INDUSTRY
Breakthroughs for Women in International Business By: Leigh Ganchan
I
nternational business offers much in the way of access to a global talent pool and innovation. Still, there are regulatory differences that make doing business abroad challenging. While it is tempting to initially view differences as burdensome, some changes fill important gaps in human rights and others provide alternative legal frameworks within which your company can control business risks. A particularly positive paradigm shift is occurring in the expansion of women’s rights and roles in the workplace throughout the world. A report by the World Bank Group titled Women, Business and the Law 2016: Getting to Equal confirms that “Over the past two years, 65 economies achieved 94 reforms increasing women’s economic opportunities.” Employers can best position themselves by understanding these changes and using them strategically.
A particularly positive paradigm shift is occurring in the expansion of women’s rights and roles in the workplace throughout the world
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SHALE OIL & GAS BUSINESS MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2016
International businesses are seeing many laws being brought into alignment with what employers are accustomed to in the U.S. The Supreme Court of Japan recognized rights against “maternity harassment” and increased employers’ impact reporting requirement if they change a pregnant employee’s job duties, even with her consent. Similarly, India passed a sexual harassment law in response to frequent reports of workplace violence. India’s law requires employers with more than 10 employees to create a committee to investigate allegations of harassment and broadly covers all women who may be subjected to workplace sexual harassment, including trainees, temporary workers and even contractors’ employees, whether remunerated or not. Karen Murray, Director of Human Resources, North America for Yokogawa Corporation of America notes that “more countries are committed to increasing protection against harassment of female workers. This makes international assignments more attractive to female executives.”
WOMEN ON CORPORATE BOARDS
Policy makers in a variety of countries are legislatively increasing the number of women who serve on corporate boards. Belgium, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Norway and Spain have laws that require representation of both genders on corporate boards. Quotas range from 20 percent in France to 40 percent in Iceland, Norway and Spain. In Israel and India, publicly listed companies must have at least one woman on their boards. The European Union encourages member states to increase women’s representation on corporate boards to
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PROTECTION OF WOMEN