John Parker urges FTSE 100 boards to catch a multidisciplinary target before it expires

FTSE 100 companies have been asked to volunteer to elect a member of a minority committee from the minority tribe of Sir John Parker, whose analysis of factional differences ends in December.

Parker, who sits on the boards of Pennon Group, Laing O’Rourke and Carnival Corporation, has been appointed by the UK government to oversee the review of British corporations to ensure that everyone has one senior member of the minority.

Its five-year contract closes by the end of 2021 for FTSE 100 companies, although FTSE 250 companies have another three years to meet their demands.

Parker told the Financial Times newspaper “he would be disappointed if we did not get too close to getting more people there” when he released his final report early next year.

He further added that such progress was due to the epidemic, which he said “disrupted the registration process”.

But he said he was not concerned about the performance of British companies despite their efforts to redevelop boardrooms to better reflect the people so far.

“I hope all FTSE 100 companies will have clear plans, and will take action,” he said. “I’m optimistic because I think there’s a big change in the background. Undoubtedly, the Black Lives Matter has been very helpful. But I’m proud that the UK started in the United States.”

The last update on the March 2021 review found that the number of FTSE 100 companies with minority representatives on their boards rose to 81, compared to 52 in January 2020.

The survey found that 124 of the 998 boards in all companies that responded were minority supervisors. About one-third of all were British, while one-ten sat on two or more FTSE boards.

But the study found that progress remained slow in key board positions, with only five FTSE 100 executives and two seats from a minority.

Parker said the next goal would be to improve the representation of minorities in senior positions and committees, “building high-quality pipelines within the company – not under the board”.

He added: “Planting a flag in the living room is a big sign for the whole organization.”

Parker said the renovation of the stadium took time, due to the need for seats to be free and the time required for registration. But he said big hunters are now better at providing a variety of people who want to be on board.

“I think that’s the problem with why there are no more [directors from ethnic minority backgrounds] then we would have already begun. “