Policy Resolution BED-20-41

WHEREAS, diversity is not only critical to economic empowerment, but also critical to the success of our businesses, as gender and racial diversity mean there will be a greater diversity of ideas in our companies and non-profit organizations;

WHEREAS, the diversity of ideas and understanding of various cultures helps business to better understand their customers, employees, and shareholders, which in turn helps companies and non-profit organizations become more competitive in the U.S. and world markets;

WHEREAS, the gender diversity gap exists within leadership roles and/or positions in the corporate business sector, the gap exists in the position of CEO’s, board members and staff of Fortune 500 companies;

WHEREAS, research conducted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) found that women in leadership positions within businesses are a minority;

WHEREAS, less than five percent of the companies in the Standard and Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) index had female chief executive officers;

WHEREAS, women made up less than five percent of the CEOs of S&P companies;

WHEREAS, fewer than three percent of Asian, African American and Hispanic women are board directors;

WHEREAS; this disparity is also found at the staff level, Asian, African American, and Hispanic women make up seventeen percent of the workforce in S&P 500 companies but fewer than four percent of them are executive officials and managers.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL), supports efforts to mitigate the gender and diversity gaps in corporate and non-profit organization’s leadership roles;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL urges state policy makers to legislate for changes to enhance the balance of power as it relates to fair and equal opportunity to support women in leadership roles and positions;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL supports the incorporation of diversity training in all Fortune 500 companies and Standard and Poor’s 500 companies, to include the completion of gap analysis to determine what strategies/initiatives can be implemented to decrease this imbalance in the workplace;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL supports organizations/companies that provide resources for women pursuing leadership roles and positions that include training, counseling, coaching and mentoring to secure and/or be recommended for non-positional and positional leadership roles, as these internal leaders are critical to long term success and viability of the company; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the Unites States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials and agencies as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Assemblymember Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (NJ)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Business and Economic Development Policy Committee
  
• Certified by Committee Co-Chair: Senator James Sanders (NY)
  
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 6, 2019
  
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President