Women in Business Task Group
Bringing together women from across the world of business in Bristol, the Women in Business task group explores the issues for women in the workplace and works together to address these. From the gender pay gap and representation at senior levels to exploring flexible working options. The task group founded the Bristol Women in Business Charter and helped it grow to become an independent Community Interest Company in 2020. The Charter is represented on, and still works closely with the Commission attracting more signatories each year – all committing to taking tangible steps to improve things for women in the workplace.
- Task Group members:
- Dr Zara Nanu (Chair)
- Women in Business Charter
The Women in Business Charter has been the key achievement and main focus of Bristol Women’s Commission’s Women in Business task group. It has resulted in tangible progress in businesses across the city, including the following:
- Bristol Airport Ltd, use gender neutral recruitment practices to achieve their target (for the year) of 35% female applicants, investing in specialist software
- Bristol City Council has used workforce data and a new interactive HR dashboard to identify and begin to address diversity gaps in progression, pay, recruitment and flexible working.
- ADLIB, has appointed 2 women to its Board
- Burges Salmon has introduced a career focus training programme to improve transparency,
- Chickp has implemented new unbiased onboarding processes and on-the-job training
- OVO Energy is working to increase the number of women appointed to their technology roles, revamping the recruitment process and building in checks for gender-bias. As a result women are now 21% of new hires to tech roles.
- Pelican Business Services launched a campaign (#LetsMoveMore) to support internal moves and career progression. This included a management job swap across the whole business, which challenged many traditional stereotypes.
- GCP Chartered Architects have added more women to their senior management team and Ian Williams Ltd have further enhanced their family friendly benefits including their maternity and paternity leave provision.
