Many of the older white guys who typically fill Boston’s boardrooms appear to be growing tired of looking across the table and seeing other directors who look like them.
Case in point: The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, which has its roots in the software biz, is launching a “Board-Ready Boot Camp” aimed at putting more women and people of color on tech company boards. These sessions will play dual roles: teaching candidates about the rules and rigors of board work, and cultivating a diverse roster of potential board picks for the group’s corporate members.
Board diversity has been a priority in the business community for a while now, but there seems to be a newfound sense of urgency. Massachusetts likely won’t go as far as California, which recently became the first state to require public companies to include women on their boards. But the public pressure for boards to better reflect their workforce, and the broader population, continues to increase.
Diversity also can be a smart business move — for decision making and employee retention, among other reasons.
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