This study explores the changing gender diversity trends on New Zealand corporate governance boards.

A literature review presents domestic and international governance diversity statistics, as well as a thorough summary of the research into the commercial benefits of board diversity and the identified barriers and solutions (on both the supply and demand sides) to achieving it.

A longitudinal examination of the gender diversity of companies in the NZX Top 50, from 2003 to 2013, finds that gender diversity is slowly improving with female representation rising from 8 percent in 2003 to 16 percent in 2013; however it is estimated it will take 21 years to reach a critical mass of 30 percent female membership. Existing initiatives to improve governance gender diversity and enablers of progress for companies and for individual women are described.