Canadian boardroom diversity rates 'are stagnating'

Efforts to improve boardroom diversity in Canada have faltered over the last two years, according to a new report.

Analysis from Corporate Knights has revealed that the percentage of companies in the North American nation with no visible minority members on their boards has risen from 64 per cent in 2009 to 73 per cent in 2011.

Similarly, the number of companies with no women in their executive leadership team has grown slightly from 20 per cent two years ago to 21 per cent now.

The publication said this trend is occurring despite an expected increase in minority representation among the populace as a whole to around 30 per cent by 2031, a percentage that it wishes to see mirrored on a corporate level.

"It's a big leap - nearly fourfold - for the nation's boards, as those numbers would have to more than double to bring them in proportion with the general population today," said the magazine.

This comes after a Canadian Board Diversity Council report showed last week that women only occupy 22 per cent of executive positions in leading Candian industries at present.