2025 QUIZ: women on boards, ESG regression, DEI rebrands, plus 2026 headline predictions

2025 REVIEW QUIZ:True or False: Nearly half of directors think their board adds insufficient value.What percentage of directors said their board adds no value at all? A) 10% B) 18% C) 31% D) 69% (nice)True or False: Women run 11% of Fortune 500 companies in 2025.True — 11%. Don’t clap.Women hold 24% of CEO pipeline roles but only ___% of promotions. A) 24% B) 16% C) 8% D) 0%, if the board had its wayWhich company plans to automate up to 90% of privacy and societal risk reviews using AI? A) OpenAI B) Meta C) Google D) Twitter (sorry, “X”)Why did BlackRock get removed from Texas’ boycott list? A) Legal challenge B) Accounting error C) ESG retreat D) They promised not to say “climate” out loudWhy did PepsiCo say it delayed its net-zero target from 2040 to 2050? A) The board miscalculated emissions B) Shareholders voted against climate goals C) A change in climate accounting rules D) “The systems around us” weren’t readyTrue or False: UK financial regulators scrapped mandatory rules because “DEI paperwork is annoying.”True: UK financial regulators scrapped mandatory DEI rules citing regulatory burden.The new acronym JPMorgan prefers over “DEI” is:D&IEDIDOI“Diversity, Opportunity & Inclusion”“Please Stop Asking”Which word even became unsafe during federal climate language purges? A) Sustainability B) Climate C) Resilience D) All of them, cowardWhich CEO criticized ISS and Glass Lewis as “incompetent”? A) Elon Musk B) Jamie Dimon C) Larry Fink D) All men eventuallyWhich phrase best describes modern CEO accountability? A) Robust B) Improving C) Optional D) DecorativeHaw many women have founded and led a Fortune 500 company?oneBonus: Who was that woman?Marion Sandler: Co‑founder and co‑CEO (with her husband Herbert Sandler) of Golden West Financial. True or False: Board gender diversity plateaued around 30%.True — Progress hit a ceiling and called it success.What % of Russell 3000 boards have 50% women?6%15%22%Enough to declare victoryTrue or False: MI6 appointed its first female chief in 2025.True — MI6 got there before corporate America. Blaise MetreweliWhich ESG metric disappeared first from earnings calls?Diversity statisticsEmissions targetsHuman rights languageAll of the above, but quietlyThe most common excuse for oversized boards:ComplexityGlobal reach“We need all these people”Founder feelingsWhich industry saw the biggest rollback in ESG commitments?EnergyFinanceConsumer packaged goodsTech pretending it’s neutralWhat’s the fastest-growing category of CEO compensation?Cash bonusesStock optionsPerformance shares“Retention” awards for stayingWhat’s the most common DEI rebrand in 2025?BelongingCultureTalent strategyRisk managementWhat actually drives CEO pay upward during stock declines?Peer benchmarking“Retention risk”Board discretionFearWhy are women overrepresented in “glass cliff” roles?Risk toleranceCrisis opticsLimited pipelineConvenient scapegoatingWhat is the most accurate definition of “independent director” in 2025?No financial tiesNo employment tiesNo visible conflictNo intention of rocking the boatScoring Rubric23–25 correct: “Governance Adult” You actually listen. Disturbing.18–22 correct: “Proxy Advisor Apologist” You skimmed. You nodded. You missed the point.13–17 correct: “Boardroom Vibes Guy” You believe independence is a feeling.8–12 correct: “CEO Whisperer” You think pay packages are earned and boards try their best.Below 8: “Kimbal Musk” Please stop hosting the showWhich of these headlines are most likely to occur in 2026:Elon Musk announces Groxxx69, the latest iteration of Grok AI dedicated entirely to porn, 69, weed, pro wrestling, Call of Duty, and matchbox cars: 2DoorDash announces a 12 year $8.4bn pay package for CEO Tony Xu: 9DoorDash announces cutting staff 80% due to AI: 8Costco Caves to Trump, Cuts DEI: 1ISS and Glass Lewis announce new zero page voting policy: 5Brian Cornell resigns from Target board: 7CEO of McDonald’s refuses to resign after admitting to affair with other executives: 8Sam Altman says he is terrified: 6Shareholders overwhelming vote out directors early in proxy season: 9Tim Cook announces retirement in 2028: 1