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News Release from: UK Resource Centre for Women in SET
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 04 July 2005
No winner for equality award
The UKRC Equality Award was devised to recognise the good practice being undertaken by some manufacturing employers to promote equality and the progression of women in the sector.
Meg Munn, Deputy Minister for Women, and William Hague, former Leader of the Opposition, announced the winners of the 2005 Manufacturing Excellence (MX) Awards at a black tie ceremony last week The event, at London's Dorchester Hotel, was attended by 450 guests and marks the culmination of the most rigorous benchmarking procedure in the UK manufacturing industry
This year all eyes were on Meg Munn as she announced the result of the first Equality Award.
The award was developed by the UKRC to recognise the good practice being undertaken by some manufacturing employers to promote equality and the progression of women in the sector.
Women represent 51% of the total UK workforce but only account for 18.7% in the science, engineering and technology.
In engineering this figure shrinks to just 8%.
The Equality Award received 14 entries.
Annette Williams, UKRC Director, said: "The number of entries we received is tremendously encouraging and a clear sign that employers are starting to recognise the importance of the business case for (gender) equality".
"However, it is clear that there is still some way to go before this is fully mainstreamed and embedded in business processes".
The judges and the assessors had to agree that no award would be presented this year, however, two companies received special commendations in recognition of the promising steps they are taking towards addressing gender equality issues.
AstraZeneca Avlon Works has exemplary HR policies and communications tools in place, including a "diversity website" which is accessible to the whole workforce.
Domino UK proved that it has a good basic understanding of the business case for gender equality and are well on the way to embedding this throughout their business practices.
Meg Munn, Deputy Minister for Women speaking at MX 2005 Awards Ceremony, commented: "The future of British industry depends on raising investment, applying science and innovation, best practice and skills to create even better products that the world wants to buy".
"There's a particular shortage of qualified people in science, engineering and technology".
"Employers report that there is already a serious skills gap and over the next 10 years the requirement for more highly skilled people will grow substantially".
"Why not have more women with those skills?".
Women are taking an increasingly important role in the economic market, not only making the majority of consumer decisions but they now also own a third of small businesses in the UK.
The Institute of Employment Studies predicts that by the year 2011 80% of employment growth will be attributable to women and ethnic minorities, only 20% of the workforce will be white, male, able-bodied, and under 45.
More women will be needed in research and development to avoid further skills shortages and to ensure that products and services are designed and manufactured with the growing diversity of consumers in mind.
Karen Sadler, UKRC Employer Awards Co-ordinator comments: "We know there are employers out there who are implementing some really excellent practice and are leading the way for others to follow".
"In order to truly raise the profile of this issue, we need those employers to come forward and enter for one of our awards so we can share what they're doing with others and encourage them to follow suit".
In addition to continuing the MX Award next year, the UKRC has also launched a new 'Women in SET Award' as part of the Working Families Employer of the Year Awards which are now open for registration.
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