Melanie Wadsworth Assesses Gender Quotas in Insight Magazine

Increasing female representation in the workplace has become a focus for several countries across Europe as the European Commission seeks to improve gender equality. Mandatory quotas have been an intimidating factor for many companies in European Union countries including Britain, Germany and Sweden.

Melanie Wadsworth, a corporate partner in Faegre Baker Daniels' London office, contributed to an article appearing in Insight, a magazine produced by ACE Insured. She suggested that quotas are only as good as the systems that underpin them. Wadsworth said mentoring, flexible working arrangements and networking events can benefit women in the workplace, but that employers should seek qualified candidates regardless of their diversity.

"There is definitely a risk that, however well intentioned, initiatives to improve diversity become formulaic and forget what they are trying to achieve beyond just a quota," Wadsworth said. "This is why it is so important to address training and mentoring issues early, so a strong seam of qualified, confident and able diverse candidates is available when the opportunity for promotion arises."