BSSEC CIC: Inspire Inclusion – more than a statistic
8th March 2024
Let’s talk inclusion, especially today on International Women’s Day – Friday 8th March 2024.
Inspire Inclusion is this years’ theme, and that’s a great place to start when we look at the achievements of some amazing women from all backgrounds across our social economy sector.
Women are 49.6% of the global population so surely we’re included, right?
Yes, women are key to the population stats, and also to the conversation focused around leadership.
Interestingly, according to business reports, only 16% of UK SME’s were women-led in 2020 with that rising to 32.5% in 2021. So, we’re making good gender-leading impact and the general trend is heading, albeit slowly, in the right direction.
However, let’s celebrate that 47% of social enterprises that are led by women, 31% have directors from BAME backgrounds, and 83% of leadership teams include a woman. That’s according to a comparative 2021 SEUK State of the Social Enterprise Sector Survey.
But ‘inspire inclusion’ should go beyond a statistic.
Let’s meet a few of the inspiring women we’ve touched based with over the last month who are driving inclusion in their own areas of engagement…
Josie Kelly, CEO of Access to Business – a powerhouse of social economy inclusion across the Wolverhampton locality.
Davinder Kaur, CEO of SWEDA – championing inclusion by inspiring and motivating people to reach their full potential through skills and training.
Mandi Cresswell, Policy & Economy Adviser (Social Economy) of North Tyne Combined Authority – a collaborative social economy advocate who readily inspires new thinking.
Louise West, Strategic Lead – Wolverhampton Pound of City of Wolverhampton Council – an individual who inspires the journey of local people, local pound, local (social) capital.
Midhat Riaz, Acting CEO of iSE CIC – stepping into a new role with over 15 years experience of the social enterprise sector, inspiring her team and VCSE community with fresh insights and thinking.
To these women, and to all women who are inspiring inclusion in their own way, and importantly, everyone who is inspiring inclusion in every facet of our society and economy… Thank You.
What a diverse, bright future we could shape if we all inspire inclusion and encourage a more equitable, fully inclusive world for all. HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2024!