I’m guessing that not too many Canadians have heard of Catalyst Canada, and that’s regrettable.
It’s an organization dedicated to accelerating progress for women in business through workplace inclusion, which is to say, include more women on boards of directors, or even, dare we say it, appoint women as CEOs.
Numbers show that companies with three or more women directors outperformed those with sustained low female representation by an amazing 84 per cent on return on sales and 60 per cent on invested capital.
Yet Canadian business doesn’t seem to get the message; half of all publicly traded Ontario companies have no women on their boards.
Well, Catalyst Canada has just named a new chair of their advisory board and — it’s a man: Victor Dodig from CIBC.
In fact, Dodig replaces the outgoing chair, who was also a male.
I’m sure Dodig is a wonderful man and committed to the worthy goals of Catalyst Canada, but are we to believe that they couldn’t find a woman to take on the role?
If there was one organization that should lead by example, it would be Catalyst Canada.
As one former board member remarked, it isn’t talented women who are in short supply, it’s the demand for them that is lacking.
Apparently, that’s true in the Catalyst Canada boardroom as well.
Bill Kelly is the host of Bill Kelly Show on AM 900 CHML and a commentator for Global News.
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