Mining firm Antofagasta has least equal male-female board split in FTSE 100 November 3, 2020 Mining company Antofagasta has been named the FTSE 100 firm with the least gender diverse board, with 80% of directors at the firm being men.
How can businesses empower women in technology in a post Covid-19 world? October 5, 2020 Everyone has felt the wrath of Covid-19. The pandemic blindsided businesses earlier this year and has forced organisations to rapidly step into the unknown. But what have we learnt? And can we apply these learnings to tackle existing issues in technology, like diversity and inclusion? Research from McKinsey Global Institute estimates that women make up [...]
Top companies still need to go further in putting women on boards September 22, 2020 As a woman in business and now as a minister at the Department for Business, Environment and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), I know first-hand how difficult it can be to rise through the ranks and establish yourself professionally in the corporate world. My first job was in a shop aged 16. I then went into retail [...]
Six steps to true racial equality in business August 26, 2020 When we look back at 2020, what will have changed in the business world? I don’t mean social distancing and remote working. I mean actual systemic change: accountability, consequences, promotions, and retention. The combination of coronavirus and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has raised questions about the tech industry’s problem with Black, Asian, and [...]
You’re never too old to start a business: Why we need to harness senior enterprise February 5, 2020 With a rapidly-ageing demographic across Europe, it is time to re-evaluate not only our own attitudes towards older people, but also the value of senior enterprise and their contribution to society. By 2020, the over-50s in the UK will make up nearly one third of the working-age population, and almost half of the adult population. [...]
I can see clearly how to help London’s blind community January 20, 2020 London is a wonderful place to live and work. I meant to stay for just two years when I first came here in 1972 from my Yorkshire home. Today, 47 years later, I’m a true Londoner — though still a Yorkshireman at heart. I was partially sighted when I arrived in London. My sight continued [...]
To micromanage or not to micromanage, that is the question January 15, 2020 If you’re a manager, knowing when to bite your tongue and say nothing can be tough, especially when you’re watching someone make a mistake that you know how to avoid. Jump in too often, and you become a micromanager. Let people fail excessively, and they become disheartened and inactive. How do you strike the right [...]
The world needs business to step up and reclaim its higher purpose January 8, 2020 Should a company’s responsibility begin and end with shareholders, or extend to customers, communities, and the environment? While hardly an original question, last year saw a renewed focus on debate around the purpose of business — and with sustainability already in the January headlines, from fires in Australia to new figures on climate change, expect [...]
Creepy micromanagement won’t drive productivity — try trusting staff instead January 8, 2020 Calling all employers: what was in your Christmas stocking? Did you find the latest gadget designed to enhance productivity? The innovative device, featured in the media during the festive season, is a toilet with a downward sloping seat. The company which makes it, StandardToilet, has conducted extensive tests. A slope of 13 degrees is exactly [...]
The parenthood penalty facing working mums and dads needs to be fixed December 10, 2019 Earlier this year, journalist Emma Duncan asked why we work so hard to avoid our children. Will future generations look back and wonder why parents fought tooth and nail for time in the office? If today’s battles result in a childcare sector that offers real choice at a lower cost, and a society where having [...]