Whether viewed as a business imperative, an ethical responsibility, or a fiduciary requirement, diversity and inclusion has moved to the top of the agenda. The same is true for corporate governance: In a time of great economic uncertainty, having the right voices in the boardroom is the key not only to success, but very possibly to survival. We are in a crisis—but crisis also means opportunity. The time is now.

At Egon Zehnder, we believe passionately that building diverse leadership in both the boardroom and the C-suite is a direct path to business success. We also believe that it is good for the world. That is why we have tracked gender and international diversity on boards around the world biennially for the past 16 years, and why we are committed to increasing the broad range of diversity and experience in leadership. Our 2020 Global Board Diversity Tracker shows how far we’ve come globally—and just how much remains to be done.

The numbers are clear on one fact: For all of the attention given to board diversity, there is simply not enough progress. But today, there is alignment. There is attention. There is acknowledgment.

Now it is time to act.