How should shareholders evaluate board diversity in 2026?

Great question to kick off the community. I think the key metrics to look at are: (1) independence ratio — how many directors have no material ties to management, (2) skills matrix coverage — does the board collectively cover finance, technology, ESG, and industry-specific expertise, and (3) tenure distribution — a healthy mix of fresh perspectives and institutional memory. The challenge is that "diversity" means different things in different jurisdictions. What frameworks are others using?

One thing I have noticed is that companies with genuinely diverse boards tend to have better risk oversight. It is not just about representation — it is about cognitive diversity in decision-making. The ISS and Glass Lewis frameworks are a good starting point, but shareholders should also look at committee composition and whether diverse directors actually hold leadership positions on key committees.