In December 2014, Canadian issuers in participating provinces, with the exception of TSX Venture Exchange issuers and investment funds, became subject to new disclosure requirements with respect to the representation of women on boards and in senior management positions. Last year, we completed a comprehensive report on diversity disclosure practices, which reviewed disclosure relating to women in leadership roles by all TSX-listed companies, other than closed-end and exchange-traded funds, that made disclosure prior to July 31, 2015. The overall picture was disappointing.

This year's Diversity Disclosure Practices report summarizes our final results for the full 2015 calendar year. We also compare the results of our analysis of disclosure made in 2016 (prior to July 31, 2016) against the results from the same period in 2015 to determine whether TSX companies have made any progress. The data presented in our 2016 report were obtained by surveying public disclosure documents filed by all TSX-listed companies other than closed-end and exchange-traded funds.

Our findings provide a snapshot of the representation of women in leadership roles in corporate Canada and cover the following:

  • industry breakdown of numbers and percentages of women directors for full-year 2015
  • industry breakdown of numbers and percentages of women executives for full-year 2015
  • diversity policies and targets for full-year 2015
  • 2016 mid-year results regarding the numbers and percentages of women directors and women in executive officer positions by industry
  • board policies on diversity and policies related to the nomination and identification of women on boards, including policy adoption rates
  • targets for women on boards and in executive officer positions

In addition to our survey results, our report highlights developments over the last 12 months affecting gender diversity in Canada and abroad, and provides some examples of best practices for advancing women in the workplace.

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