Over the last ten years or so Norway has been working to match their gender equality traits as a country within the corporate world in addition to the equality with the government that they have been known for in the past. With women holding almost 40 per cent of positions in parliament as well as being recognized for past women in the position of prime minister, supreme court justice and minister of defense, Norway has progressed since 2002 with government requirements for equality among the corporate leadership of state-owned companies. Between 2002 and 2003 the requirement for 40 per cent board positions to be held by women was put in place and forced to be enacted. The Norwegian parliament did not waste any time in getting things on the move!
Picture The board Creative Commons!
Unlike the lack of national collaboration between the government and workforce here in the U.S., there was also a notification sent to private corporations of the requirement for gender equality boards, and they were given two years to comply with the new regulation. Although it wasn’t reached by all private corporations there was further legislation passed which provided strict requirements in order for private companies to maintain their status, and also required board equality in order for new companies to register. This is much more than any full government legislation move has provided for the women of the U.S. in order to lead to equality among national businesses in order to further the potential for equality through the rest of the land. I have to say I definitely appreciate the international standing that Norway provides as an example for other countries still working slowly and creeping through every piece of the nation in order to bring equality between the genders.
