White men an 'endangered species' in UK boardrooms - Tesco chairman

[rooster59]

White men an 'endangered species' in UK boardrooms - Tesco chairman

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The chairman of Britain's biggest retailer Tesco has said he was joking after telling an audience of aspiring non-executive directors (NED) that white men were "an endangered species" in UK boardrooms.

John Allan, who became Tesco chairman in 2015, told the Retail Week Live conference earlier this week that women and people from an ethnic background were in an "extremely propitious period" when it came to getting top jobs in business.

"For a thousand years, men have got most of these jobs, the pendulum has swung very significantly the other way now and will do for the foreseeable future, I think," British newspapers quoted Allan as saying.

"If you are a white male, tough. You are an endangered species and you are going to have to work twice as hard."

Allan later told the Guardian his comments, made the day after International Women's Day, were not meant to be taken at face value and that they had amused his mainly female audience.

"It was intended to be humorous, a bit hyperbolic. Clearly, white men are not literally an endangered species, but I was actually wanting the make the reverse point, which is that it is a great time for women and people of ethnic minorities who want to get on in business."

In a statement on Saturday, Allan said he was a strong advocate of greater diversity and regretted if his remarks had given the opposite impression.

"The point I was seeking to make was that successful boards must be active in bringing together a diverse and representative set of people," he said. "There is still much more to be done but now is a good time for women to put themselves forward for NED roles."

The proportion of female directors among FTSE 100 companies is 26 percent, according to the Guardian, while only 10 percent of executives at those same firms are women.

Allan had told the conference that Tesco had appointed an almost entirely new board in the last 18 months and that three of the six new non-executive directors were women.

However, Tesco's board still only has three women and all its members are white. According to the Cranfield School of Management's 2016 "Female FTSE Index" of the top 100 UK companies, Tesco ranked 33rd.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-12

[whatawonderfulday]

No joke, he was  just the truth as it is for which he will get lambasted by the bigoted defenders of the  PC army.

[robblok]

22 minutes ago, whatawonderfulday said:

No joke, he was  just the truth as it is for which he will get lambasted by the bigoted defenders of the  PC army.

 

https://www.tescoplc.com/about-us/board-and-executive-committee/board/

 

Here a picture of the board.. all white.. no blacks or minorities.. but 3 women. So yes I see how threatened we are your right.. (if you live in your own little world)

[daveAustin]

Quote

"It was intended to be humorous, a bit hyperbolic. Clearly, white men are not literally an endangered species, but I was actually wanting the make the reverse point, which is that it is a great time for women and people of ethnic minorities who want to get on in business."

He knew exactly what he he was saying and he was almost spot on, aside from the obligatory (a testament of today) the good-for-women-and-non-whites-in-general spiel. But, not so much endangered, more sidelined and being obliged to feel guilty  Would there be so much animosity, I wonder, if we were all still rolling around in the mud! 

[whatawonderfulday]

28 minutes ago, robblok said:

 

https://www.tescoplc.com/about-us/board-and-executive-committee/board/

 

Here a picture of the board.. all white.. no blacks or minorities.. but 3 women. So yes I see how threatened we are your right.. (if you live in your own little world)

He was talking about boards in General or are you so involved in the PC Army movement you are in total denial of common sense ?

[Ace of Pop]

Recon there should be P.C.Toilets where they piss in one pot whilst denigrating every one who has personal likes n dislikes


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[mogandave]

The cream rises to the top.


Live, love, laugh

[robblok]

9 minutes ago, whatawonderfulday said:

He was talking about boards in General or are you so involved in the PC Army movement you are in total denial of common sense ?

 

I am just showing you the Tesco board.. quite relevant as this is a Tesco guy making a statement.. and guess what all white.  If it was as bad as the guy said there should at least have been a minority on his own board or a few. 

 

I don't really believe stories like this and they are so easy to disprove with a picture.

 

I do believe minorities are upcoming especially in government organisations and I dont have a problem with it as long as they are capable (some are not)

[whatawonderfulday]

Just now, robblok said:

 

I am just showing you the Tesco board.. quite relevant as this is a Tesco guy making a statement.. and guess what all white.  If it was as bad as the guy said there should at least have been a minority on his own board or a few. 

 

I don't really believe stories like this and they are so easy to disprove with a picture.

 

I do believe minorities are upcoming especially in government organisations and I dont have a problem with it as long as they are capable (some are not)

And some thought Idi Amin was a good guy when he was allowed to join the British Army, a pillar of future society some would have it. A black African Muslim who made  a name for himself later.

[i claudius]

I see that the "outraged" have had a field day with this , it would be terrible for all the snowflakes and right on types if us non PC crowd should ever stop talking , wonder what they would have to have a go at then .?

[robblok]

1 minute ago, whatawonderfulday said:

And some thought Idi Amin was a good guy when he was allowed to join the British Army, a pillar of future society some would have it. A black African Muslim who made  a name for himself later.

Oh dear.. your one of those... you do know Hitler and Stalin were white ? 

 

I think i better stop talking with you its not good reasoning with white supremacists. 

[dick dasterdly]

Non-executive directors are pretty much a waste of time and money anyway IMO.

 

They are dependent on the info. provided by the executive directors and therefore only know what they are told, or can glean from the profit & loss/balance sheet type documents provided at Board meetings.  And when the executive directors prefer that certain agenda items are 'glossed over', its easily done by making one of the first Agenda items executive remuneration/benefits....

[whatawonderfulday]

Just now, robblok said:

Oh dear.. your one of those... you do know Hitler and Stalin were white ? 

 

I think i better stop talking with you its not good reasoning with white supremacists. 

Now here is undeniable fact to support that further.  England have never one the FIFA World Cup with a black man in their team.

[robblok]

Just now, i claudius said:

I see that the "outraged" have had a field day with this , it would be terrible for all the snowflakes and right on types if us non PC crowd should ever stop talking , wonder what they would have to have a go at then .?

Not outraged at all.. more amused that a guy in an all white board would make a remark like this. I mean how stupid can you, now if the guy was in a board full with minorities I could understand his reasoning.  

[Orac]

Used to work for this guy back in the 90's - wasn't a pleasant experience but did motivate me to move on so guess there was a silver lining.

[Prbkk]

34 minutes ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Now here is undeniable fact to support that further.  England have never one the FIFA World Cup with a black man in their team.

And it's a very safe bet that they will not do so in the next 100 years. Maybe 2166 is a chance.

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed.

[heroKK]

BIRMINGHAM , between 1960 to 2010

Edited March 12, 2017 by heroKK

[the guest]

Tesco should be ashamed of themselves, I see only white faces.  I smell discrimination here, where there should be a diverse team based on cultural vales. UK should adopt legislation to make sure everyone is given a chance at the top .

[ilostmypassword]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

Not outraged at all.. more amused that a guy in an all white board would make a remark like this. I mean how stupid can you, now if the guy was in a board full with minorities I could understand his reasoning.  

He wasn't making the speech in or to his board.It was a women's group. It's clear he was speaking in a way that was meant to be amusing. What's even more amusing, is the belief of a large number of white men that what he said is true.  Talk about snowflakes!

[dazzz]

5 hours ago, robblok said:

 

https://www.tescoplc.com/about-us/board-and-executive-committee/board/

 

Here a picture of the board.. all white.. no blacks or minorities.. but 3 women. So yes I see how threatened we are your right.. (if you live in your own little world)

Reading seems to be a dying art these days . He stated that tesco only had 3 women duh but he stated  that white men were an endangered species  in uk boardrooms so why you put the tesco link up is puzzling as he never said tesco ??????????????????
 
 

[rijb]

49 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

He wasn't making the speech in or to his board.It was a women's group. It's clear he was speaking in a way that was meant to be amusing. What's even more amusing, is the belief of a large number of white men that what he said is true.  Talk about snowflakes!

Expecting people to changes their beliefs, by calling them snowflakes, is even more amusing.

[dazzz]

3 minutes ago, rijb said:

Expecting people to changes their beliefs, by calling them snowflakes, is even more amusing.

i do it for humour as i have never seen so many replies on a forum that seem to be nothing to do with the opening posts :) He never said tesco and i think it was not his job to appoint the posts to tescos  therefore making your post inaccurate and rude to whatawonderfullday

[dazzz]

5 hours ago, robblok said:

Not outraged at all.. more amused that a guy in an all white board would make a remark like this. I mean how stupid can you, now if the guy was in a board full with minorities I could understand his reasoning.  

have you ever thought that he did not appoint the tesco board ????!

[ilostmypassword]

11 minutes ago, rijb said:

Expecting people to changes their beliefs, by calling them snowflakes, is even more amusing.

Yes, it's clearly a word that isn't used most often by those on the right.

Just pointing out that white men complaining about being disadvantaged is truly a bizarre exercise in massive and unjustified self-pity.

5 hours ago, i claudius said:

I see that the "outraged" have had a field day with this , it would be terrible for all the snowflakes and right on types if us non PC crowd should ever stop talking , wonder what they would have to have a go at then .?

 

[KKr]

my conclusion after many years of hiring staff in a variety of cultures is that many from minorities study hard and work hard so they can prove to themselves they are better than the ruling elite, or the school tie & old boys networks as the case may be.
And quite often, they succeed.
Well Done I say.

[Pdaz]

6 hours ago, robblok said:

Not outraged at all.. more amused that a guy in an all white board would make a remark like this. I mean how stupid can you, now if the guy was in a board full with minorities I could understand his reasoning.  

British TV news ( not the BBC ) is reporting that he was quoted out of context. He says he was making a light hearted ironic joke - As seen the board was all white and male. Just an attempt by the uber-liberals to stir up controversy.

 

Britains is a majority white country. Who do they expect to be on the boards of our companies ? Yes I believe there should be more women ( But only on merit, not legislation ) Black people and other minorities have the oppotunity of education, funding and a million social schemes aimed at them. If they fail to grasp these opportunities that is their fault. Why so little help for the white class in the UK. Studies have proven that they are now thevmost underprivileged. 

Still waiting for diversity to happen in Japanese, korean, Thai, Nigerian, Saudi and a hundred other non-caucasian countries around the World.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Pdaz

[ilostmypassword]

33 minutes ago, Pdaz said:

British TV news ( not the BBC ) is reporting that he was quoted out of context. He says he was making a light hearted ironic joke - As seen the board was all white and male. Just an attempt by the uber-liberals to stir up controversy.

 

Britains is a majority white country. Who do they expect to be on the boards of our companies ? Yes I believe there should be more women ( But only on merit, not legislation ) Black people and other minorities have the oppotunity of education, funding and a million social schemes aimed at them. If they fail to grasp these opportunities that is their fault. Why so little help for the white class in the UK. Studies have proven that they are now thevmost underprivileged. 

Still waiting for diversity to happen in Japanese, korean, Thai, Nigerian, Saudi and a hundred other non-caucasian countries around the World.

Yes, it's a fact that white boys do the worst of any identifiable ethnic or racial group in the UK. Which only makes it odder that white men still preponderate in corporate management. Reverse discrimination?

 

As for comparing the UK to Japan, etc.? Why stop there. Why not compare the UK to North Korea or Syria? By that standard the UK is paradise.

 

 

[7by7]

Mr Allan was addressing female delegates at a retail conference about the difficulties women still face in reaching the top in business.

 

He was not talking just about Tesco.

 

He says this particular remark was intended to be humorous.

It has received a mixed reaction from women campaigners: Tesco chairman: White men 'endangered species' in UK boardrooms

Quote

Labour's Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, reacted on Twitter.

Image copyright Twitter

Meanwhile, Sophie Walker, the leader of the Women's Equality party, joined calls for a boycott of Tesco saying, that Mr Allan was out of touch and his comments risk alienating customers.

She also highlighted data released by the Fawcett Society this week that suggested the pay gap was influenced by racial and gender inequalities, saying both groups were a "long way from endangering men's dominance of boardrooms".

Campaign group Women's March on London said Mr Allen's comments were "extraordinary" and the company should "step-up and show the world that diversity in leadership is no joke".............

 

But businesswoman Helena Morrissey, a campaigner for greater gender diversity in the boardroom, tweeted that media reports of Mr Allan's speech had put an "unfair spin on what he's trying to say".

Image copyright Twitter

Ms Morrissey's government-backed initiative, the 30% club, launched in 2010 with the goal of boosting female representation on FTSE 100 boards.

 

I do not believe in so called  positive discrimination; I believe in appointment by merit. But it is true that women and ethnic minorities are underrepresented on the boards of the UK's top companies, and have to wonder why that is.

 

Just who are the 7 women bosses of the FTSE 100?

Quote

Lord Davies's target of 30 per cent of women on boards is slowly being met - with more than 25 per cent now in place (a number that has doubled since his initial report in 2012). But there are still twice as many men named John who are CEOs or chairmen of FTSE 100 companies as there are women of all names.

 

FTSE 100 boards do not represent ethnic diversity in the UK, Parker Review finds

Quote

His recommendations follow the disclosure that just 8 pc of FTSE directors are non-white - far lower than the UK's workforce at large, of which 14 pc of workers hail from ethnic minority backgrounds. 

Seven companies accounted for a third of all directors hailing from ethnic minority backgrounds, while 53 firms do not have a single non-white executive on the board. 

 

[Pdaz]

I'll start believing this diversity business when  I see a caucasian waiter in a curry house or asian take-away.