Applications Open For Iod Mentoring Scheme

Applications Open For Iod Mentoring Scheme

The Institute of Directors (IoD) invites applications from women directors interested in being mentees in its new Mentoring for Diversity programme.

Starting from January 2012, this year-long scheme will match up to 30 experienced and qualified women with chairs and senior directors who will act as mentors.

The IoD Mentoring for Diversity programme aims at boosting the number of women on NZX-listed and large company boards, through developing connections between “board ready” women and some of New Zealand’s top business leaders. It will allow for a sharing of skills and experience that will help improve the candidacy of women mentees for board positions.

Currently only 9.32 per cent of directorships on NZX-listed boards are held by women.
“Mentors will also benefit,” says IoD chief executive Ralph Chivers, “As it will put them in contact with women who have the experience and qualifications to make a contribution to our top companies but may not have had the opportunity to promote their candidacy in the past.”

He says that the scheme is part of a continuing push by the IoD to promote diversity on boards.

“Diversity is not just about gender,” Chivers says, “It is about the need to ensure that there is diversity of skills, thinking and life experiences around the board table.”

A number of international studies have drawn a positive link between board diversity and financial performance. The pilot scheme will focus on women initially but could be extended to other groups, such as younger directors, in the future.

Chivers said that the women mentees are expected to already have a solid track record of executive and governance experience of a kind that would make them likely candidates for NZX-listed or large company boards. This could include a directorship on the board of a private company, SOE or not-for-profit organisation.

Applications close 5.00pm, Friday 7 October 2011. For further details and to apply, see www.iod.org.nz

ENDS

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