Amid shifting attitudes towards ESG and diversity efforts, Equilar, a pioneer in executive intelligence solutions, collaborates with the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence to unveil the Top 50 Diverse Board Candidates. This thoughtfully curated list symbolizes collective efforts and an enduring commitment to diversify corporate boards, even in the face of challenges following the passing and subsequent repeal of landmark legislation in CA.

In partnership with the Equilar Diversity Network—an exhaustive "registry of registries" featuring board-ready executives from leading affinity organizations—the 2023 Top 50 list is derived from nominations representing underrepresented demographic groups and candidates who do not yet serve on a public board. Identified by leaders in corporate governance, board search, and esteemed organizations such as the Latino Corporate Directors Association, Ascend Pinnacle, LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors Association, Santa Clara University’s Women’s Corporate Board Readiness and Black Corporate Board Readiness programs, Neythri, and others; each individual showcased in the Top 50 embodies the leadership and strategic skills essential for contributing value to a board.

David Chun, Founder and CEO of Equilar, challenges the perception of a 'pipeline problem,' asserting, “The Top 50 provides a definitive roster of board-ready candidates, highlighting exemplary individuals among the pool of highly qualified diverse candidates who will propel companies and boards into the next era of board leadership.”

Belen Gomez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Equilar, highlights the profound importance of the collaborative effort and dedication of the esteemed selection committee. “The unveiling of the Top 50 list stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment of our Equilar Diversity Network partners and the efforts of selection committee members who generously devoted their time to review and select the final list of candidates. We extend our sincere gratitude to them for their steadfast support.”

Comprising directors on S&P 500 boards, leaders in the executive and board search industry, and prominent figures from the corporate governance sector, the selection committee ensured a meticulous and independent selection process. To further emphasize a commitment to transparency and due diligence, Private Eyes Screening Group played a crucial role in this initiative, diligently conducting background checks on each candidate for inclusion in the Top 50.

“We are grateful to contribute to this initiative. We support Equilar in creating this list of highly qualified candidates. Having diverse perspectives on corporate boards will only help companies serve their clients better,” Sandra James, CEO, of Private Eyes Screening Group stated.

While racial and ethnic minorities have seen increased representation on U.S. boards, their overall presence remains disproportionately lower compared to their share of the population and the workforce. According to Equilar data, individuals representing racial and ethnic minorities occupy nearly 25% of board seats at the largest U.S. companies by revenue.

View the complete list of the 2023 Top 50 Diverse Board Candidates.

About the Equilar Diversity Network

Launched in September 2016 to advance diverse representation in boardrooms globally, EDN now comprises more than 50 partner organizations and nearly 170,000 diverse board candidates, supplementing nearly 2.5 million candidate profiles in the Equilar ExecAtlas database. EDN is a consortium of leading diversity-focused organizations consolidating robust registries of board-ready executives into one searchable database.

Equilar is the leading provider of executive intelligence solutions. The company's expertise in relationship intelligence drives state-of-the-art business development and CRM applications, board and executive recruitment, and compensation and governance strategies. Equilar integrates its extensive database of executive profiles with natural language processing and machine learning AI to enable real-time relationship analytics and targeted outreach for its global clients. Equilar's commitment to excellence has made it the go-to solution for over 1,000 companies, including 75% of the Fortune 500, top PE/VC firms and leading professional services entities. Learn more at www.equilar.com.

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