Matheson to provide support to Irish Chapter of global campaign for gender balanced leadership
Photo caption: Pictured (L-R): Gillian Harford, 30% Club Country Executive; Michael Jackson, Managing Partner, Matheson; and Melíosa O’Caoimh, 30% Club Ireland Chair.
Matheson is delighted to announce that the firm has entered into a partnership with the 30% Club Ireland, the Irish chapter of the 30% Club, the global campaign aimed at achieving greater gender balance at leadership levels for better business outcomes. Matheson has been a member and supporter of the 30% Club since 2015, and this new partnership sees the firm increasing its level of support by funding the 30% Club Country Executive Role for the next twelve months.
The Irish chapter of the 30% Club works to support the achievement of a minimum of 30% gender balance at all senior decision-making tables across Ireland, including boards and C-suite. It is business led and represents the needs of supporter organisations across the public and private sector. Since its inception 10 years ago, the percentage of women on boards in Ireland has increased from 12%, to 39% for the ISEQ 20 and 28% for other listed companies, with more work to be done for private companies, and even greater focus needed for improved balance at C-suite.
30% Club Ireland Chair, Melíosa O’Caoimh, said she was delighted that Matheson will sponsor the important initiative in 2024:
“The 30% Club campaign is very much based on a volunteer model, and in the absence of any membership fees, support from key organisation members is critical to ensure that important activities, communication and representation take place. To this end, I am delighted to welcome Matheson on board as key sponsor for our dedicated Country Executive Role this year.
I would like to extend my warm thanks to Frank O’Keeffe, Managing Partner and the team at EY Ireland, who kindly provided sponsorship for the last two years, which is much appreciated.”
Matheson Managing Partner, Michael Jackson, said:
"We are delighted to be partnering with the Irish chapter of the 30% Club, having been a member and supporter for many years. Diversity and inclusion is a strategic priority for us as a firm, and is one of the core pillars of our Impactful Business Programme. At Matheson, we believe that diverse perspectives are essential for driving innovation and success. We have a long-standing focus on gender equity within our firm and are committed to creating an environment in which women are able to progress and where all genders feel supported to thrive professionally while balancing their responsibilities inside and outside the workplace.
By aligning with the 30% Club, we aim to further our commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace and champion meaningful progress towards greater female representation at leadership levels. We look forward to working with the 30% Club Chair, Country Executive and Advisory Board this year, as they continue to build on the success achieved to date across the business landscape in Ireland.”
The 30% Club has also welcomed four new members to their CEO Advisory Board, and these include Matheson's Managing Partner, Michael Jackson; Lorna Conn, CEO of CPL Resources; Oonagh McPhillips, Secretary General of the Department of Justice; and Margot Slattery, Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at ISS World Services. The Advisory Board, which represents senior business and professional leaders across Irish society, provides strategic input and support to the Ireland Chapter campaign.
Gillian Harford, 30% Club Country Executive welcomed the new Advisory Board members and said that the 30% Club Ireland has a busy programme of activity in 2024:
“Our Advisory Board has an important role in terms of shaping the strategy of the Irish Chapter, and they feed into the direction of travel. They sit across different sectors, which gives good balance and insight from a variety of perspectives. I would like to welcome our new members and thank them for contributing to this role.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Matheson for supporting my role as Country Executive. We have the key Chair and CEO Conference coming up very soon, which will be our tenth annual conference, and on 1 March we launched our annual Executive Education Scholarship Programme, with more than 50 opportunities supported by Ireland’s leading education establishments. This year, for the first time, t he programme also will include virtual options, improving accessibility for women across any part of Ireland, and for those who work in a more agile way. Additionally, we will continue to work closely with the 30% Club Chapters across the world – where Ireland is recognised as a progressive member.”
The new partnership with the 30% Club Ireland builds on Matheson's long-standing commitment to gender equity and promoting women in leadership. Diversity is one of the firm's core Values and a pillar of its Impactful Business Programme, which includes a dedicated Gender Inclusion Committee.
