North women’s work proving a big inspiration

THE Chamber has just launched our Inspiring Females Awards. The awards, which are a personal favourite of mine, recognise inspirational women across the North East business community.

Now in their third year, the awards bring together incredible success stories and celebrate female employees, business leaders and apprentices from a wide range of firms across the North East.

We have fantastic female role models excelling at all stages of their career and in all walks of life.

They deserve recognition for their contribution to our business community, our economy and the wider life of this great region.

At last year’s Inspiring Females Awards I was again reminded of the exceptional talent of women in this region.

They were deservedly provided with a platform to share their achievements, challenges and determination to succeed and I was completely blown away by every story which was shared.

It was a proud moment to know we at the Chamber had provided that platform - but we also know there’s much more to do.

Our Women’s Leadership Forum helps steer our approach to all aspects of our policy and representation work, putting equity, diversity and inclusion at the heart of what we do.

The forum and its members support the Inspiring Females Awards along with our annual Inspiring Females Conference.

The forum also helps set the Chamber’s policy direction in key areas of economic activity, looking at helping more women get into, stay in and succeed in work.

The UK is the third most expensive country for childcare among members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

A 2022 survey found 43% of women with children had considered leaving their job because of childcare costs.

Two-fifths worked fewer hours than they wanted to for the same reason. That’s what hard economics looks like through a gender lens – lost potential, lost productivity and lost opportunity.

That’s why the British Chambers of Commerce has recently launched an equity in the workplace commission.

Over three years, this flagship project will look at childcare costs, general caring responsibilities, issues like experience of the menopause – all to help level up women in the workplace.

We’ll be supporting this and many more initiatives like it to build not just a strong economy but a more inclusive economy