Earlier this week, the CSA announced the upcoming implementation in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan of amendments to corporate disclosure obligations to require information in regards to the representation of women on boards of directors.
As we discussed last year, the OSC initiated a consultation process in July 2013 to consider the underrepresentation of women on corporate boards. In January 2014, meanwhile, the OSC published proposed amendments to Form 58-101F1 to require that reporting issuers annually disclose certain information in regards to the representation of women on boards and in respect of the director selection process. Other CSA jurisdictions published proposed amendments in July.
Having considered the responses submitted by stakeholders, the participating CSA jurisdictions have now released harmonized amendments in final form. Ultimately, the amendments published today, which are substantially similar to the earlier proposals, will require non-venture issuers to annually disclose:
- director term limits and other mechanisms of board renewal;
- policies regarding the representation of women on the board;
- the board's or nominating committee's consideration of the representation of women in the director identification and selection process;
- the issuer's consideration of the representation of women in executive officer positions when making executive officer appointments;
- targets regarding the representation of women on the board and in executive officer positions; and
- the number of women on the board and in executive officer positions.
The amendments apply to management information circulars and annual information forms that are filed following an issuer's financial year ending on or after December 31, 2014.
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