The Seimas plans to introduce gender quotas within the boards of huge corporations Enterprise

Such a proposal of the Ministry of Social Safety and Labor (SADM) was permitted after submission, with 46 members of the Seimas voting in favor and eight abstaining.

The Deputy Minister of Social Safety and Labor, Justina Jakštiene, mentioned that on this approach the European Union directive on gender stability in firm boards is transposed into nationwide regulation.

In response to the draft, by July 2026, corporations whose securities are allowed to be traded on a regulated market and different massive corporations should make sure that no less than one third of senior administration and supervisory positions are crammed by representatives of the underrepresented gender.

“Each individual ought to have the proper to pursue their objectives, no matter gender. The transposition of this directive into nationwide regulation will assure this. It’s also gratifying that we’re wanting in the identical course with the social companions and have agreed to hunt even sooner progress within the discipline of gender stability, foreseeing that the provisions of the directive will apply not solely to corporations whose securities are allowed to be traded on the regulated market, but in addition to different massive corporations”, – Seimo J. Jakštiene said on the assembly.

The submitted undertaking proposes to find out that individuals of the underrepresented gender within the administration and supervisory our bodies of huge corporations ought to occupy no less than 33 p.c, however not exceeding 49 p.c, of the positions of the corporate supervisor, board members, and supervisory board members by June 30, 2026.

It should even be ensured that, when the candidates’ competences coincide, choice is given to an individual of the underrepresented gender, and the choice course of relies on clearly formulated standards.

“The essential factor is that within the discipline of Lithuanian authorized regulation, the regulation might be utilized normally, counting the pinnacle of the corporate, the members of the board and the members of the supervisory board”, emphasised the vice-minister.

The pinnacle of the combined group of members of the Seimas, Rita Tamašunienė, questioned the worth of such a provision.

“In my opinion, there’s an extreme gender stability when it comes to governing and supervisory our bodies. (…) do not you see that while you put all of it collectively, whereas now we have competent younger males, we cannot rent them just because there aren’t sufficient girls, or by sustaining that variety, we is not going to be offering people who find themselves competent and keen to work, however by following the varied established balances?” – requested the MP.

J. Jakštiene identified that no gender was named within the undertaking, however she admitted that the talked about norm might be extra related for ladies.

“(…) in the present day, the participation of ladies in administration positions in Lithuania is about 20-25 p.c, when the European Union common is 37 p.c. It’s clear that the illustration of ladies within the majority of huge corporations is low. However certainly there are corporations the place, apparently, the bulk could also be girls, then a higher proportion of males needs to be represented, should not it?” she mentioned.

In response to Democrat Laima Nagienė, there are areas the place few girls work, so it isn’t clear what should be completed for these corporations that merely is not going to have feminine candidates for administration positions.

“Affiliation “Lyderė” or Lithuanian girls’s foyer organizations present a number of information on what number of girls have competencies, expertise and needed data in these particular sectors the place we stereotypically suppose that there are few girls there. In reality, competences, specs, every part is sufficient, it is only a query of stereotypical options”, asserted J. Jakštiene.

There are as much as 30 massive corporations whose securities are allowed to be traded on the regulated market, and about 540 different massive corporations, together with state and municipal corporations.

In response to SADM, the directive on gender stability on firm boards was adopted in October 2022. It have to be transposed into nationwide laws by December 28 of this yr.