Inside Arbitration: Diversity - What Has Been Done So Far And Can The Arbitration Community Do More?

Promoting gender diversity has become a key focus for the international arbitration community and beyond. In the Global North, it is generally acknowledged that the topic has gone from being a "fringe, water cooler conversation" to a key business priority.¹ Companies are facing greater internal and external pressure to increase the representation of women, particularly on boards and in senior leadership positions, and to provide equal opportunities and compensation at all levels.

Within the arbitration community, efforts have been focussed on ensuring the fair representation of women as arbitrators. The cross-institutional task force on gender diversity in arbitral appointments and proceedings conducted by the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA Taskforce) has also sought to identify and explore the underlying issues causing women to leave the legal profession. It recognises that addressing the lack of female arbitrator appointments is only the