Warwick Business School awarded gender equality award

The Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) has awarded Warwick Business School (WBS) a bronze prize for its efforts in supporting gender equality.

Five universities and 17 individual departments achieved a bronze level, but WBS is one of only two business schools, the other being Cardiff Business School, who have have been recognised for their endeavours in promoting gender equality.

The award and the ECU’s gender equality charter mark is based upon confronting gender disparity and under-representation in subjects stretching from the arts and humanities to social sciences.

Mark Taylor, the dean of Warwick Business School, stated: “In the world of business and politics we need more women in leadership positions and as a business school we have a role to play in this.”

The WBS hopes to maintain a strong commitment to ensuring the equal representation of students and staff members.

Professor Les Ebdon, the director of Fair Access to Higher Education, remarked: “Initiatives such as the ECU’s gender equality charter mark will continue to help to highlight and address the gender inequalities in higher education.”

Alongside its work in tackling inequality in senior positions for women, the ECU charter additionally encourages improvement in areas such as the under-representation of men in fields like teaching and social work.

It further seeks to address the unfair treatment often experienced by transgender people.

The ECU is presently finalising the format of the future charter. All institutions and particularly the departments of arts, humanities and social science shall be able to take part in the charter mark in 2015.