The ‘Women on Boards’ Act came into force
On 18 August 2026, the Act of 3 July 2026 implementing EU Directive 2022/2381 on gender balance on the boards of listed companies came into force. The president signed it on 30 July and at the same time referred it to the Constitutional Tribunal for ex post review.
Large listed companies (with at least 250 employees, a turnover exceeding €50 million or a balance sheet total exceeding €43 million) must ensure that the under-represented gender accounts for at least 33 per cent of the total membership of a management and a supervisory board, using transparent, non-discriminatory recruitment criteria. A gender balance policy must be adopted by the end of the first general meeting following entry into force of the Act (with an extension to four months if a meeting is held earlier).
In the event of breaches, the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) will first issue a recommendation to rectify them; in the event of continued non-compliance, it could impose a fine of up to PLN 500,000. Overlooked candidates can seek compensation in court.