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Trump DEI crackdown hit the boardroom. Now there are fewer women
Corporate boards have slowed new women director appointments as companies retreat from diversity goals, with some firms dropping targets entirely.
New director appointments for women on boards declined sharply as the political climate shifted and anti-diversity pressure campaigns gained momentum, stalling progress toward gender-balanced Boards.
Major asset managers abandoned diversity targets, while advisory firms stopped considering gender or race when making their voting recommendations.
In America, federal appeals courts blocked rules requiring board diversity, and state mandates were struck down, removing regulatory pressure for companies to diversify.
Steady gains for women on boards are in jeopardy, as experts warn that companies may default to familiar profiles, causing director appointments to decline sharply.
Amid "extraordinary uncertainty" from geopolitical unrest and economic volatility, companies might prioritize traditional profiles, causing diversity policies for Boards to regress at this critical moment.