Gender equity has a huge impact on business performance––Cranfield School of Management has always made a conscious effort to champion women in business.
The school has run a number of studies over recent years, from looking at gender equity from a board level to the FTSE 100.
“We have published the Female FTSE 100 since 1999, tracing the careers of women executives in the most powerful companies,” says Cranfield’s head of the Changing World of Work Group, and Work and Learning Center, professor Emma Parry.
Holding up a mirror to the business world by championing businesses with successful women at the helm is one of the main ways Cranfield takes part in the worldwide gender equity movement. But what about supporting women in business closer to home?
Cranfield School of Management is pushing for gender equity
The school is actually in the process of developing a European Commission-funded training program with Kemmy Business School that looks to tackle stereotypes and unconscious bias in business, called The Gender Equality in Decision-Making (GEM) project.
Emma goes on to add that the results of studies such as the Female FTSE 100 contributes to how they structure their Masters’ programs in areas such as organizational behavior, corporate responsibility, and leadership.
Cranfield graduate, Shivanshi Sharma, and PhD student, Olukemi Eyeoyibo, are benefitting from Cranfield's gender equity focus.
While Shivanshi’s MSc in Management secured her an internship at The Security Institute, Kemi is working on her PhD, while continuing to grow her coaching business, How2Think. She works with other businesswomen and helps them build their confidence, coaching them towards achieving their career goals.
Building up your career starts with self-belief, Kemi insists. “Leaders are responsible for changing things, yes, but individuals can enforce change in themselves. It’s that age-old adage: the teacher will appear when the student is ready.”
