SEC Chair White Decries Lack of Diversity in U.S.

SEC Chair Mary Jo White advocated for greater diversity in U.S. boardrooms.

She brought attention to the "significant gap to close" in diversifying boardrooms, which she argued was needed in order to better reflect the marketplace and to bring the benefit of broader perspectives. She pointed out that at S&P 500 companies, women are 45 percent of the employees, nearly 37 percent of mid-level managers, a quarter of senior level managers, 4.4 percent of the CEOs and 19.2 percent of board members. Ms. White stated that despite the intense focus in recent years, "we have not seen nearly enough progress in the boardroom for women or minorities."

Ms. White's remarks were delivered at the Women's Forum of New York Breakfast of Corporate Champions: "The Pursuit of Gender Parity in the American Boardroom."