Do 50:50 targets naturally mean that men will lose out?

Gender equality is not a zero-sum game. Taking a stand on gender equality means doing something about it. Setting clear targets for improvement is an important signal of commitment. It is a key tool for understanding and managing progress, or a lack of progress.

Asking “50:50, if not why not?” for example has helped to uncover systemic and entrenched biases in policies and processes that have clearly inhibited the advancement of some women. Some have been the beneficiaries of these biases and we make no apologies for the fact that more and diverse women now have more access to opportunities.

We know that team performance across a whole range of measures is better with gender-balanced teams. A make-up of 40% women, 40% men and 20% of any gender will deliver real benefits.