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The growth of women on S&P/TSX index boards in Canada has shown little progress in the past decade. The proportion of companies with no women on the board has fluctuated between 40 per cent and 50 per cent each year, leaving it unclear whether this year's improvement to 41 per cent is a sign of permanent progress, especially since the number with no women also hit 41 per cent in 2009 and worsened in 2010 and 2011.

Percentage of Canadian corporations with women on their boards

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No women
Just one woman
25-33% of directors are women
Over 33% of directors are women

* In 2010 Board Games began including a marking category for companies with between 25 and 33 per cent women.

Meanwhile, progress in a different area — the proportion of companies adopting majority voting policies so shareholders can reject unpopular directors — has been transformational in just a few years as investor groups press companies to embrace the reform. It suggests change can happen quickly when there is a will to embrace a new direction.

Does the company have a majority voting policy?

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Yes
No

In recent years, at least nine countries – including Norway, Spain, France and Italy – have adopted some form of quota requirements for diversity on corporate boards, according to an April report by women's advocacy group Catalyst. Other countries don't have fixed quotas, but have set targets for women that companies are either required to comply with or must explain publicly why they are not.

Women on global boards

SOURCE: Catalyst (Reports data where available. Most data is based on a study conducted by Governance Metrics International, which did not include every company in each country, and only countries with at least 10 companies are included here. Different sources show slightly different numbers. Whenever possible, the most detailed source is used.)

INTERACTIVE CREDITS: ALISA MAMAK, MURAT YUKSELIR / THE GLOBE AND MAIL
SOURCE: BOARD GAMES / THE GLOBE AND MAIL