“Scotland’s five centrally funded performing companies have pledged to achieve boardroom gender equality by 2020,” reports Thom Dibdin in Monday’s (9/12) The Stage (U.K.). “The National Theatre of Scotland, Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra have all signed up to the Scottish government’s ‘50/50 by 2020’ campaign. They join 180 other companies from across the public, private and third sectors, who have signed up to the Scottish Government’s Partnership for Change campaign launched last year. Chair of the NTS, Seona Reid, said: ‘I believe firmly that diversity within board membership leads to significantly enhanced decision-making and quality of debate.’ … The announcement was made at Edinburgh King’s Theatre by equalities secretary Angela Constance, who said that in signing up to the campaign the companies were recognizing the need for true gender equality and were helping to shatter the glass ceiling.… Constance encouraged all organizations to consider the benefits of a gender-balanced board. She said: ‘It’s clear to me that companies with a more modern, progressive and open-minded approach will be the ones that outperform their rivals, as they are making the best use of all the talents at their fingertips.’ ”
Posted September 14, 2016
