ABSTRACT
Norway is, together with the other Nordic countries, perceived amongst the most equal countries in the world (World Economic Forum, 2008, Human Development Report, 2007-2008). It has a variety of strategies for promoting equality, yet occupational sex segregation remains resilient, with men controlling the majority of the most senior and powerful positions, especially in the private sector. Singh and Vinnicombe (2004: 486) point out that in the UK context, despite several waves of feminism and 30 years of equal opportunities and equal pay legislation, there is still a long way to go before women make considerable inroads into top boardrooms. This was also the case in Norway, but the
280 G o w e r H a n d b o o k o f D i s c r i m i n a t i o n a t Wo r k
Norwegian Government, instead of waiting for change, chose to challenge the pattern of vertical sex segregation in the private sector in the corporate boardroom. Consequently, in 2003, the Norwegian Government introduced a much-debated gender representation law applicable to the boards of directors of public limited companies which came into force in 2006. It had a two-year implementation period and required the boards to have at least 40 per cent representation of each sex by January 2008. The law has led to a number of changes within the composition of boards and this chapter seeks to explore some of the early effects of the gender representation law, noting that the Norwegian approach has received international attention both from scholars and policymakers.
