This metric is intended to capture the number of individuals on the organization's governance body (e.g., board of directors) who belonged to an underrepresented group (i.e. belonging to a racial or ethnic minority within a given country’s context) as of the end of the reporting period.
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A board of directors is defined as a group of individuals legally responsible to govern a corporation and responsible to the shareholders and other relevant stakeholders. A governing body with a different name (e.g., "advisory body") may be considered a board of directors provided it has a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders and/or other relevant stakeholders.
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The categorization of underrepresented groups varies with location and context. With no internationally agreed-upon definition as to which groups constitute underrepresented, if well-established national or local policies exist, organizations should refer to these national or local guidelines to identify underrepresented groups.