When women experts in environmental issues are on the board of directors of companies, those companies are greener, according to research co-led by Jing Lu, professor of accounting in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics at U of G.

Lu is quoted in an Anthony A. Davis column on the subject in the Globe and Mail. She said the research aims to encourage companies to add women to boards, not as tokenism but in the interest of environmental sensitivity.

“We want them to put qualified women with environmental experience on their boards,” said Lu.

Lu and University of Calgary Prof. Irene Herremans found that the beneficial impact of women directors is more pronounced in environmentally sensitive industries, such as mining, forestry and energy. They found men are inclined than women to focus on the economics of business and to be more skeptical about the environmental effects of their industries.