I said something in a meeting once. When I was just a Junior FX broker trying to make it in an extremely male-dominated industry. It was an idea I believed in, one I’d thought through, one I knew had value. Silence. Then five minutes later, a man repeated it almost word for word. Suddenly, it was “brilliant.”

Wray & Nephew, in partnership with Foundervine, has launched the fourth year of its Wray Forward programme, a free initiative that supports Black founders across the UK by giving them access to funding, educational workshops, and networking events.

Michelle King is a leading diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) speaker and researcher, dedicated to reshaping workplace culture and tackling inequality.

Companies across the Technology Channel are tackling a complex landscape when it comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Recent political and social pressures, particularly in the USA, has meant that some companies are scaling back their efforts. It is promising to see, however, that over 75% of UK companies are doubling down on their DEI initiatives despite the ongoing pressures.

President Donald Trump is gutting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes across the US, and he’s not stopping at government initiatives. Major corporations are removing diversity hiring goals, and quietly erasing commitments they once championed. Google. Meta. Disney. Even Pepsi. One by one, they’re following suit.

Despite high confidence levels and passion for their work, women in the UK tech sector continue to face systemic career barriers that hinder their progression, according to Lorien’s Women in Tech Insights report.   

As the CEO and Managing Partner of a recruitment boutique agency, I've seen firsthand the struggles that early-stage startups face when it comes to diversity. Economic barriers play a significant role in limiting the ability of startups to attract, hire, and retain a diverse workforce. These challenges are multifaceted, but the impact is clear: without tackling the root causes of economic inequality, startups risk missing out on the full potential of a truly inclusive team.

While female entrepreneurship is on the rise, only 19% of businesses in the UK are female owned. Despite the growth of women-led businesses, there is still a way to go before we reach a more level playing field across the business landscape. Samantha Addy, CEO & Founder of the Female Advisory Board (FAB), the UK’s first all-female peer advisory organisation, discusses the challenges facing business owners and the barriers holding female entrepreneurs back from taking their business to the next level.

Analysis by equity management platform Vestd has revealed that men remain twice as likely to be part of a company share scheme for a second year.

Today's employers benefit from access to a talent pool that business leaders of the past could only dream of. With access to top talent around the world, the interconnected nature of the current global marketplace means that no matter their size, companies today have the tools and opportunity to drive innovation through the cultivation of a strong, dynamic global workforce. This in turn sharpens an organisation’s competitive edge, elevating them above their competition, both at home and when moving into foreign markets. 

Women make up just 31% of enrolments in generative AI (GenAI) courses in the UK, despite a remarkable 227% surge in course enrolments over the past year, according to a new report from Coursera.

As a woman with dyscalculia and two writing degrees, I don’t exactly fit the traditional finance mould.

A PwC study found that a career in the tech industry was a first choice for only 3% of female students and women only make up for 22% of AI professionals.

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day, Accelerate Action, emphasises the significance of moving beyond the surface and committing to the long-term inclusion of women in the workplace. While the gender gap is narrowing globally, it will likely take another five generations – over 134 years – to fully close this gap. The call to #AccelerateAction is urgent.

The potential of AI to level up entrepreneurship was showcased in London last week, as fresh research finds over half of the UK’s Disabled entrepreneurs are embracing AI and many believe the technology could be a game-changer for their business.

In the end of 2019, just before the world would change forever with COVID-19, my co-founder and I (both seasoned veterans in the HR and global employment space) decided to take a bold leap.

Right now, we are seeing a movement where women are no longer prepared to wait. No longer prepared to wait for the equality that, as children, we were taught was a done deal.

More women are founding businesses than ever before, according to data from Gender Index. But founding is just the first step – YFM Equity Partners says that far more support is needed to enable female entrepreneurs to reach their full potential and to achieve entrepreneurial equality.

Women in business face unique challenges. Whether it's breaking into leadership roles, securing funding, or simply being seen and heard – the path is often harder for us than for men. But one of the most powerful tools we have in our armoury to change that? Community.

Starting a business is never easy, but starting one as a female founder in a highly regulated industry brings its own unique set of challenges.