our social media pages too (our Facebook page and Linkedin page).
¹Howe, N.J and Curtis, A (2016) Difference Makers: A Leaders Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards, pp 25-29
2 http://www.corrs.com.au/news/asx-200-Boards-are-getting-younger/
3 http://www.companydirectors.com.au/director-resource-centre/governance-and-director-issues/Board-diversity/30-per-cent-by-2018
4 http://www.afr.com/leadership/management/hiring/smaller-asx-listed-companies-are-letting-the-side-down-on-diversity-20160405-gnyhyl
