100 Years
of Women in Transport Business in the Community Gender Equality Women in Engineering Women in the City
Supported by
Also inside: Message from the Minister | Women on Boards | WES
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Celebrating leading women in engineering International Women’s Day: Explore the stories of leading female engineers in the Academy’s Fellowship www.raeng.org.uk/iwd2016.
Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS is the President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge. “I enjoy the huge amount of variety in the things that I do — every day is different. I also like the fact that there is a tangible outcome from my work and I see it improving peoples’ lives. Engineering has been a great career for me.”
Naomi Climer FREng is the President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). “It’s great to be able to solve problems individually and in teams. Engineering has allowed me to work all over the world because engineers are needed everywhere. I love the fact that things are changing so fast, so there’s always something new to learn, or a new way to solve a problem.”
Professor Dame Wendy Hall DBE FREng FRS is a Professor of Computer Science and Executive Director of the Web Science Institute at the University of Southampton. “As an engineer you can change the world. Anything cutting edge or innovative involves engineers at one point or another. Engineers build things that make peoples’ lives better. I also enjoy working in a team, and team work is the heart and soul of engineering.”
Professor Molly Stevens FREng is a Professor of Biomedical Materials and Regenerative Medicine at Imperial College London. “I am very excited about the interface of materials engineering and bioengineering. Being able to learn something new almost every day and apply myself to important healthcare goals is very motivating and it is a real privilege to work with my group of enthusiastic and incredibly gifted students and postdocs.”
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The Royal Academy of Engineering, Prince Philip House, 3 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5DG Tel +44 (0)20 7766 0600 Fax +44 (0)20 7930 1549 www.raeng.org.uk @RAEngNews
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Message from the Minister
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100 Years of Women in Transport
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Business in the Community - gender equality
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Goldman Sachs
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CIty Women Network
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Focus on Gender pay gap and reporting
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Ruth Hunt, CEO of Stonewall
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White male privilege
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Bisexual women face a unique type of discrimination
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I’m a black, bisexual non-binary person
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A Taxing Issue
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Magnificent Women in STEM
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What Makes a Community?
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Women on Boards
Supported by
Talent Media would like to thank the following people for contributing to this magazine: Elena Fatisi, Rhe Benger, Matt Horwood, Donna Halkyard, Joanne Read, Jodene Martin, Nate Parker, Rebecca Gregory, Katie Bennett-Hall, Kate Keane and Dawn Bonfield
Š 2016 Womens History Month is published by Talent Media Ltd. Copyright of all images an articles remains with the publisher unless otherwise stated. All other rights recognised. No material in this publication may be used without prior permission from the publisher. Dislciamer: we cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited text, photographs or illustrations. Views expressed and included in wHM Magazine by indvidiual contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Published by: Talent Media Ltd, Studio N, Container City Building 2, 48 Trinity Buoy Wharf, Orchard Place, London E14 0FN Tel: 0203 697 9372. Email: info@talentmedia.org Publishing Director/Advertising: Darren Waite Sub Editor: Robert Ingham Assistant Editor/Art Director - Naomi Bennett-Hall
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A Message from The Minister for Women Women’s History Month serves as a wonderful reminder of the achievements of women through the ages. This year marks a significant anniversary in our political history, as we remember a group of women from the Kensington Society who 150 years ago organised a petition to demand the right to vote. This marked one of the first steps in the fight for gender equality, which marches on today. We cannot deny the world today is a different place, and as a government we have made clear our commitment to ensuring everyone can fulfil their potential, regardless of factors like their gender, race or background. We should also be proud that we now have more female MPs than ever before. There’s much more to celebrate - girls now outnumber boys at university, and dominate admissions for prestigious degrees such as medicine. More women are working at senior levels in top companies and the gender pay gap is the lowest on record – and we have pledged to eliminate the gap altogether.
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We want young people to learn about our rich history which is why we expect all schools to provide a broad and balanced curriculum that highlights the issues faced by women and the contribution they have made throughout all walks of life. We must not forget fantastic women like Florence Nightingale, Jane Austen and Rosalind Franklin, or the modern day role models such as JK Rowling and Karen Brady. Women’s History Month is an opportunity for us all to reflect on the important progress we have made and the future we are seeking to achieve. You can be assured that I won’t rest until the battle for gender equality is won. Rt Hon Nicky Morgan Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities
SANTANDER ADVERT
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100 Years of
Women in Transport
by Kerri Rogan, Head of Corporate Affairs, TfL and Sponsor of the 100 Years of Women in Transport Programme
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To keep London and the UK moving, women took over the responsibilities of male transport staff in a wide range of roles, from conductors to mechanics, station staff to engineers. When Maida Vale Tube station opened in June 1915 as part of the Bakerloo line extension, it was staffed entirely by women. Over the course of the war, more than 100,000 women joined the transport industry. This was the catalyst that was to change the role of women, not only in transport, but in society as a whole, for good.
To celebrate this milestone, 100 Years of Women in Transport (YOWIT) was launched in November 2014, with representatives from across transport coming together to make a commitment to change. Transport for London (TfL), in partnership with Network Rail, the Department for Transport (DfT), Crossrail, Women’s Engineering Society (WES), Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), and a host of sponsors, has collaborated on a number of events, activities and initiatives over the past year to implement and drive this change.
The aim of the campaign has been to celebrate the important role of women in our industry and to engage, motivate and inspire current and future generations of transport workers, particularly women. The campaign has provided an opportunity to reflect on the current gender diversity of transport and has been a platform for action to enhance it. Ultimately, the campaign was launched in order to strengthen the transport industry so it reflects London’s and the UK’s demographics, contributes to the wider economy
and is positioned to respond to the significant operational and delivery challenges the industry now faces. Over the course of the campaign, YOWIT has run a series of insight
sessions where inspirational women have shared their experiences and given invaluable advice. Speakers have included the Olympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, a cross-bencher in the House of Lords and TfL Board member, who
focused on her experience as an athlete, and Suzi Donoghue, Commanding Officer in the Royal Logistic Corps who shared her thoughts on leadership and progression in a ‘man’s world.’
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Other events have included industry debates on topics such as, “how effective is the term ‘feminist’ in bringing about change?”, networking workshops, panel discussions, and speed mentoring evenings which have given people from across transport the opportunity to engage with, seek advice from, and network with, senior figures from across the industry. These events have all been a means to support the personal development and progression of individuals
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from all levels of the industry. We have also engaged extensively with schools, teachers and young people in order to spread the word of the benefits a career in transport can provide. The programme has now established a network of over 12,500
individuals from over 270 organisations across transport and is underpinned by 330 industry Champions who have volunteered their time to visit schools, provided work experience placements and presented at careers fairs, to mention a few.
A number of initiatives have been launched to improve our engagement with young people. These have included a Bring your Daughter to work day and a nationwide schools debating competition, in which around 30 schools took part. The top four performing teams were awarded a once in a lifetime opportunity to debate at the House of Lords, and the winning team from St. Marylebone School won a cab ride on a London Underground Tube train. The campaign will shortly launch into legacy later in the spring and an exciting programme of events is on the cards for 2016.
We will be running a number of industrywide insight sessions, debates, workshops, panel sessions and speed mentoring evenings. We are also engaging with schools and developing the first ever industry-wide toolkit for teachers, parents and students. This toolkit will be launched in spring 2016, and will provide people from across the transport industry with the tools to engage with young people in a meaningful and consistent way.
We will also be launching an ‘Inspiring the Future’ platform for individuals across TfL to pledge an hour to volunteer in a local school to inspire, motivate and engage the next generation, continuing to breakdown the current barriers to engagement. The team will be happy to answer any questions as well as add you to our distribution list so that you can receive our monthly newsletter and event invitations.
For more information about the programme visit: www.tfl.gov.uk/YOWIT and follow @transportwmn on Twitter. If you would like to get involved with the programme, you can also email YOWIT@tfl.gov.uk
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Kathryn Nawrockyi, Gender Equality Director at Business in the Community
Business in the Community gender equality campaign The gender equality campaign at Business in the Community is committed to ensuring that gender does not limit an employee’s engagement and success in the workplace. Our ethos is that it is critical for employers to focus on creating inclusive cultures, rather than a ‘fix the women’ approach to diversity
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and inclusion. We have three aims that are critical in terms of supporting employers to achieve this: 1. Promote pay transparency – close the gender pay gap and eradicate unequal pay.
“the UK’s gender pay gap still stands at 19.2%”
2. Transform workplace cultures – create safe, inclusive and enabling work environments in which all talent can thrive. 3. Eliminate occupational segregation – ensure choice, type, and status of work are influenced by capability, not gender.
The commercial imperative for realising women’s potential in the workplace is clear: gender equality enhances employee engagement, boosts productivity, meets the diverse needs of customers and suppliers, and improves brand reputation. Despite this, women are still underrepresented in the higher paying, higher status jobs and industries. There are more women on company boards than ever before, but they still only make up 26% of FTSE 100 boards and the percentage of female executive directors in the FTSE 100 sits at just 8.6%. Such inequality is not reserved at the top level of business; the UK’s gender pay gap still stands at 19.2%, largely driven by the high number of women in lower-paid industries.
Gender inequality isn’t just a workplace issue, it also affects the home. More women are in work than ever before but their share of family responsibilities has not diminished. YouGov research shows that men want to spend more time with their children and share the childcare responsibility more equally. Moreover, partners who manage to share responsibility at work and at home are happier and more successful. Employers need to take those aspirations into account if they want to attract and retain the best talent. This is why we encourage our members and all employers to:
A truly gender balanced workforce means recruiting, retaining and progressing the best talent, irrespective of gender. Employers must focus on employees’ capability - their skills, knowledge, experience and potential - not their gender. We advise employers to utilise our resources and toolkits in order to understand the key barriers women face at work and to create inclusive cultures that enable all employees to thrive.
• Offer agile working arrangements to both men and women equally. • Promote shared parental leave, equalising benefits for men and women. • Support carers in the workplace.
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Supporting performers for 80 years. Together we make things better. Join in: www.equity.org.uk/join
@EquityUK EquityUK equalities@equity.org.uk 020 7670 0273
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Š 2016 Goldman Sachs
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City Women Network Connect, contribute & grow City Women Network (CWN) is a vibrant community for senior professional women to connect, contribute and grow. Our mission is to be of service to our members as individuals and corporates, and to business in general, in three ways: Connections: Through the rigour of the selection process, CWN provides a high calibre environment for members to make connections and grow their professional networks. Development: CWN is committed to providing events and opportunities to support members in their personal and professional development. Advancement: CWN believes in the economic and business value of gender diversity. CWN is here to help and to add its voice to members and the wider community. CWN members are a diverse group of managing directors, partners, non-executive directors, trustees, members of livery companies, entrepreneurs and women in the management ranks of corporate and public sector companies. CWN has always attracted senior women as individual members, however on an initiative introduced by India Gary-Martin (CWN President 2010–12) CWN built up its corporate membership. Our current President, Sandy Lucas, continues this work, supported by the CWN Board of Directors. As the commercial world realises the economic and business value of gender diversity, we work in partnership with our corporate members bringing together the rich blend of erudite, learned and great business people and CWN’s active and engaged
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City Women Network Connect, contribute & grow
audiences. Our current corporate members are: ANZ (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd), BNY Mellon, GE Capital, SABMiller, JLT (Jardine Lloyd Thompson), Kirkland & Ellis International LLP, Nomura and city law firm RPC. Commenting on CWN’s corporate members, Sandy Lucas says, “It has been a real privilege to work closely with our corporate members to better understand their businesses and objectives and to help them provide a complementary programme to their own talent, diversity and client initiatives. We are also very appreciative of all of the support that they provide to the network in terms of the strong pipeline of members and ‘rising star’ talent as well as sponsorship of our various events. Our relationships with CWN corporate members are true partnerships.” From its foundations in 1978 by Joni Lysett Nelson and a group of senior women working in financial services and law, CWN is now a thriving multi-sector women’s network playing a leading role in increasing opportunities for, and supporting the pipeline of, female talent in business. From its London base, CWN has successfully grown and broadened its reach, with now almost 300 senior women as members; the quality of peer networking opportunities is guaranteed. Diane Morris, CWN member and Past President (2003–06), joined the network on returning to the UK, having worked in the US and Far East. Diane had benefited from women’s networks while working abroad and wanted to replicate that experience. Diane remembers CWN as being a very welcoming
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“It has been a real privilege to work closely with our corporate members to better understand their businesses and objectives and to help them provide a complementary programme to their own talent, diversity and client initiatives.� Sandy Lucas, President CWN place where you could meet like-minded individuals. The network not only fostered friendships but also built business connections. Corporate and individual members all enjoy the professional development events programme. These are carefully targeted at developing and refreshing skills our members need in order to lead in an increasingly dynamic business environment and to support corporate talent programmes. Our Financial Literacy and Board Effectiveness programmes are always fully subscribed and highly rated by participants. One of the most notable things about a CWN event is that there is never a shortage of hands going up at the Q & A stage – our members are keen, curious and very engaged. CWN seminars and workshops are planned around a topical business theme, with topflight speakers. Through the calendar year we also collaborate with corporates and select UK Business Schools to arrange events covering specific topics relevant to our members. For example, over the past year we have co-hosted a debate on engagement and gender parity with EY; brought some of the leading protagonists together to explore digital disruption; welcomed Henley Business School to host a seminar on how business leaders can deliver sustainable value; and hosted Ruby Wax at BNY Mellon to talk to us about Mindfulness and her latest book Sane New World. CWN members like to give back, not only in supporting fellow members, but also with fundraising. Annually, our membership
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As we go from strength to strength, CWN believes that collaboration is key to supporting women’s progress. We are keen to grow our membership and continue to partner with other groups who share our goals and interests.
chooses CWN’s Charity of the Year. Karin Barnick, current Chair of the CWN Charity Committee said, “We seek to support smaller charities aimed at supporting women and children both in the UK and, since 2013, internationally. Our committee is very involved in the selection process, taking time to meet nominees and considering the charities’ viability and also the value CWN could add.” Over the past five years CWN has raised over £120,000 supporting charities including, Karma Nirvana, Eaves’ Poppy Project and The MicroLoan Foundation. CWN’s Charity of the Year for 2016 is Working Chance, which supports women with criminal convictions to find quality employment. But it isn’t all about fundraising. CWN likes to try and support its Charity of the Year beyond the financial, whether by raising its profile amongst a larger audience or with some in kind support with financial management, research and marketing. The CWN ethos of women supporting women really comes to life within our Charity of the Year framework. We continue to attract accomplished and inspirational speakers at our fundraising events to support our nominated Charity of the Year. During her recent tenure as 686th Lord Mayor of the City of London, and only the second woman to hold that office, we welcomed Dame Fiona Woolf as Keynote at one of our major fundraising events and more recently, we were privileged to hear from Rebecca Stephens MBE, the first British woman to climb Mount Everest. CWN continues to voice and exert influence in business by carefully selecting and
nurturing strategic partnerships. Members are often sought out by the media and researchers for expertise regarding both women’s and business issues. We have many members who are authors, speakers and moderators and we have worked with the BBC (Radio 4 and Today), BBC News, City AM, Sky News, The Financial Times and The Times. We also gave testimony to the Treasury Select Committee’s inquiry into ‘Women in The City’ and participated in The Davies Review, the recommendations of which have subsequently been implemented and are delivering greater gender balance in Britain’s boardrooms. Sandy Lucas adds, “At CWN we lend our voice to wider industry initiatives that advance the business case for greater diversity in the workplace. Much recent progress has been made to significantly increase the number of Board roles filled by women in the UK, with the spotlight now appropriately turning on executive management level. We support the need to do more to fuel the pipeline of female talent, and actively support a small number of initiatives, playing our part in ensuring this upward trend is sustainable.” As we go from strength to strength, CWN believes that collaboration is key to supporting women’s progress. We are keen to grow our membership and continue to partner with other groups who share our goals and interests. If you would like to find out more about connecting, contributing and growing with us, follow us at @CityWomenLondon or take a look at our website citywomen.org or contact us at admin@citywomen.org
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Help us make even more history. Flexible full-time and part-time roles for women who believe in change.
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Women who work for Hertfordshire Constabulary are making history right now. We’re protecting communities. Challenging expectations. And making a positive, lasting change. We’re Special Constables, Police Staff, Police Officers and Volunteers. We’re daughters, sisters and working mothers. And there are already more than 1,500 of us. So join us. Let’s make some more history. Discover more at www.hertspolicecareers.co.uk
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Focus on gender pay gap and public reporting
The gender pay gap and the causes behind it continue to be one of the biggest factors in women’s under-representation and inequality in UK workplaces. The gender pay gap currently stands at 19.2% in the UK, and only by understanding where and why gender pay gaps exist can employers take action to ensure parity.
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To accelerate the closure of this gap, organisations with more than 250 employees from all sectors will soon be required to publish their gender pay data. Last month the Government published its draft regulations on gender pay gap reporting for organisations with over 250 employees. Key points from the draft regulations include:
• Employers will have to publish two single figure pay gaps – both mean and median • Employers will have to publish a separate bonus pay gap figure • The government will publish league tables to show progress employers are making
Whilst we understand that publishing pay data can be a daunting prospect for employers, we anticipate compulsory reporting will lead to the reduction of bias and introduce greater transparency in decision-making – not only in pay, but in recruitment, performance appraisals and promotion decisions. We asked more than 1,000 employees their thoughts on the gender pay gap and found that the majority already believe that there is a gender pay gap in their organisation, and that employers should publish pay data by grade and job type.
They also told us that they would prefer to discuss the pay gap openly with their employer rather than take legal action. We urge employers to listen to what employees are saying and take action now to understand and publish their pay data. The reality is that legislation is coming. This is why we provide our members with online and face-to-face guidance and offer recommendations to develop an action plan tailored to their needs and relevant to their sector.
From the provision of a business case for transparency to secure business buyin for early action, to a set of practical toolkits that help employers to measure, understand and communicate their pay gap – we are here to offer expert knowledge and guidance on gender pay gap reporting.
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International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the progress that gender equality has made, but to also reflect on how much work there is still left to do.
#PledgeForParity is the theme for IWD16. Unfortunately, the patriarchal society we live in prevents this being possible for so many people.
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Women, both in Britain and overseas, face ongoing barriers in their social, professional and personal lives because of discrimination and sexism. For people who have multiple minority identities, such as being LGBT and having a disability, the challenge is even greater. The hurdles are even higher. Part of dismantling these hurdles is about challenging societal stereotypes. We need to boost visibility for diverse women, and for people who identify outside of the ‘male’ and ‘female’ gender binaries. Sharing stories is a powerful means of challenging erasure and we’re thrilled that, for this issue of International Women’s Day magazine, a few of our friends have shared their stories. Their experiences are diverse but they share a common challenge – gender discrimination. Recognising these experiences can help us think about how we can work together to create an equal world for all people, where everyone is accepted without exception. Ruth Hunt is the Chief Executive at Stonewall, the leading lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity.
You can follow Ruth on Twitter at @ruth_hunt and learn more about Stonewall by visiting www.stonewall.org.uk or following @StonewallUK.
“I didn’t feel how I was told that women were supposed to feel” 25
As a trans woman International Women’s Day means a lot to me because it reminds me of my personal struggle to come to terms with my own gender identity and then the confidence to express that gender publically and for life.
Beckie Fox © Paul Jones
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It also reminds me that I now have a bigger duty than ever before to inspire, drive, celebrate and also care for all women and try and make this country and the planet a fairer and better place for us all to live, love and thrive in. It is my time to reflect and appreciate the women whom have achieved so much with their lives to change politics, fight for women’s equality, and provide inspiration to all women to make a difference, even if it something as simple, but so important as making their own lives
better or inspiring their daughters and granddaughters to strive for better in an un-equal world. My time as a woman is now – and I’m not going to waste another moment thinking about the past and only focus on the future; a brighter future for every woman, no matter who they are or where they have come from. Beckie Fox is a trustee of national transgender celebration Sparke and is based in Manchester. You can follow Beckie on Twitter at @therebeccafox and learn more about Sparkle by visiting www.sparkle.org.uk or following @SparkleWeekend
Bisexual women face a unique kind of discrimination As well as being subject to misogyny and homophobia, we are also specifically branded promiscuous, incapable of monogamy, unable to form loving relationships, attention-seeking, porn fantasy sex objects, guaranteed threesome material, confused… and even non-existent.
If we date women, we risk being told we are just too scared to come out as lesbian.
We don't fit into the straight world and we don't fit into the LGBT community, despite the fact that studies say we If we date someone make up over half non-binary, we risk its members. The being told “best of reality is that, while both worlds, eh?” as we continue to be if our lover is just a so negatively and fetish object to us. unfairly stereotyped, many of us are just too afraid to come out publicly.”
If we date men, we risk being told we have “straight privilege.” Lottie Dingle runs Biscuit, the online zine for bi women, and is based in London. You can follow Lottie on Twitter at @inTirNaNog and learn more about Biscuit by visiting www.thisisbiscuit.co.uk or following @Biscuitmag
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I'm a black, bisexual non-binary person
I only identify as a woman some of the time Being black and identifying as anything other than straight and heterosexual brings on a whole host of issues, from stereotyping, to violence and threats. I'm also a Christian, and strangely, this is the thing that I get the most questions about. I'm treated with disbelief that I can have a faith and be so "different". There has been a lot of violence in many forms in my past. I thank God that I'm able to love others of my choosing in the present.
I am thankful I can identify the way I do, instead of going along with the pressure to be one way or another. I always felt that I had failed as a girl and later as a woman. I didn't look or act like black women were supposed to. I didn't feel how I was told that women were supposed to feel.
Jacq Applebee runs the group Bis of Colour and is based in London. You can follow Jacq on Twitter at @applewriter and learn more about Bis of Colour by visiting bisofcolour.tumblr.com or following @BisOfColour.
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Embracing my true self as a nonbinary person isn't easy; most people refuse to believe I exist, just as a lot of people refuse to believe that bisexuality is valid. But I am me, and I'm proud of that.�
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A Taxing Issue There has been much in the press in the last year about the increased costs of being a woman to conform to society’s institutionalised sexist expectations of us. It seems that women are waking up and smelling the coffee, and not liking it one little bit.
by Naomi Bennett-Hall
The size of an office job wardrobe Work clothes, going out clothes, house clothes. Why is it that men can get away with wearing one suit and changing just the shirt? Women are expected to dress for every occasion.
The cost of dry cleaning Have you ever noticed that there are different prices for a men’s shirt and a woman’s shirt. Next There is an time you are walking expectation in past a dry cleaners – the workplace take a look. What is for example the difference of a level of between dry presentation. And cleaning a blouse yet still, despite and a shirt? The legislation such price. as the Equal Pay Act, women are paid around 14% less than male counterparts. Here are 7 ways it often costs more to be a woman:
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Deodorant A well known brand ‘Stress Protect Anti-Perspirant Deodorant’ — which comes in a feminine white and blue can — costs around £1.43 per 100ml. The man’s version of ‘Stress Protect Deodorant’ — in a manly black and blue can — costs around £1.32 per 100ml. If you were to look at this from a print cost perspective – the packaging of the men’s product costs more because it uses more ink colours. So why is it cheaper?!? Razors It’s a necessity for a man to shave, according to VAT legislation, and a luxury for women. Women’s shaving products are taxed, men’s are not.
The average woman in the UK earns 85.5p for every £1 paid to a man
Perfumes A 50ml bottle of an Eau de Toilette spray for women, which comes in a curvy bottle, will set you back around £49 at a UK supermarket. A 75ml bottle of the same brand of Eau de Toilette for men in a curvy bottle is priced considerably less at around £38 in the same supermarket. See what they did... the bottle size is different so you don’t notice the price difference.
I’ve experienced an increase upon walking in the door when they have seen the length of my hair. The extra few ml of shampoo and electricity for drying costs over £30!!! Sanitary Products Also taxed as a luxury item for women. Bring on the mass movement for boycotting these luxury items. So how can we change this?
Haircuts Thankfully we live in a world where we are starting to see gender neutral barbers; although these have limited capacity and also resources. For the majority the difference in a haircut between male and female is quite extravagant.
Together we can be the change. Every time you see an item which is clearly gender priced you can photograph it and share it on social media with the hashtag #genderpricing You can buy the men’s or unisex versions of products.
Look for change The Women’s Equality Party is a new collaborative force in British politics uniting people of all genders, diverse ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, beliefs and experiences in the shared determination to see women enjoy the same rights and opportunities as men so that all can flourish. Sophie Walker, of Women’s Equality Party is keen to raise the gender tax issue:
“Treating sanitary products as luxury items is an obvious form of discrimination. Women should not be taxed for having periods and so, unsurprisingly, I support the campaign for an end to the ‘tampon tax’ and regret that the Commons rejected this week’s move to get rid of it.”
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Magnificent Women by Dawn Bonfield, Chief Executive, Women's Engineering Society
Women in engineering - or lack of them - is a topic that you may have noticed in the news over the last year or two. Skills shortages in engineering have been the main driver for this push for women to enter the profession in greater numbers, and this is exactly what it was like during the First World War when the men were away fighting and women stepped into the breach to fill the vacant roles. At the time over a million and a half women came into the engineering and technical professions, the vast majority for the first time, and the government supported these women through a ÂŁ30million training programme to get them up to speed in intensive training courses. In some of the munitions factories, for example, over 80% of the workforces were women.
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And women found that not only did they like these roles, but that they were also very good at them. They brought with them their organisational skills to increase efficiencies to the factory production lines, and their manual dexterity to the skilled work that they carried out on precision equipment for military equipment. In a paper given by Lady Katherine Parsons at the time, she notes that ‘in 1916 exhibitions of women’s work in engineering were held under the direction of the Ministry of Munitions. The exhibitions proved conclusively that women are able to work on almost every
known operation in engineering, from the most highly skilled precision work, measured to micrometer, down to the rougher sort of labouring jobs. To enumerate all the varieties of work intervening between these two extremes would be to make a catalogue of every process in engineering. If any further confirmation were needed to establish the importance of the work achieved by women it was supplied in a novel and noteworthy form.
Engineering firms were invited to apply for the services of skilled women operators, who would be sent out to demonstrate the amount of output that can be produced in certain classes of work. It was a remarkable admission, that women with their short experience should be deemed capable of assisting employers in the difficult tasks of speeding up production in their own special profession.' But with the end of the First World War came the Restoration of Pre War Practices Act which sent women once again back to their homes, but by this time these women had gained their confidence and their voice in the UK, and things would never be the same again. The Women’s Engineering Society was set up in 1919 with the aims and objectives to: • To promote training and employment of women in Engineering and Allied Trades
• To work for the admission of women to all Schools of Engineering and Technical Colleges, and to membership of suitable Institutes of Engineers • To give special attention to the future of women who have attained some degree of skill in the Engineering and Allied Trades and Professions, and who wish to continue their work • To enable technical women to meet and to correspond, and to facilitate the interchange of ideas respecting openings in the various branches of technical and mechanical science by the circulating of information on such subjects. The journal of the Women’s Engineering Society The Woman Engineer was established in 1919 and is still in print today. The archive of journal is held at the Institution of Engineering and Technology archive in London and has recently been digitised into a fully searchable
format which is due to be published this year. These archives offer an amazing historical perspective not only on the role of women in engineering over the past 97 years, but on the role of women in UK society over that period, and turning points in UK history are documented here linked to the Women's Engineering Society and its sister organisation the Electrical Association for Women in which women were encouraged to use electricity in the home, thus freeing up their time and allowing them to enter the labour market in greater numbers. Today the Women’s Engineering Society has made much progress in terms of its initial objectives, but still has a long way to go in getting women to a position of parity in the field of engineering. In the UK we have the lowest percentage of engineers in Europe at only 8% of the workforce, and our work is as important as ever.
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A number of notable initiates help us to work towards increasing this percentage, such as the Magnificent Women and their Flying Machines outreach activity in which we go into schools and talk to girls about the roles of women during the First World War, and replicate through a hands on activity the work they did in producing aircraft wings. This historical perspective and the storytelling aspect of this outreach is one which is intended to draw the attention of girls to engineering who may not have previously thought of it as a career for them.
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Another of our successful initiatives at the WES is National Women in Engineering Day, a one day awareness day that takes place on 23 June annually which draws attention to the work of women in engineering and the careers and opportunities available for girls in the sector. This awareness day was celebrated across the UK by over 350 organisations last year reaching thousands of girls directly and through social media. This year the campaign takes place again on 23 June and we hope to increase our reach internationally as the International day of celebration for women in
engineering. Just like during the First World War when special circumstance required special attention, we find ourselves in the same situation today, and our challenge is to find equally compelling reasons and ways of encouraging women to enter the engineering and technical workforce. If you want to join us or find out more about what we do, please contact us through the website at www.wes.org.uk.
What makes a community?
by Naomi Bennett-Hall
The definition of a community is “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.”
This can only happen if within that community the members also allow individuality and differences but shares a common goal.
a result a number of groups are appearing online to encourage women to come together.
Now, that is pretty broad. A church is a community; a street is a community; and of course a group of women can make up a community.
Women who manage to reach the top in business have two choices; they can support their fellow women’s community to get more women in business to the top, or they can choose to ensure that other women have the same struggle that they experienced... it might seem an obvious choice but it does not always work that way in practice.
CIty Women WeAreTheCity is a leading website for professional women They hold annual awards celebrating successful women.
The thing is, when a community is made up of such a broad collection, such as women, it is very diverse and so to get the most from this community is difficult. A community needs to be able to come together and to support each other in the bigger picture.
However women are demonstrating this ability to support and empower peers in business and as
Groups & Networks for women
www.wearethecity.com
Entrepreneurial Women Facebook isn’t just social. There are some great groups for women in business who are looking to share their skills. Women are creating their own networking spaces online www.fb.com/groups/ womeninspiring womenawards
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ABOUT WOMEN ON BOARDS Women on Boards exists to help women make the right connections and career choices to get to board level within their own company or to take on a non-executive board role. We are lowering the barriers to entry to the boardroom and building the pipeline of board-ready women. There are many different types of boards, all of which need directors or trustees, including charity boards, Public Sector boards & committees, housing associations, sports and education bodies, NHS Trusts - all the way up to FTSE boards. However women are under-represented in all sectors: they are less likely than men to be asked to join a board and many lack information about how to access these roles successfully. What we do 1: Build the pool of female board members and role models by providing the information, connections and encouragement to ensure more women are appointed to boards across all sectors: •
We provide a strategic framework for getting a board role. Our events and personal support help women to understand their transferable skills and make the right connections to access board positions: -
Getting Started: Realising Your Board Potential Workshop: everything you need to know about directorship and how to do yourself justice as a board candidate, whatever point in your career you are starting from;
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Boardroom Conversations: insights into board roles in different sectors from active board members, along with a chance to network with other current and future directors;
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Board CV Masterclass: detailed support to develop a high quality, board-ready CV;
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Impact & Influence Masterclass: how to communicate with the confidence and impact expected in the boardroom;
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Personal support: feedback on your board profile along with targeted introductions to help with interview preparation.
2: Increase the transparency of the board recruitment process through our free NED vacancy board and our work with recruiters to “turn off the spotlight and turn on the floodlights” when recruiting for boards: •
We are actively encouraging recruiters to open up their field of vision by advertising more board positions;
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We provide visibility into a broad range of board vacancies and encourage women to apply
3: Advocacy around issues affecting women and leadership:
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•
We are challenging organisations to know their gender participation data and to set measurable targets where diversity is lacking;
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We are asking the next UK government to commit to mandatory gender targets for the boards of public bodies.
contact@womenonboards.co.uk 0207 493 5852 Website: www.womenonboards.net
ABOUT WOMEN ON BOARDS The Women on Boards network In the UK, the Women on Boards’ network is over 16,000 strong and growing fast. Since our launch in September 2012, over 3,000 women (and some men) have attended our popular Getting Started: Realising your board potential workshops, we have listed more than 6,000 non-executive board vacancies and we know of around 500 success stories. Our goal is a measurable and sustainable increase in the number of women on boards and in leadership roles across all sectors in the UK. Organisations Women on Boards also works with organisations to strengthen their female talent pipeline. For more information, please see https://womenonboards.net/en-GB/Services/Infographic
contact@womenonboards.co.uk 0207 493 5852 Website: www.womenonboards.net
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WOB SUCCESS STORIES Jo Swinson Former Business Minister and Non-Executive Director, Clear Returns Jo is a former Minister in the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and joined WOB UK this summer. After attending one of our Getting Started workshops, Jo applied for a Non-Executive Director position on the board of Clear Returns, a leading retail returns intelligence solution, which was advertised on the WOB website. We were delighted to hear that Jo was appointed to the Clear Returns board at the end of September 2015.
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I would probably not have spotted the position had it not been for the WOB website. Also I am not sure that I would have performed as I did in the two rigorous interviews had it not been for the Getting Started workshop that I attended in Manchester. e event gave me much more confidence to “sell” myself!
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Joanna Baldwin Former digital and international marketing strategist and Portfolio Non-Executive Director on the boards of HM Revenue and Customs, Aviva France, and the charity Fight for Sight Joanna most recently joined the board of HMRC as a Non-Executive Director. Joanna has been a member of WOB UK since our launch in 2012 and has attended our Getting Started workshop, Board CV Masterclass, Telling Your Story workshop and numerous Boardroom Conversations as part of her journey to becoming a successful portfolio NED.
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ank you so much for WOB's great support during my interview process, the members you connected me to were of great help.
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Rabiya Umar Senior Associate, PwC. Co-Opted Governor at Winnersh Primary School and Member of the Resources and School & Community Committees Rabiya joined WOB UK at our first Boardroom Conversation in Reading in April 2015 and has since been appointed as Co-opted Governor at Winnersh Primary School and has become a member of the Resources and School & Community Committees. As an employee of PwC, Rabiya had access to the WOB UK network through the firm’s Corporate Subscription package.
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contact@womenonboards.co.uk 0207 493 5852 Website: www.womenonboards.net
WOB SUCCESS STORIES Victoria Cochrane Former Global Board Member and Global Head of Risk at EY and current Non-Executive Director on the boards of Perpetual Income & Growth Investment Trust, Bowater Industries Ltd and HM Courts & Tribunals Service Victoria was appointed to the board of Perpetual Income & Growth Investment Trust plc, a FTSE 250 company in October 2015. Victoria has been a member of WOB since she embarked on building her portfolio career and reflects below on how WOB has helped along the way.
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Women on Boards UK have helped me enormously as I transitioned from being Global Head of Risk at EY to building a portfolio career. From sourcing vacancies and providing connections to influential head hunters, to putting me in touch with other members in a position to talk through the background to a role before an interview. It takes time to secure top NED positions and you need to keep a positive attitude and build momentum to reach your goal. e most important thing of all has been to have WOB's unfailing support and encouragement along the way to achieving that.
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Holly Alsop Freelance Editor, Writer & Community Manager and Trustee for the British Association of Nature Conservationists Holly began her career in conservation as a project officer. Over the past five years, she has been involved in a variety of digital projects in medical and creative industries. As a freelancer, she offers skills in social strategy development, community management, editing and writing to a variety of organisations in the public and private sector. After supporting the WOB UK Team with their social media accounts, Holly was inspired to attend a Getting Started workshop and explore what opportunities were available to her. Holly was appointed to the position of Trustee for the British Association of Nature Conservationists.
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Fiona Hathorn said to me ‘You’re never too young to start’ and she was right! I certainly wouldn't have done this without the help of WOB so thank you for opening up a world to me I never realised I could be a part of
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contact@womenonboards.co.uk 0207 493 5852 Website: www.womenonboards.net
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CORPORATE TALENT PIPELINE How WOB can help your organisation build a strong pipeline of female leaders. As well as working with individual women who are trying to navigate a successful path to directorship, Women on Boards UK has over 4,500 corporate employee members from organisations as diverse as PwC, Google, Scottish Water and Carillion plc.
Our work with corporations includes events and workshops for male and female employees and managers, which touch on topics including: •
Research-based tips and tricks to navigate your career
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The importance of making your achievements known, your impact in meetings and understanding influence
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Career resilience, inclusion and stereotypes
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How board and committee roles [from school governorship and industry associations to public sector committees and charity trusteeship] can form part of a successful career strategy
WOB membership also gives employees’ access to personal advice on understanding their boardroom-relevant skills and access to WOB Masterclasses, Mentors, the WOB Vacancy Board – and the connections of the broader WOB network both nationally and globally. Helping employees to see their current role in the context of a broader career strategy and giving them the opportunity to add an outside committee role or trusteeship to provide variety and new challenges can increase job satisfaction whilst building skills, strategic understanding and industry networks.
For more about our Corporate Membership offering, please see https://womenonboards.net/en-GB/membership-pages/Corporate-Subscription
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contact@womenonboards.co.uk 0207 493 5852 Website: www.womenonboards.net
JOIN US Subscribe to Women on Boards A paid subscription to Women on Boards will entitle you to a 30% discount on our events and workshops, personal support with your board profile and interview preparation, full access to the details of our UK-wide board vacancies and discounted offers from related organisations such as the IoD and the Financial Times Non-Executive Directors Club. BENEFIT
MEMBER
SUBSCRIBED CHAMPION MEMBER
GLOBAL
CORPORATE
MEMBER
MEMBER
BOARD POSITIONS Access board vacancy details & apply Receive weekly summary of vacancies Post a board position Vacancy EVENTS & SERVICES Discounts to WOB events and access to partner offers Access to FTSE NED breakfasts and head-hunter connections WOB PROFILE WOB Profile pro-forma to structure your board qualifications Search WOM members for networking & connections PERSONALISED SUPPORT Board CV review to increase your chances of success Pre-interview connections and advice Put forward for board positions via WOB director search
Register and choose your membership level via the following link: https://womenonboards.net/en-GB/Services/Membership-Benefits contact@womenonboards.co.uk 0207 493 5852 Website: www.womenonboards.net
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KNOWN, LOVED AND PROTECTED
EDUCATION, HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY By Silas Irungu and Emily Laramy
From the local to the national level, it’s critical that women’s voices count. Whether it’s deciding how the household income is spent or determining how the country is run, women have the right to an equal say in matters that have an impact on their lives. The most significant way we can achieve this is by ensuring women and girls have access to education. Across the world, there are numerous barriers to girls’ education. The Maasai community
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of Ewuaso Kedong in Kenya is no different. Until recently, distance alone was a barrier; the nearest secondary school was 60 miles away. For the girls in the community, the cost, safety and cultural expectations placed on women meant few made the transition. Now, thanks to a unique undertaking, funded through Compassion, these girls have their own school allowing young women to obtain an education and dream
for the future. Ewuaso Najile Girls School, popularly known as Najile Girl, is more than just a place of learning; it’s a safe-haven for teenage girls to escaped dangerous cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and early marriage.
frequently missed days of school. “I’d be absent for two to three days a week on average because we had to take care of the cattle and other household chores. It was difficult to play catch up, and my academic performance suffered,” she explains.
Jennifer is one of the first students to graduate. Growing up, she was determined to pursue her education and not to fall into the trap of early marriage as her friends had done. “My friends dropped out of school and got married between the ages of 15-17 years. Many of them now have an average of five to six children,” explains Jennifer.
The school has given Jennifer the courage and dedication to further her education and to inspire other girls to do the same. Jennifer now volunteers at the local church-based Compassion project where she has devoted her time to encourage girls to complete their education. Jennifer is helping to shape the attitudes of the next generation of Maasai children and points them in the direction of Najile School, which continues to be a beacon of hope and opportunity.
However, continuing her education didn’t come without challenges. Before Najile Girls opened, Jennifer travelled long distances to go to school and
IT’S A SAFE-HAVEN FOR TEENAGE GIRLS
Compassion is an international child development charity with more than 60 years’ experience working with some of the world’s poorest children. At present more than 1.7 million children attend Compassion’s church-based projects in 26 of the world’s poorest countries. www.compassionuk.org.
COMPASSION UK CHRISTIAN CHILD DEVELOPMENT 43 High Street, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 8BB Registered charity in England and Wales (1077216) and Scotland (SC045059) Registered in England No: 03719092
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It’s not just toys for the boys
We require enthusiastic graduate engineers with the right credentials to work in the business of safeguarding the UK and its interests. The MoD invests a huge amount of time and resources into the development of its people. Our commitment to encouraging and supporting professional development is one of the main reasons that graduates choose to join us. We are: The Ministry of Defence, Defence Engineering and Science Group. Graduate Scheme: The DESG Graduate Scheme is one of the very best graduate development schemes for engineers and scientists available in the UK and is fully accredited by IMechE, IET, RINA, RAeS, IoP and IMarEST. This amazing scheme offers you many benefits. Please see the DESG website for details! Degree Disciplines required: A multitude of engineering disciplines. Applications: Now open for applications. Apply on-line via our website (click ‘How to Apply’).
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www.gov.uk/mod/desg
The MoD is an Equal Opportunities Employer.