California’s disputed gender diversity law catapults a record number of women into corporate board seats

Despite ongoing legal challenges, California’s 2018 gender diversity law has helped propel a record number of women into corporate board seats in the San Diego region and statewide, according to a new study. Women directors at San Diego publicly traded companies rose from 12 percent to 31 percent of total board seats since the law — SB 826 — passed three years ago, said the California Partners Project, an advocacy group tracking the impact of the legislation. Across California, women now hold 29 percent of public company board seats, up from 15.5 percent in 2018. “I think it is hard to argue t...