TheCorporateCounsel.net

With corporate boards facing increasing pressure to improve diversity, this WSJ article says that training programs aimed at expanding the pool of potential director candidates are proliferating:

Law firms, universities and current directors of companies have launched new or expanded programs over the past few years to coach prospective board candidates, offering training on topics from corporate governance to committee work. Some programs are free or sponsored by companies, while others can cost thousands of dollars.

Sponsors are hoping to broaden the pool of people who are ready to fill board roles beyond former chief executives to other qualified business leaders. They also can match candidates with board openings, as companies’ boards are still largely white and male with roles often filled through professional networks of existing directors.

The article mentions a number of specific training programs, and a brief Google search led me to websites for Harvard’s program and Berkeley’s program.  Neither of these are cheap – Harvard runs a one-week course that will set you back $5,500, while Berkeley’s program runs for nine months and costs $6,995.  The article also discusses the NACD’s Accelerate program, which is a two-year training program that costs $5,700.

If you’re interested in seeing what other training programs are available, check out UNC Law School’s Director Diversity Initiative, which has an extensive list of organizations that promote board diversity and offer training programs for prospective directors.

– John Jenkins