The One Woman Director Mandate: History and Trajectory

Afsharipour, Afra

The One Woman Director Mandate: History and Trajectory

Corporate Governance in India: Change and Continuity (ed. Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs) (Oxford University Press, Forthcoming)

UC Davis Legal Studies Research Paper No. 472

27 Pages Posted: 9 Nov 2015 Last revised: 20 May 2016

See all articles by Afra Afsharipour

Afra Afsharipour

University of California, Davis - School of Law ; European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

Date Written: September 1, 2015

Abstract

In 2013, India passed historic legislation mandating that boards of publicly listed and certain other large companies must include one woman director. The mandate, which came into effect on April 1, 2015, has the potential to vastly change the profile of Indian boards and board members. This chapter examines the history and trajectory of India’s board diversity requirement. It seeks to understand the genesis and goals of this requirement, and explores some of the challenges that India has already faced and may continue to face with respect to the possible effectiveness of this requirement. The chapter then considers for the Indian context the implications of business and social science literature on gender diversity on corporate boards.

Keywords: India, Women, Board of Directors, Quota, Board Diversity,

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Afsharipour, Afra, The One Woman Director Mandate: History and Trajectory (September 1, 2015). Corporate Governance in India: Change and Continuity (ed. Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs) (Oxford University Press, Forthcoming), UC Davis Legal Studies Research Paper No. 472, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2686991