The Equilar Diversity Network (EDN) has announced a new partnership with Third Arrow Strategies to help increase gender diversity on company boards in Japan.
Third Arrow Strategies Japan Board Diversity Network (JBDN) recently launched with the support of 21 global influential leaders as charter members, in a bid to help increase gender diversity on Japanese company boards. In fact, only around 6.2% of board director seats are held by women in the country (July 2020 figures), according to the Japanese Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office; despite the global focus on board gender diversity. So JBDN wants to provide a solution for Japanese companies seeking to identify and invest in qualified senior female leadership to create a pipeline of future board candidates.
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
In partnership with Equilar, Third Arrow Strategies JBDN will become part of Equilar’s EDN – a resource for companies and recruiters seeking to identify diverse talent. All JBDN members will be separately identified under the Third Arrow Strategies JBDN on the Equilar BoardEdge platform. JBDN is currently the only EDN partner focused exclusively on Japan.
“The Equilar Diversity Network has always had a global mission. With this new partnership with Third Arrow Strategies JBDN, we are taking the first step toward expanding our reach to Japan,” commented David Chun, Founder and CEO of Equilar. “We are in full support of the JBDN mission and look forward to partnering closely to further the international expansion and our commitment to global gender diversity efforts.”
ADVANCING GENDER EQUITY ON JAPAN’S BOARDS
“I have been amazed by the positive support from both charter members and the global community. Each charter member was selected due to unique accomplishments, board skills, leadership, influence and a firm belief in the mission,” stated Tracy Gopal, Founder and CEO of Third Arrow Strategies JBDN. “Charter members include several of the first female board directors appointed in Japan, recently appointed board directors, lawyers, startup founders, business leaders, financial professionals, investors, non-profit leaders, diplomats and politicians. With this powerhouse group of women and advisors, we are positioned to provide great resources and opportunities to make real progress in advancing board gender diversity in Japan and beyond.”
Charter members include: Masako Arakawa, Suzanne Basalla, Andrijana Cvetkovik, Masako Egawa, Amy Guarino, Debbie Howard, Kumi Ito, Naomi Koshi, Aiko Lane, Kahori Matsui, Kathy Matsui, Kaoru Matsuzawa, Sawako Nohara, Jenifer Rogers, Catherine O’Connell, Naoko Okumoto, Susie Roos, Kaori Sasaki, Ako Williams, Tasha Yorozu and Emi Yoshikawa.
Founded in 2016, Equilar’s EDN is a consortium of more than 40 leading organisations focused on advancing diversity on boards for underrepresented groups. Since its founding, more than 2,000 members have been placed on corporate boards.
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