Here are the key takeaways from this report from Glass Lewis analyzing the latest board composition disclosures:
- Compared to 2024, there were slight increases in board independence (77.5%) and the presence of an independent chair (44.9%)
- In response to ongoing shareholder concern regarding the substantial increase and scope of directors’ responsibilities and oversight, the number of issuers implementing policies limiting director commitments continued to rise, with 75% of companies within the Russell 1000 having such policies.
- Although the overall number of women on Russell 3000 boards increased slightly in 2025 to 30.6%, the number of gender diverse, first year appointments at Russell 3000 companies decreased from 35% in 2024 to 28.4%.
- There was a significant decrease in the number of companies within the Russell 1000 that disclosed the racial/ethnic diversity of directors on either the aggregate board or individual director level (approximate 24% decrease from 2024).
