Leading women launch high level business organisation

AN organisation bringing together the leading women in business and the public sector in the region has been launched.

The Two Percent Club – which takes its name from statistics that show that only 2% of FTSE 100 companies are led by a woman – is made up of  60 women in key positions in Yorkshire organisations.

The club was launched with an event at Harewood House at which founder Heather Jackson said the organisation aims to set the agenda for women’s representation in business and create a high level women’s network which can provide a voice on key business issues.

Studies have found that women in business in the UK lag significantly behind their male counterparts when it comes to reaching board level.

Research by accountants BDO Stoy Hayward in its latest Yorkshire Report highlights that the number of women attaining board positions has fallen this year in this region.

The Two Percent Club Steering Group is made up of Ms Jackson of Believe Corporate Relations; chair Linda Pollard, deputy chair of Yorkshire Forward; Deirdre Bounds founder of travel firm i-to-i; Elizabeth Jackson, chief executive of Directorbank; Kath Myers head of integrated financial solutions for Yorkshire Bank in Yorkshire and the North East; Barbara Jackson, senior banker at Coutts; Thea Stein, executive director of economic inclusion with Yorkshire Forward and Jasbir Chana, enterprise development executive at Yorkshire Forward.

The launch event was addressed by management specialist Benja Fagerland whose project Female Future led to the Norwegian government introducing legislation that company boards had to have a minimum 40% women. The strategy led to an upturn in performance by Norwegian business.

Membership of The Two Percent Club is by invitation only and members have been drawn from highest levels within organisations such as chief executives, partners in professional firms, directors and their equivalents from the public sector.

Initially The Two Percent Club’s activities will consist of a bi-monthly members’ luncheon for 20 to 25 targeted senior business women from the private and public
sectors of the region.

It has gained launch funding from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.

It plans to expand its work to encourage the next generation of female leaders.

Ms Fagerland said: “It’s not a female issue or a diversity issue. It’s about good business.

“That’s why I talk about ‘womanomics’. Women have to have confidence in their own leadership and their own value but business is all about networking as well which is why the launch of The Two Percent Club is so inspiring.

“The reason why there are not so many female leaders in senior board positions is not necessarily about gender but about not being able to find female talent.

“There is currently a war for talent as a result of the economic crisis but companies want to keep the right talent regardless of gender. The glass ceiling is in fact in women’s heads.”

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