Chamber Increases
Board Diversity
Women on the Board Increased by 129% and
People of Color on the Board Increased by 193%
Dear Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Members,
In 2021, the Chamber issued a call to action to the business community to join us in committing to Board diversity with intention and action. Last year, we publicly announced our own ambitious Board diversity goals, and we are pleased to provide an update on the Chamber Board’s progress as well as the strides of our member companies in diversifying their respective Boards.
- Through a unanimous vote in 2021, the Chamber Board committed to 5-year diversity goals: a board that is 50% women and 37% people of color, including 17% Black, 10% Asian, and 10% Latinx by 2026.
The Chamber Board has already made significant strides to achieving these 5-year goals:
- Since 2017, the Chamber Board has increased the representation of women by 129% and people of color by 193%.
- As of July 2022, the Chamber Board is 44% women and 31% people of color. Of the people of color, 22% are Black, 5% are Asian and 4% are Latinx.
- With 4 years remaining in the 5-year diversity goal plan, the Chamber Board is close to achieving the goals and will likely surpass them before 2026.
Our immediate past Board Chair, Micho F. Spring, strategized and launched this effort, and Chamber members continue to answer this call to action by intentionally prioritizing the diverse recruitment for their company’s Boards. We continue to see the significant influence of State Street and other shareholders as they advance gender and racial diversity with their proxy votes in Board rooms across the region, country, and world.
The Chamber is sharing and celebrating the progress of members in their Board diversity goals, including Accenture, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Deloitte, Eastern Bank, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Glasswing Ventures, State Street, The RMR Group, Verizon, and more. The Chamber will celebrate on our social media platforms the inspiring results of these Chamber members as they diversify their own Boards. It is the necessary work of every business in the region to elevate and create an inclusive business community.
There is still much more work to do. Join us in championing diversity with meaningful action by sharing your Board diversity goals and progress.
As the leading business organization in the region, we understand that our efforts – and more importantly the results – will shape commerce today and tomorrow.
James E. Rooney, President & CEO, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Ronald O’Hanley, Chairman & CEO, State Street