SPRINGFIELD – Only about 18 percent of Illinois companies have women on their corporate boards, despite a recent study by the Credit Suisse Report that shows companies with women on their boards tend to be less risk-averse and have higher income growth.

Today, State Senator Laura Murphy passed Senate Resolution 140 through the Illinois Senate, which encourages more equitable and diverse gender representation on corporate boards and urges corporations in Illinois to increase the number of women on their boards.

"Women bring a diverse viewpoint to the workforce and promote higher corporate income growth. It’s past time for corporations to recognize this and ensure women are represented at the highest level in their companies,” Murphy said.

Murphy is sponsoring the initiative on behalf of Women on Boards 2020, which aims to have company boards made up of at least 20 percent women by 2020.

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