The case for strong and diverse leadership teams Report of the North West Women and Work Task Force
THE CASE FOR STRONG AND DIVERSE LEADERSHIP TEAMS Report of the North West Women and Work Taskforce Foreword The North West Women and Work Task Force was set up by the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and 4 North West (4NW) to investigate the barriers to women achieving higher levels of leadership positions across all sectors in the North West of England. Over a six month period the Task Force set out to understand the current position; to examine the economic case for greater diversity at senior leadership levels and to identify practical recommendations for change. This report combines evidence from academic research with the experience of companies and business leaders in the North West. It also includes the voices of 300 men and women who completed the Task Force survey “North West: Best for Women?” and over 40 organisations which responded to the consultation on the Task Force recommendations. A strong evidence base has been put together which has allowed the Task Force to make clear recommendations. The Task Force concluded that there is a convincing and compelling economic and social justification for strong and diverse senior leadership teams. In short: female executive talent is currently being neglected due to a variety of factors, and this is both damaging and wasteful for organisations, for the economy and for society at large. The recommendations in this report are therefore a “call to practical action” for the benefit of all: individuals, organisations and the wider economy. Our overarching aim is to see women in at least 30% of leadership positions across all sectors. Currently in the private sector, only 9% of senior executives are female. Research has proved that when a third of leaders are women, cultural change starts to take place in the organisation: standard policies, work patterns and workplace culture itself start to change, such that women are no longer disadvantaged. We are not advocating tokenism, rather a range of practical measures which remove the barriers to female progression and create a more even playing field for talented women. We are optimistic. Role models exist. Exemplar organisations (large and small) also exist across all sectors of the North West economy – but they are the exception 2
rather than the rule. We have identified the best practice which will drive change. We have also focussed on the economic value of putting these changes into action. As this report goes to print, the government has set an aspiration that half of new appointees to the boards of public bodies will be women, and has appointed Lord Davies to develop a business strategy to increase the number of women on the boards of listed companies. Our recommendations provide routes towards the goal of women making up half of those on boards and in senior leadership positions. This change is overdue. Concerted action is needed. We urge you to consider this report and to implement its recommendations. Vanda Murray OBE
Steven Broomhead
Deputy Chair, North West Regional Development Agency Chair, North West Women and Work Task Force
Chief Executive North West Regional Development Agency
September 2010
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Contents Foreword...................................................................................................................... 2 Executive Summary..................................................................................................... 5 Overall aim and recommendations .............................................................................. 7 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 10 The compelling economic argument.......................................................................... 12 Women’s leadership is critical in time of economic challenges ................................. 15 More women in leadership roles brings competitive advantage ................................ 16 Modern business practice provides pathways for women and men to the top .......... 17 Flexible working not just for women........................................................................... 20 Quotas and targets: international comparisons ......................................................... 22 What gets in the way of women’s progress? ............................................................. 24 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 26 APPENDIX 1 - Good practice model for an organisation in which women lead and thrive .......................................................................................................................... 28 APPENDIX 2 - Female Leaders in 16 Leadership Categories .................................. 30 APPENDIX 3 - North West Women and Work Task Force Members........................ 32 Further appendices.................................................................................................... 33
Figures, Tables and Graphs Figure 1 - North West Women and Work Task Force Objectives................................ 9 Figure 2 - Linear and non-linear careers ................................................................... 19 Table 1 - North West female leaders ......................................................................... 11 Table 2 - Women on boards – international comparisons ......................................... 23 Table 3 - Female leaders in 16 leadership categories............................................... 30 Graph 1 - Percentage Employed by Gender and Socio-Economic Group, North West ................................................................................................................................... 24 Graph 2 - Women and men are accepted in positions of leadership in my company.... ................................................................................................................................... 25 Graph 3 - Responses to the North West Best for Women survey ............................. 26
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Executive Summary Women should comprise at least 30% of all boards and leadership teams – this is the overall conclusion of the North West Women and Work Task Force. To achieve this target of 30%, the region has to develop a gender-balanced supply of future leaders; and organisations need to develop and retain more female talent and create a working environment in which diversity can thrive. There is a strong economic case for change, which can be adapted for different contexts, kept up to date and used to stimulate widespread debate. The Task Force urges more organisations to demonstrate their commitment to this agenda by adopting ‘30% women leaders’ as a business target. Economic growth relies on making better use of talent, which means involving more women in decision-making roles. The Task Force report and recommendations are directly relevant to anyone interested in building a strong and sustainable economy within the North West of England. There is a long way to go for the region. Fewer than one in ten business leaders are female and only one in three leaders in the public sector. Most industry sectors we looked at fell short of the 30% target and none had 50% of women in their leadership. Overall, one in four North West leaders is female. To achieve gender balance at the top, we would need to double the number of women in leadership roles across the region. If there were more women in board and executive director roles, it would mean organisations were drawing from a wider talent pool, bringing competitive advantage, helping to close the productivity gap with the South East and resulting in over 9,000 additional business start-ups per year. Diverse boards and leadership teams have a positive impact on the bottom line, improve efficiency and productivity, strengthen governance and are better at attracting and retaining talent. Lack of flexibility in the workplace is a key barrier “The combination of great cities to women’s ability to progress their careers at the and great people in the North same rate as men. Levels of skill, ambition and West has provided a superb potential start out the same for both genders, but culture for people to develop. women’s careers do not follow a linear pattern Women have been at the and if they step off the career ladder, they find it backbone of this development for very difficult to step back on at the same level. a long time. It is about time this The Task Force found this to be one of the key group of entrepreneurial women explanations for the shortage of women at the were acknowledged in more leadership roles.” top. Flexible working is no longer a women’s issue though, as fathers and younger employees without caring responsibilities increasingly expect a better work-life balance. A growing number of organisations, large and small, have introduced flexible working arrangements because they recognise it will help them to work more efficiently and retain and attract the best people of both sexes. The second biggest barrier to change identified was a male dominated workplace culture in organisations of all sectors. Many of the sectors which the region will rely on to lead economic recovery - engineering, advanced manufacturing, digital and creative industries – need to attract, develop and/or retain women as a matter of urgency to deal with skills shortages.
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Some organisations in male-dominated sectors have managed to buck the trend – but it requires a concerted effort backed up by strong leadership to transform organisational culture. We have developed a checklist for a model organisational culture (Appendix 1) as a blueprint for others to follow in developing and nurturing women leaders. Lack of confidence can also be a barrier to women’s progression, partly due to outdated assumptions about male and female behaviours and roles. Access to influential mentors and positive role models can make a big difference but are in short supply – so we want to see more investment in this field by educational institutions, training providers and employers. Diversity amongst the pool of mentors and role models is critical to inspire young women from different backgrounds and communities. Similar recommendations have been made before, yet progress is unacceptably slow. In some sectors - in ICT, for example - women are leaving in higher proportions than they enter. Having examined the international evidence, the Task Force concludes that targets are essential to achieve the necessary change. We support the government’s aim for half of board member appointees to public bodies to be female. We challenge all organisations to achieve our target of at least 30% women on boards and in executive director roles, or to explain publicly why they have not done so. The majority of the public want to see men and women have an equal say in decision making - but at the current rate of progress it will be more than 70 years before this is the case. The North West cannot wait this long.
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North West Women and Work Task Force recommendations Overall aim and recommendations To develop strong and diverse leadership across public, private and third sectors, with at least 30% female participation on boards and at executive director level. Outlined below are specific recommendations for action which would accelerate the pace of change to deliver each objective, all suggested by those giving evidence to the Task Force: Recommendation 1: Ensure gender-balanced supply of future leaders Requires action by education and training providers, professional bodies, sector skills councils and recruitment agencies •
Raise aspirations of women from all backgrounds so that they believe they could be a leader – e.g. via more diverse role models;
•
Identify and nurture women with talent and potential;
•
Ensure at least 30% female entry to Science, Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing (STEM) occupations (latest figures from UKRC1 are 18.5%) – e.g. within apprenticeship schemes, courses in further and higher education;
•
Leadership and management training programmes to double the number of female participants until they achieve a gender balance;
•
Workforce, skills and enterprise strategies to set targets for female participation in areas where women are under-represented;
•
Build expectations of young people from both sexes to aspire to a future where they take equal share of domestic care and family responsibilities alongside the development of their career.
Recommendation 2: Retain female talent at senior level Requires action by senior managers and boards •
We challenge those at the top of organisations to lead by example by mentoring a woman through the transition into senior management;
•
We urge male leaders to adopt elements of flexible working themselves and break down a culture that expects all leaders to work long hours within an office environment;
•
Make sure that diverse women leaders are visible as spokespeople on conference platforms and in corporate literature;
•
Provide talented women with stretching targets, opportunities to lead strategic projects and access to networks of power and influence;
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UK Resource Council: advancing gender equality in science, engineering & technology
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•
Childcare provision to be extended at beginning and end of working day, to reflect demands of modern business.
Recommendation 3: Change organisational culture to create the environment for success Requires action by boards and leaders, adopting the code of best practice in Appendix 1 A successful organisation displays the following characteristics: •
Flexible working is widely established at all levels of the organisation;
•
Leadership style and behaviours are collaborative;
•
Succession planning identifies talent amongst women and men with diverse characteristics and backgrounds.
We encourage employers and organisations concerned with maximising talent in the North West to work together to achieve these objectives. How will this be achieved? The Task Force has identified four drivers of change. We need to see these four things happening in order to achieve our goal: 1.
Economic case for diverse boards and leadership teams kept up to date and relevant to local context;
2.
Widespread public debate about the issues;
3.
Substantial numbers of organisations sign up to this agenda;
4.
Strategies for economic growth prioritise women’s involvement.
The diagram in Figure 1 shows how our overarching aim can be reached by starting with the drivers for change. Practical initiatives will build aspirations that lead to a supply of future leaders with a more equitable gender balance. By supporting women leaders and providing the conditions for their male peers to combine work and home responsibilities, more female talent will be retained. Coupled with changes in the organisational environment, a greater representation of women on leadership teams will ensue.
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Figure 1 - North West Women and Work Task Force Objectives
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Introduction Why is that fewer than one in ten business leaders in the North West are women? The North West Women and Work Task Force was established in 2009 by the North West Regional Development Agency and 4NW to investigate women’s leadership in the region and make practical recommendations for change. In July 2009, the national Women and Work Commission noted that whilst progress had been made, much more can and should be done to unlock women’s talent because the UK economy could benefit by up to £23 billion a year2. This provided a clear economic rationale for NWDA and its partners to develop more female leaders in the North West. The Task Force was set up to identify how this could be achieved. Chaired by NWDA Deputy Chair Vanda Murray, OBE, the Task Force comprised leading women and men from manufacturing, media and service industries; public sector; social enterprise and business support organisations. Designed as a short term task and finish group, the Task Force investigated barriers to women’s participation in the North West economy, focusing on growth sectors (entrepreneurship, bio-medical, engineering and digital and creative industries) over a period of six months. Women’s potential for leadership was a key theme, taking into account the diversity of issues and obstacles encountered by women from different walks of life. This report outlines the Task Force’s conclusions. It identifies sustainable solutions for inclusion of women at senior executive levels. It advocates ways of encouraging women into non-executive roles in the private, public and voluntary/community sectors which can be taken up by individual organisations to improve their own performance and bring wider economic and social benefits to the local community. The report combines evidence from academic research with the practical experience of companies and business leaders in the North West. It also includes the voices of women and men who completed the Task Force survey and who responded to the consultation on the Task Force recommendations. The baseline position The Task Force looked at 16 categories of leadership in the North West to find out how many women are in the top positions3. Key findings were: •
Women held approximately a quarter of leadership positions in the North West, despite being half the population;
•
In the business sector, fewer than one in ten leadership positions was held by a woman;
•
No sector had equal numbers of men and women in leadership roles, but the voluntary/community sector came closest at 45%;
2
Shaping a fairer future, review of the Women and Work Commission recommendations three years on. Government Equalities Office July 2009. 3 The research was modelled on Sex and Power, a report originally published by the Equal Opportunities Commission in 2003 and most recently updated in 2008 by the Equality and Human Rights Commission
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•
In ten out of sixteen categories, women held less than a third of the leadership roles;
•
To achieve gender equality, we would need to find 348 more women4 to fill 1394 top positions in the North West. We call this the “female deficit”;
•
It was not possible to identify the number of women from ethnic minority backgrounds within the overall number of women leaders, because data is not published at this level of detail.
Table 1 - North West female leaders Sectors
Number of leadership positions 361
Number of women
Percentage women
Female deficit
34
9%
146
Public sector
762
228
30%
153
Politicians (MPs, MEPs and local authority leaders) Voluntary sector
131
23
17%
42
140
63
45%
7
Across all sectors
1394
348
25%
348
Business sector5
NB Public sector includes local authority chief executives, NHS, judges, universities, further education, civil service and police.
The economic case for increasing women in leadership positions is clear: •
Women currently hold just 9% of leadership positions in the private sector in the North West and 30% in the public sector;
•
Approximately 350 female leaders are required to achieve gender parity in the region;
•
Unless it is reversed, the ‘female deficit’ could hold back economic growth in the 21st century;
•
If half the leaders in the North West economy were women, we could expect the expansion of talent in the region could lead to: o
success against international competitors;
o
closing of the productivity / GVA gap between North West and Southeast England;
o
9,200 more business start-ups per year6.
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Number of additional female leaders required to achieve gender balance There are 344 directors (30 of whom are women) of the top 50 companies by turnover based in the North West; and of the 17 North West Chambers of Commerce chief executives, 4 are women. Women in leadership roles, Baseline position 2010; North West Women and Work Task Force April 2010. Excluding female business owners as actual number not included in research 6 Northwest business births in 2008 were 10.3% of the total UK (27,650 and 270.215 respectively) (ONS Business Demographics Business births and deaths by region 2008) The male to female start-up is approximately 2:1 ( GEM Total Early stage entrepreneurship 2008) Therefore if women started businesses at the same rate as men there would be an estimated additional 9,216 businesses in the North West. 5
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The compelling economic argument The North West has an opportunity to increase its competitive advantage through positioning itself as the leading region where economic and social inclusion drives sustainable economic growth. The latest evidence linking female representation on boards and in leadership positions with profitability demonstrates four advantages:
1.
Impact on bottom line
Companies that increase the number of women in leadership positions achieve better profits and shareholder value. Surveys by McKinsey found that European companies with gender diversity outperformed their sector in terms of return on equity (11% versus an average of 10%), operating result (EBIT – earnings before interest and tax - 11% versus 6%) and stock price growth (64% versus 47% over the period 200507)7. Research from Catalyst in the USA shows companies with the highest representation of women on their top management teams delivered 35% higher return on equity and 34% higher total return to shareholders than companies with lowest representation8.
“The experiences and styles of leadership women bring into senior roles help us question some of the things that are assumed to be givens.”
North West companies are incorporating this evidence in their business strategies. AstraZeneca’s review of women in senior positions in 2009 was undertaken to help the business perform better through having a diverse workforce reflecting the societies in which it works. Initiatives are planned for the career advancement of women working within the business, to improve the number of female managers reporting to the Senior Executive Team (currently 24% of 82, while women make up 52% of the overall workforce in 26 countries around the world). Benefits are not restricted to the private sector. In the North West, the Big Life Group, one of the leading social businesses in the country, has a female chair and chief executive and a gender-balanced board. In its first five years, turnover increased by £5m and 100 new jobs were created. In its latest staff survey, over 90% of employees were satisfied with their job and would recommend the Big Life Group as a good place to work.
2.
Efficiency and productivity
Losing skilled personnel is enormously expensive, with the cost of turnover ranging from 93% to 200% of salary9. Organisations which provide flexible working save on recruitment costs due to employee loyalty and improved job satisfaction. Law firm Eversheds’ ‘Lifestyle’ scheme aims to improve retention of newly-trained solicitors, saving training costs of over £100k per solicitor. Flexible working has proved to increase productivity and reduce absenteeism at companies operating in the North West such as the Co-operative Group, AMEC, BT, and Addleshaw Goddard. 7
Women matter: Gender Diversity, a Corporate Performance Driver, McKinsey & Company, 2007. Women matter 2: Female leadership, a competitive edge for the future, McKinsey & Company, 2008 8 The Bottom Line: Corporate Performance and Women’s Representation on Boards, Catalyst, sponsored by the Chubb Corporation, 2007 9 Ernst & Young estimated that increased rates of retention among female professionals yields savings of $10 million per year, quoted in Off-Ramps and On-Ramps: Keeping talented women on the road to success, Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Harvard Business School Press, 2007 P. 121
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Not-for-profit company Breakthrough UK was commended in our survey for its very flexible working practices which have supported disabled women and women returners to work at its Manchester and Liverpool locations. The organisation’s Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and a number of managers are disabled women.
3.
Stronger governance
Diversity on boards creates more effective challenge and therefore better governance. The Tyson report recommended greater board diversity in nonexecutive director selection following the Higgs Review in 200310. Yet commentators on the recent economic crisis identified the impact of lack of diversity on board performance, allowing high risk decisions to go unchallenged. Rather than fostering the ‘independence of mind, the probing, challenging attitude, and the sound judgement’ which Tyson predicted from diverse boards, many leaders were unaware of ‘the dangers of homogeneity…and of the “group think” this facilitates’ according to CBI president Helen Alexander11. Women board members’ conservative approach to risk, combined with the higher level of monitoring and challenge associated with diverse boards, gives greater assurance and resilience to severe economic conditions. In June 2010, partly in response to the banking crisis, the Financial “Women are good Reporting Council published a revised UK Code communicators and big business of Corporate Governance, which states that the needs that.” search for board candidates should pay due regard to the benefits of diversity, including gender.12 Research by Ernst and Young in 2009 was convincing about using the strength of women to re-build the world economy. “There may be no quick fix to the current financial crisis, but a sure-fire, long-term resolution is to advance more women into leadership positions and provide the right environment for new perspectives to be heard. The evidence is clear that doing this improves corporate performance – and the numbers prove it”13.
4.
Wider talent pool
Tackling skills deficits in professional, technical and managerial roles in the North West is a priority. Companies can learn from AMEC’s nuclear division and Wigan-based manufacturing firm C-TEC in attracting and retaining women, to avoid talented women stepping off the career ladder in their thirties due to lack of flexibility in the workplace and finding it impossible to return at the same level.
“I think it should be the right person for the job. However I do believe that women are not always given the opportunity or encouragement to develop the skills needed for leadership roles which results in a smaller talent pool.”
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Tyson report on the recruitment and development of non-executive directors, London Business School, 2003 Helen Alexander, President, Confederation of British Industry, lecture about re-building trust in business, January 2010 12 Financial Reporting Council, UK Code of Corporate Governance 2010 13 Groundbreakers: Using the strength of women to rebuild the world economy, Ernst & Young, January 2009 11
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Women’s non-linear careers mean that they transfer between sectors and specialisms more than men. Private sector companies will access more leadership capability if they extend their search for talented women to the public and third sector, and vice versa14. Countries such as Norway and Spain have achieved transformation of boardrooms through legislative targets for women’s representation on boards15. Whether mandatory or voluntary, targets work in changing not only the numbers, but also the culture which gives long-term sustainability to these initiatives. The Task Force urges business leaders to consider the evidence and set targets within their own strategic objectives to transform the culture of their company for the business benefits outlined above. Economic recovery in the North West is predicted to be led by digital/media and technology sectors, yet so far, despite skills shortages, there is a large pool of untapped female talent amongst the North West’s two million women. In science, engineering and technology, there is a downward trend with women leaving the industry at a faster rate than they are being recruited. The public and voluntary/community sectors have more women in senior positions than the private sector as a whole. With the North West’s greater reliance on public sector employment compared with other regions, women will bear the brunt of impending job losses16. The pool of talented women could present an opportunity for private companies, since women’s careers often involve an element of transferring skills between disciplines and sectors (see figure 2 on page 19).
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Task Force focus group of North West women local authority chief executives, 23 March 2010 Female Power, The Economist, January 2010 16 Yvette Cooper, MP, estimated that women will suffer 72% of tax and benefit cuts. Four in ten working women in the UK work in the public sector, where there will be a projected net loss of 600,000 jobs. Why women will bear th brunt of budget cuts, The Observer, 8 August 2010. 15
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Women’s leadership is critical in time of economic challenges Changes in the political, economic, social and technological context make it all the more important to ensure women are involved in leadership roles. There are many drivers for change. The following table gives just some of these. Politics
Economy
•
Erosion of public trust in politicians - new blood could help
•
•
Renewed interest in localism and citizen involvement potentially opens up opportunities for women
Banking crisis attributed in part to male - dominated leadership/macho culture/’groupthink’
•
Skills shortages hold back growth in science, technology and advanced manufacturing sectors which fail to attract women
•
Women half as likely as men to set up their own business – if more did so it would generate economic growth
•
Growth opportunities for social enterprise, which traditionally attracts more women
•
Women’s earnings are still 12% less on average than men’s, 40 years after the Equal Pay Act was passed
•
Technological advances make mobile/home working much easier
•
Global communications increases virtual teams and remote working
•
Advanced technological skills in high demand
•
Computer gaming industry is growth sector beginning to break into female market.
•
Small female-led IT companies in the North West with potential to expand and to inspire young women to join the industry
•
•
Commitment by national political parties to increase women’s representation Reductions in the public sector workforce risk diminishing women’s labour market position, especially in North West where public sector is the biggest employer
•
Legislative targets for women on boards in Norway, France, Spain and Germany
•
An ageing workforce increases the need to seek talent from a broader pool
Society
•
Younger generation expects more flexibility from their employers
•
Model of male breadwinner working 9-5 with wife at home no longer fit for purpose given 24/7 economy and diverse family patterns
•
Girls outstrip boys in educational achievement but organisations are not making the most of female talent
•
Male/female stereotypes lead to low aspirations amongst young people
Technology
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More women in leadership roles brings competitive advantage The combination of increased competition, the knowledge economy and demographic changes means that ‘competitive strength increasingly rides on a company’s ability to retain and re-attach female talent17. Highly qualified white males are in increasingly short supply. Modern communication technology has simultaneously expanded organisations’ capacity to do more with less, and increased the pressure on working lives. The UK Treasury Select Committee on Women in the City heard evidence about lack of collaborative working (‘too much emphasis on the idea that you have to be available 24 hours a day’) against the commercial realities that certain jobs require full time commitment, travel and unsociable conference calls to cope with global time change18. Manchester University quantified the demands on require them to do both teaching and research19. An international research reputation traditionally entails giving papers at international academic conferences, travelling to overseas institutions or research sites and collaborating with researchers around the world. The time required away from home is particularly problematic for those, predominantly women, who have caring responsibilities for children and dependent relatives20.
academic staff whose contracts “There is no clear model for developing one’s academic career at the same time as raising children. Yet it would be untenable to assert that an academic career is only suited to childless women.” (Focus group of female North West academics)
The growth in high pressure jobs can hinder a company’s ability to fully utilise its female talent pool: a more sustainable flexible model throughout a person’s career would be particularly beneficial to women. Young men also prize the ability to work flexibly; meeting the expectations of younger people for flexible working and diversity in the workplace is key to building a sustainable workforce for the future. Of the Times Top 50 places where women want to work, eight have substantial operations in the North West21. We need more companies to follow the examples of companies like AMEC, a FTSE 100 company employing 22,000 people worldwide. The company provides high added value project management and engineering services in support of strategically important assets with a strong focus on the power industry and nuclear power in particular. The North West is where the majority of AMEC’s support to the UK nuclear industry is based, employing around 1000 people in the region. Of this workforce, women make up 11.5% with 9.5% in professional and management positions and 5.5% of the 60 senior managers. But female competitive advantage is not restricted to larger companies: Salford-based Bramall 17
Off-Ramps and On-Ramps: Keeping talented women on the road to success, Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Harvard Business School Press, 2007 18 Evidence from Dr Ros Altmann, former investment banker, and Nichola Pease, former chief executive of Hambro to UK Treasury Committee Inquiry: Women in the City 2010 19 Women in Leadership Project: Report , Professor Katharine Perera, University of Manchester, November 2006 20 Task Force focus group of women scientists at Manchester University, 14 May 2010 21 Times Top 50 Where women want to work 2009, North West based companies or branches: Asda, BAe Systems, Bank of New York Mellon, Deloitte, Environment Agency, McDonalds Restaurants, Royal Mail and Tesco. The Times 7 October 2009
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Construction won awards for its apprentice schemes, including from Women in Construction. Small and medium sized enterprises can take advantage of our good practice guide in Appendix 1 and make decisions to suit their circumstances about making use of female talent. McKinsey & Company made the case in 199822 that the most important corporate resource over the next twenty years will be human capital. The retirement or semi retirement of the baby boomer generation, coupled with the demands of a knowledge-driven economy where intellectual property is the prized asset place a premium on highly skilled workers. This is particularly the case in the North West, with its concentration of universities and jobs in manufacturing, the aerospace and nuclear industries, and the burgeoning digital and creative sector. The UK’s engineering sector ‘needs to shatter its male-dominated image to tackle a potentially severe skills shortage’ to achieve the projected extra 587,000 engineers needed nationwide by 201723.
The ‘critical mass’ of women Research into the Fortune 1000 companies found that ‘a clear shift occurs when there are three or more women on a board’24; and a further study in the UK found ‘less stereotyping, a broader perspective and a friendlier atmosphere, if there are two or more women on the board’25. Evidence shows that the environment for women in senior roles improves once about a third of leaders at that level are female26. The meaning of full-time responsibility at senior level can then take on a ‘femalefriendly’ flavour – whether it is by 4-days per week presence in the office (instituted by some professional services in response to the recession), managed step-down during maternity leave or changed views of commitment by other senior managers.
Modern business practice provides pathways for women and men to the top Despite years of legislation, research on the barriers faced by women and initiatives to promote equality of opportunity, female leaders are still a rare breed. The Equality and Human Rights Commission estimates that it will take 73 years at the current rate of progress for women to gain equal representation on the boards of the top 100 companies. This is out of kilter with public “You still have to be like a man, opinion. Three quarters of the public consider it (long hours, no family life, to be important that men and women have equal aggression), in many places to be say over decisions in politics, economics, the treated as equal.” workplace and local areas27. In order to attract and retain women, business leaders need to take into account 22
The War for Talent, Elizabeth G. Chambers et al, McKinsey Quarterly 1998, 45-57 th Engineering UK, Engineering and Technology Board 2009, reported in The Observer, 29 Nov 2009 24 How many women do boards need?, Harvard Business Review, December 2006, quoted in A Woman’s Place is in the Boardroom – The Roadmap, Thomson, Graham and Lloyd, Palgrave MacMillan, 2008 25 Female FTSE report 2006, Cranfield University School of Management. Quoted in Thomson et al, ibid. 26 The figure of 30% was quoted in “How many women do boards need?” Harvard Business Review, December 2006; a further 50% figure was a finding of “Innovative Business Potential: Men and Women in Teams”, London Business School, 2007. 27 Survey for Government Equalities Office, Ipsos MORI, March 2010 23
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women’s priorities, which tend to emphasise values rather than compensation or benefits. Access to flexible work schedules was a priority for 64% of women in a US survey, whereas only 42% cited a high salary, and just 15% saw a powerful position as an important career goal28. Stephen Collier is Manufacturing Director of C-TEC, a manufacturing business in Wigan. He changed the shift system when seven employees became pregnant at the same time, allowing women to work shorter hours, term time only and do evening or weekend shifts. Stephen emphasised the importance of retaining staff: “It didn’t matter to production when the work is done. We kept the women and it sends a positive message to other employees. We can’t afford to lose good staff to our competitors. We take the long term view.” Companies which succeed in retaining women such as BT, Santander, Addleshaw Goddard and pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim report high levels of women returning from maternity leave at least 70% compared with the UK average of 40%29. Many women leaders start their careers in the voluntary and community sector (also known as the third sector). Spreading the net for potential as widely as possible, such as identifying award winners, will have greater results. For example, Fajer Rabia, founder and Executive Director of Inspired Sisters, won Inspiring Young Woman of the Year award in 2010 for leading her social enterprise in supporting ethnic minority communities in South Manchester. According to Niall FitzGerald, chairman of Reuters “It’s no longer a question of being “There is a role for the Black and nice…rather; it is an urgent, strategic necessity. Minority Ethnic Women’s Unless you reach out and tap into the widest Solidarity Forum to empower possible pool of talent (more than half of which is future leaders.” women), you simply won’t have the wherewithal to drive a strategy”30. Opportunities to capitalise on opportunities for women in the digital and media sector are likely to be created by the relocation of 1,500 BBC staff to Salford-based MediaCityUK, bringing the total of BBC employees in North West England to 2,300. Attracting and retaining women can also help to open up new markets, for example in the computer gaming industry, and provide opportunities for women at the Games Centre of Excellence, part of the Digital Content Lab to be based at MediaCityUK. Cranfield University’s FTSE female index points out that in the UK there are over 2,000 board-ready women ‘in the pipeline’31. However, there are concerns that the pipeline as currently constructed won’t work, because it requires women to adapt to the male competitive model rather than creating alternative pathways for women with nonlinear careers (see figure 2).
28
Hewlett, op cit. From Task Force paper The structure of work: addressing the practicalities, 13 January 2010 30 Interview in 2006 , quoted in Hewlett, P. 106, op cit. 31 2009 FTSE female index, Cranfield University School of Management, 2009 29
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Figure 2 - Linear and non-linear careers
Female local authority chief executives from the North West described how the route to success for women is frequently not a linear progression towards seniority, often involving overcoming personal adversity and/or transferring between professions or sectors.
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The Task Force realised the powerful impact that mentoring has on an individual’s career rise, and noted the popularity of this method amongst women. The common feature that led to the success of senior women “The presence of strong female at Bentley Motors had been access to a mentor role models will contribute to during their career. Mentoring schemes are improved aspirations amongst available for female academics at Lancaster young women across the North University, for entrepreneurs in the North West West, encouraging them to LEAD programme, and is being set up by the want/demand more from their Centre for Construction Innovation (University of career opportunities.” Salford) for women working in the UK construction industry. We encourage North West businesses and organisations to ensure that women have access to mentoring, either specifically designed to support women into senior positions, or as participants in generic mentoring initiatives. Either way, account should be taken of the tendency for women to undertake a variety of roles, often transferring between sectors, in developing leadership capability during their route to the top. We also support initiatives which will further stimulate women’s propensity to start and succeed in their own business, such as the new multi-million pound Women’s International Centre for Enterprise and Development in Liverpool, which will host an international research hub, promote the international women’s business standard accreditation scheme and provide incubation space for start up businesses.
“Success isn’t measured by other people – it is only measured by yourself...If you want to be a bin lady that is fine, but own your own bin collection company.” Ngunan Adamu, BBC Manchester, Task Force workshop for young women on International Women’s Day 2010
Flexible working not just for women We urge business leaders to adopt forms of flexible working for solid business reasons rather than as an accommodation for women. Such ‘gender-neutral’ arrangements at BT, where 75% of staff work flexibly in some way, have resulted in low staff turnover, reduced sickness absence and savings of £70m annually in premises costs and £10m in transport costs32. Research by the Trades Union Congress in 2009 revealed that guidance about work/life balance was the single biggest equality issue that members took to their union33. Meanwhile, a CBI report on business trends in the next 10 years highlights an increased concern about work life balance for employees34. Evidence is mounting that, by not adopting new work models, companies are finding that women who prosper in high-pressure companies during their twenties drop out in dramatic numbers in their thirties and then find it almost impossible to regain their earlier momentum. A UK survey of 1500 mothers who had recently returned to work 32
Working Better: The Managers Guide to creating a flexible workplace, Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2009 33 Changing Times campaign, TUC, January 2010 34 Annual Institute of Business Ethics/Ipsos MORI Survey of UK Adult Opinion on Business Ethics
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found that one in three felt their promotion prospects had been reduced since having a baby, while 13% had reduced seniority since returning to work35. Discussions with women in the engineering profession employed by AMEC in their North West offices revealed how they valued the positive ethos to flexibility that allowed women to progress professionally within a male-dominated profession36. In contrast, Salford University’s investigation into the information technology industry found that flexible working models severely limited women’s progression opportunities as employers assumed it showed a lack of commitment to their career37. In the USA a national survey of highly-qualified women and men found that ‘the problem is not the women…the problem is the career model’. The overwhelming majority (93%) of highly qualified women currently ‘off-ramped’ for child-care or eldercare want to return to their careers. Yet only 74% manage to return to the ranks of the employed, (40% full time, 24% part time, 9% self-employed)38. Nationally, the number of workplaces offering staff the opportunity to work flexibly has almost doubled in the last six years. BT have introduced flexible working amongst the male-dominated engineering workforce, which has been able to service an additional 1 million customers a year with the same number of engineers, and customer satisfaction has risen by 7%39. In the North West: •
The Co-operative Group launched a flexible working policy in 2009 for all employees, regardless of their reason for requesting. This includes part-time working, home working, compressed hours, job share, job split, study leave, term-time working, career and sabbatical breaks;
•
Manchester University has a career break policy which enables all staff with two years’ continuous employment to apply for up to two years’ unpaid leave for family reasons, in addition to maternity and paternity leave entitlements;
•
At Addleshaw Goddard approximately 75% of returners from maternity did so on a flexible working basis. Over the past two years, around 50% of partners joining the firm have been women and almost 40% of the firm's Governance Board is female;
•
Hyndburn Borough Council has two senior women with small children working a four day week – one is a member of the Corporate Management Team and the other a chief officer.
The Task Force found that flexible working schemes can be too inflexible if controlled solely by human resources departments. It works best for business when local managers have the freedom to match individual circumstances with business need. Eversheds realised that a lack of flexibility in working patterns was a significant contributor to losing talented women before they reached partner level. The firm 35
Back after the bump, NCT press release, 30 November 2009 th Task Force focus group of women in engineering 10 March 2010 37 Women and the IT Workplace – Issues from North West England, University of Salford, 2005 38 Hewlett, op cit. 39 Hewlett, op cit 36
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developed a comprehensive ‘Lifestyle’ scheme, much of it operated informally, aiming for 50% of its people to benefit from its arrangements by 2011. For example, in the Manchester office, a solicitor changed her hours during the month of Ramadan; an associate works shorter days in term time, and four days a week in school holidays; a senior associate works reduced hours spread over five days. As more men take advantage of Lifestyle, there is no longer a perception that it is only aimed at women. Eversheds now has the highest number of female partners of any of the top ten UK law firms (23%)40.
Quotas and targets: international comparisons The Task Force is united in its determination to influence change in women’s leadership in the North West of England. Members examined measures taken in several countries to increase the critical mass of women at senior levels, compared with 12% of FTSE 100 directors in the UK, so that we could recommend action to accelerate the pace of change in our region. Norway has the highest proportion of women on boards anywhere in the world (44%) as a result of its law requiring that 40% of all board members at state-owned and publicly listed companies are women by 2008. The rise in Norway from 7% in 2003 to 44% in 2009 compares favourably with countries taking a voluntary approach (see table 2). Other European countries have adopted different measures. Spain’s legislative approach requires companies with more than 250 staff to develop a gender equality plan to include a proportionate number of women on boards. The number of female directors in the largest listed companies has risen by almost a third. The UK might learn from France, which proposes to enact the mixité law which would impose a 20% gender quota on company boards within three years, rising to 40% in six years. Whilst the UK has no plans for “We take great care with job legislation, our Coalition government has adverts and packs. If you say we declared an aim for women to make up half of those selected for the boards of public bodies, need x years experience in a similar role, for example, it may and has appointed Lord Davies to develop be more difficult for women. Don’t strategies for promoting gender equality on the put unnecessary hurdles in the boards of listed companies. Early reports from way.” Kai Adams, Saxton France reveal that, by raising the debate, female Bampfylde executive search representation on French boards has nearly consultants doubled from 8% to 15% before the law has been enacted. Germany’s softer approach has been abandoned by several states in favour of mandatory measures after voluntary schemes had been ineffective across the top 100 companies41 – despite the well-publicised intention of Deutsche Telekom (owner of the T-Mobile network in the UK) to fill 30% management jobs with women by the 40
From Task Force paper The structure of work: addressing the practicalities, op cit. A study by the German Economic Research Institute found that business had not performed on voluntary pledges to promote women (fewer than 1% of chief executives and executive board members at Germany's top 100 companies were women).
41
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end of 2015. The Task Force advocates a voluntary ‘comply or explain’ system, as adopted by Australia, whereby companies commit to women making up 30% of their boards or equivalent leadership teams within three years. This is underpinned by the Financial Reporting Council’s revised code (2010) which requires due regard to be given to the benefits of diversity on the board including its gender mix, and annual re-election of the board of all FTSE 350 companies, allowing for a broader talent pool to be utilised42. Table 2 - Women on boards – international comparisons
42
Norway
Percentage women on boards of major companies 44
France
10
Spain Sweden
8 22
Finland
17
USA
15
Fortune 500
UK
12
FTSE 100
Germany Australia
0.3 8
DAX 30 ASX 200
Listing 500 public companies CAC 40 IBEX 35
Drivers for compliance Legislation – quota Legislation not yet enacted – quota Legislation - recommendation Voluntary Voluntary. Corporate governance code requires minimum one female board member. Voluntary Voluntary – Code of Governance Voluntary Legislation - comply or explain
Financial Reporting Council, UK Code of Corporate Governance, op cit.
23
What gets in the way of women’s progress? The distribution of the employed population in the North West across occupational groups displays gender differences. The proportion of men employed as managers, senior officials and professionals is, on average, eight percentage points higher than that of women43. Graph 1 - Percentage Employed by Gender and Socio-Economic Group, North West
Source: Annual Population Survey 2008-9
Women represent 30% of senior leaders in the public sector, which accounts for 21% of employment in the North West. Manufacturing, however, generates just under a fifth of the region’s gross value added (GVA), employing 400,000 people with a high concentration of knowledge intensive and research and development activity linked to the higher education presence in the region. The North West aerospace industry is the largest in the UK, with high skill levels. But overall, there is low participation by women at all levels in these industries - only a quarter of manufacturing managers are female, and one seventh of the sector’s professionals44. Most people don’t think that women lack the skills, experience or ambition to reach for the top. But changes in organisational culture “One piece of advice is that still need to be actively driven in order to become women need to be shown that it is reality. Salford University’s research into okay to blow your own trumpet women’s experience of the engineering which is what men would do.” professions found simultaneous support for, and Female, managing director barriers to, women’s leadership45.
43
Equality & Economic Inclusion Evidence Summary 2010, NWDA ONS, Annual Population Survey, Workplace Analysis 2009 (North West) 45 Women in Engineering: Organisational Cultures and Women Leadership, presentation by Dr Haifa Takruri-Rizk, School of Computing, Science and Engineering, University of Salford, 23rd March 2010 44
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Dr Haifa Takruri-Rizk from the School of Computing Science and Engineering found that self-confidence and being supported by senior leaders helped women in the North West engineering sector to develop their careers. Some men find it difficult working for a female boss, having always been “I’ve come into a working part of male-dominated environment. Dr Takruri- environment which is completely Rizk suggested that employers review the male dominated and when I had a organisational culture and working practices, woman boss it completely threw adapt the working environment and conduct me.” Male, engineer employee surveys and exit interviews. Furthermore, she suggested that employees should be prepared to move around the sector to find a suitable position that supported their career; and professional bodies should play an active role to support their female membership by sharing good practice. Graph 2 - Women and men are accepted in positions of leadership in my company
Notes: 164 responses (78 female, 86 male). Respondents were asked to rate the statement on a Likert scale where 1= strongly disagree and 5= strongly agree, 6= Not applicable
Research by the University of Salford into women’s involvement in the information communication technology industry (ICT) in the North West coined the phrase ‘chilly workplaces’ to refer to many women’s experience of the male-domination of the industry46. Responses to our North West, Best for Women survey correlate with national and international research on the barriers women face. The three most significant barriers were seen as: •
Difficulty of combining work at senior level with family responsibilities;
•
Male dominated workplace culture / ”old boys’ network”;
•
Women’s lack of confidence.
46
University of Salford, The Disappearing Women, North West Women in ICT Project Final Report, 2007
25
Graph 3 - Responses to the North West Best for Women survey
Until organisations make a concerted effort to address all three barriers, women will continue to be under-represented at senior levels. This means stepping up action on flexible working, childcare, mentoring, positive role models and senior champions of both sexes to lead change in their sector.
Conclusion “The genders are equal in intelligence - why let half of this go to waste?” Response to North West Best for Women survey, March 2010.
Step change needed The region’s prosperity is dependent on harnessing talent from the whole population. Yet women continue to be under-represented in leadership positions. A step change is needed to make better use of women’s talents – particularly in the current economic climate. To accelerate the pace of change, we exhort senior leaders to adopt our target for women to make up at least 30% of board and senior management teams in their organisation.
Tap into the talents of all women There are two million women under 65 in the North West of England. Gender is clearly not the only factor affecting an individual’s chances to be visible in senior roles. Those that do reach the top do not reflect the diverse population of the North West in terms of ethnicity, faith, disability or family background. This report complements recent North West research on releasing the potential of ethnic minorities, disabled people and those identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
Appointment on merit Most organisations want to appoint the best person for the job, regardless of gender, race or any other personal characteristic. Women want to be promoted on merit, but the statistics presented in this report suggest that this does not happen automatically. 26
Since fewer than one out of ten business leaders in the North West are female, does this really mean that men are nine times more talented?
Leadership skills and experience Until more women are appointed to senior roles, there will continue to be a smaller pool of women with relevant experience. The Task Force was interested in learning from those organisations which have managed to break this vicious circle. It resolved to extend good practice and refute arguments that women do not have the personal attributes required for leadership.
Different choices Another common explanation for the lack of diversity at the top of organisations is that women have different priorities to men and choose to put their children and family before their career. Whilst this may be true for some women, many others feel they should have the same right as men to combine having a family with a successful career. For many women, it is an economic necessity.
No looking back Increasing female leadership is not a numbers game. It is an economic imperative for the businesses and organisations in our region which are faced with a stark message: modernise or accede the advantage to those who are making better use of the diverse resources at their disposal.
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APPENDIX 1 - Good practice model for an organisation in which women lead and thrive Organisations are encouraged to measure their capacity to nurture women leaders against this checklist developed by the North West Women and Work Task Force
Characteristic
Evidence
Leadership 1.
2.
Board members at least 30% female. Operational management Board and with significant numbers of women at all levels workforce monitoring data Women from different backgrounds, ages and communities Case studies visible at all levels in the organisation
3.
Unequivocal and regular messages from the organisation’s Examples of leadership that values and highlights the contribution of women communication to the organisation’s business objectives, within a wider appraisal of progress towards business objectives Anonymised appraisal reports
4.
Employee diversity monitoring disaggregated by multiple diversity strands integral to HR strategy and reported to senior leaders
HR monitoring data
Flexible working 5.
A wide variety of working arrangements taken up by men and women at all levels. This is supported by flexible working policies agreed locally by managers to meet business needs and individual circumstances
HR records Employee survey
Career development 6.
Visible movement between ‘fast lane’ and ‘slow lane’ by both HR records male and female senior managers over a number of years – Testimonials enabling individuals to ‘power up’ and ‘power down’ their career and level of responsibility as family circumstances change
7.
A mentoring scheme that grows future leaders of men and Mentor data women in equal numbers, with closely focused matching of mentor/mentee pairs to meet the unique development needs of each individual
8.
Recruitment of senior women at least matches attrition rates of Exit monitoring those leaving the organisation
28
Characteristic
Evidence
Culture 9.
Emphasis on outputs rather than culture of ‘presenteeism’ and long hours
Employee survey
10.
Role models within the company of women leaders from different backgrounds and disciplines who have overcome adversity, and who share their experience with younger employees and young people outside the company
Case studies
11.
Value given to ‘spending time with the family’ – for both HR policies genders e.g. holidays, school drop-offs, school assembly or Employee survey parents evening, older relatives’ hospital appointments, shared care of sick children
12.
Clear enforcement of company policies on dignity at work, harassment and bullying
Anonymised HR data
13.
High levels of satisfaction recorded from all staff groups
Employee survey
14.
Social activities do not revolve exclusively around alcohol or male dominated sporting activities
Employee survey
Recognition 15.
A track record of working in partnership with diverse communities and customers
Partner testimonials
16.
Recognition in diversity schemes, awards and “best places to work” surveys
Award results
17.
Recognition for innovation, creativity and responsiveness to customers from different cultures
Customer testimonials
18.
Staff rewarded for innovation, creativity and capturing new markets
Employee incentive scheme
19.
Employers of choice for top talent
Independent Verification ‘Best in class’ lists
20. Market leaders in their sector
Industry recognition
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APPENDIX 2 - Female Leaders in 16 Leadership Categories Table 3 - Female leaders in 16 leadership categories Number of women in North West
North West %
63 out of 1402
45%
National % (2008 figures unless otherwise stated)1 47%
25 out of 583 (excluding special colleges) 4 out of 414
43%
31%
10%
14%5 (2010)
Local authority chief executives
14 out of 416
34%
20%
NHS chief executives
22 out of 647
34%
37%
Civil service top managers
60 out of 1808
33%
27%
NHS non-executive directors
85 out of 2759
31%
34%10
Chief executives of chambers of commerce
4 out of 1711
24%
43%
Members of the European Parliament
2 out of 812
25%
26%
17 out of 8213
21%
19%
24%
12%
n/a
25%15
28%
15 out of 10716 (district judges in northern region) 30 out of 34417 (top 50 companies in North West by turnover)
14%
10% (high court judge and above)
9%
11%
1 out of 1218
8%
14%
0 out of 4 (of union head offices in the North West)19
0%
21%
Sector Voluntary organisation CEOs Further education college principals Local authority council leaders
Members of Parliament
Chief constable, deputy 6 Assistant Chief or assistant chief Constables out of 25 constables CC, DCC and ACC14 Business owners who are women Senior judges
Directors of top companies (executive and non-executive directors) University vice chancellors Trade union general secretaries
30
1.
National figures taken from Sex and Power, EHRC, 2008
2.
Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, full members in the North West region at 4 February 2010
3.
Association of Colleges North West, at 2 February 2010
4.
North West Employers Organisation, August 2010
5.
Centre for Women and Democracy, August 2010
6.
North West Employers Organisation, February 2010
7.
NHS North West Leadership Academy, February 2010
8.
Civil Service Annual Statistics 2009; civil service employment by region, responsibility and gender, Office for National Statistics, March 2009
9.
Appointments Commission, number of women in local NHS public appointment positions in the North West Strategic Health Authority region, at 1 Feb 2010.
10.
Appointments Commission Annual Report 2008-2009, Equality and Diversity, Women in NHS posts at 3 March 2009. Note - this compares with 32.6% women in all public appointments nationally. Cabinet Office (2009) Public bodies 2009
11.
Chambers of Commerce North West website, names of chief executives, updated September 2010
12.
UK office of the European Parliament website (2010), north west delegation, updated 3 August 2010
13.
UK Parliament website Members of Parliament by region: numbers updated 3 August 2010
14.
British Association for Women in Policing website, list of ACPO (S) Women by region/force, updated 18 August 2010
15.
Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics. Summary of Female Business Activity April – June 2008 (updated every 2 years) : percentage of all business owners who are women
16.
Judiciary of England and Wales Statistics website, list of circuit judges by region updated 14 January 2010.
17.
Websites of the top 50 companies by turnover based in the North West, from list supplied by NWDA, accessed April 2010
18.
Universities UK website, list of university heads and locations, accessed 18 August 2010
19.
Trades Union Congress website (2010) List of unions in Britain: location and name of general secretary, updated January 2009. Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), United Road Transport Union (URTU), Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), National Association of Co-operative Officials
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APPENDIX 3 - North West Women and Work Task Force Members Members of the North West Women and Work Task Force 2009 - 2010 Vanda Murray OBE Deputy Chair NWDA Chair of the Task Force Dominic Brankin Deputy Director Government Office North West Flo Clucas OBE Deputy Leader (to May Liverpool City Council 2010) Councillor Claire Dove MBE Chief Executive Blackburn House Group Donna Edwards Operations Director Business Link Northwest Christine Gaskell Member of Board for Bentley Motors Personnel Julie Madigan Chief Executive The Manufacturing Institute Liz McQue
Chief Executive
Elaine Owen
Chair Managing Director
Caroline Roberts-Cherry
Editor for Entertainment Chair (to May 2010)
Angie Robinson
Ian Ruff Lis Smith Janet Soo-Chung CBE John Stageman
Chief Executive (From September 2010) Chief Executive Head of Regional Strategy Director of Skills and Employment Chief Executive
North West Employers (Local Authorities) North West Women’s Enterprise Forum Designated Associates Ltd BBC Greater Manchester Employer Coalition Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Manchester Investment Development Agency Service North West Regional Development Agency North West Regional Development Agency NHS North Lancashire
Vice President of UK Science Affairs Managing Director Vice-chair Deputy Convenor
AstraZeneca
Head of Equality and Economic Inclusion Enterprise Culture Manager Director of Strategy
North West Regional Development Agency North West Regional Development Agency 4 North West
Jo Somerset
Director
Infrastruct
Helen Wollaston
Consultant
Virginia Branney
Consultant
Polly Robinson
Researcher
Olive Strachan Rena Wood
Olive Strachan Resources Ethnic Minority Business Forum Unison North West
Advisors Evelyn Asante-Mensah OBE Yvonne Sampson Steve Barwick Consultants
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Further appendices Available from www.nwda.co.uk/equality or www.infrastruct.co.uk/taskforce •
Speakers at Task Force meetings
•
Task Force Papers and minutes
•
Bibliography
•
Survey Questionnaire
•
Focus group reports
•
Organisations that responded to the consultation on the Task Force recommendations
Acknowledgements Thanks are due to those who contributed their experience and insights at Task Force events and focus groups during 2010; and all the organisations and individuals who responded to the women’s leadership survey and the consultation on the Task Force recommendations. This report is available from www.nwda.co.uk/equality or www.infrastruct.co.uk/taskforce.
Produced by Infrastruct Unit 5, Cuthbert Business Centre, 877 Ashton Old Road, Manchester M11 2NA www.infrastruct.co.uk September 2010 33