BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Executive search firm Koya Leadership Partners is founded on the belief that diversity is critical at all levels of an organization, beginning with its Board of Directors. Yet Boards of Directors remain homogeneous, with little measurable movement toward diversity in the last 20 years.
Koya is committed to helping its clients, including companies and nonprofits, prioritize diversity with the following efforts:
- A Board Practice, partnering with corporate and nonprofit clients to address board diversity by identifying and recruiting directors with a variety of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds.
- An innovative new report on nonprofit Board diversity – The Governance Gap: Examining Diversity and Equity on Nonprofit Boards of Directors.
- Thought-leader discussions about how to create more inclusive Boards across all industries and sectors, beginning with a panel discussion in Boston featuring some of the city’s prominent nonprofit and corporate leaders focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“Many of our clients are aware of the benefits of diversity and want to diversify their boards. However, few boards have been successful moving from intention to action,” said Molly Brennan, Founding Partner at Koya Leadership Partners and author of The Governance Gap report.
“Many boards recruit from their personal networks, which makes it especially difficult to identify, evaluate, and attract highly qualified women, executives of color, and other candidates that would bring new perspectives and backgrounds.” Brennan explained. “Koya’s Board Practice leverages our expertise identifying and placing diverse candidates. We are a strong partner for boards seeking to go beyond personal networks to identify new directors.”
Koya’s study shows that although leaders want their boards to become more diverse, a gap exists between desire and action. Per the study, 96% of organizations believe diversifying their Boards of Directors is a key objective, yet only 24% of all respondents have taken crucial steps (three or more actions) to increase levels of diversity within their board.
The benefits of diversity and inclusion within companies and organizations are well-documented.
“Clients with diverse boards report immense benefits to their businesses and strategy, including increased innovation and market share,” said Alison P. Ranney, Partner at Koya Leadership Partners, who leads Koya’s board practice. “Diverse organizations and teams outperform non-diverse teams in almost every form of measurement, from creativity to financial outcomes. The same principle can be applied to Boards of Directors, who bear the ultimate responsibility for leading the companies and organizations they serve.”
Diverse boards:
- Help their organizations drive innovation and increase market share.
- Can better understand and meet the needs of increasingly diverse communities.
- Foster a more inclusive culture throughout the organization, resulting in better outcomes: more effective/creative solutions, higher levels of engagement, and deeper, more authentic partner relationships.
- Create more inclusive policies, practices, and behaviors – and value different perspectives – when developing strategies and conducting board business.
- Help recruit and attract more diverse leaders at every level.
Koya’s experts are working to engage more leaders in dialogues about this important issue. A recent event in Boston convened a panel of area nonprofit, civic and business leaders to talk about board diversity and offer guidance for organizations seeking to diversify their boards. Through continuing efforts such as this one, Koya is dedicated to providing key audiences with actionable steps to build more diverse boards.
About Koya Leadership Partners
Koya Leadership Partners is a
leading executive search and strategic consulting firm dedicated to
leading mission-driven searches. Koya was founded in 2004 on a single
belief – the right person in the right place can change the world – and
is deeply committed to its clients and the missions they serve. Koya has
been ranked in the top 15 executive search firms by Forbes
for two consecutive years (2017 & 2018) in America’s Best Executive
Recruiting Firms. It is the top ranked firm exclusively leading
mission-driven searches. The firm’s Founder and CEO, Katie Bouton, was
named a finalist for EY’s Entrepreneur of The Year® 2018 New England
Awards. For more information, visit www.koyapartners.com.