- FDM, Elevator, Equity Gap, EY, and STAC commit to actionable steps aligned with the principles set out in the Pathways report, and to engender effective change within their own organisations
- Latest cohort join AccelerateHER, CivTech, CodeBase, Deloitte, Eos Advisory, Scottish EDGE, Scottish National Investment Bank, Converge, The Open University in Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, SIS Ventures, Social Investment Scotland, South of Scotland Enterprise, and the University of Strathclyde as Pledge partners
Pathways Forward has announced its third cohort of Pledge partners, with FDM Group, Elevator, Equity Gap, EY, and the Smart Things Accelerator Centre (STAC) committing to actionable steps aligned with the principles set out in the Pathways report.
The Pathways Pledge was launched in February 2024, and now has over 20 organisations signed up to over 40 pledges which will be monitored and reported on annually.
Image credit: Anna Moffat
Pathways Forward’s Ana Stewart said: “We are rapidly building a strong foundation of forward-thinking organisations who share our commitment to both the recommendations laid out in the Pathways report, the underlying principles, and engendering effective change within their own businesses.”
The latest cohort join AccelerateHER, CivTech, CodeBase, Deloitte, Eos Advisory, Scottish EDGE, Scottish National Investment Bank, Converge, The Open University in Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, SIS Ventures, Social Investment Scotland, South of Scotland Enterprise, and the University of Strathclyde as Pledge partners.
The individual pledges are aimed to complement existing internal policies, and range from the capture and analysis of recruitment data for female versus male applicants, showcasing female entrepreneurial role models, broadening awareness of national programmes in Scotland, and amplifying the profiles of female Non-executive Directors for female founders. The focus is on actionable and trackable pledges, with shared and published results.
The news comes following last month’s inaugural Female Founders Growth Summit at the Royal Bank of Scotland Conference Centre at Gogarburn in Edinburgh where over 250 founders, business leaders, and senior executives gathered to hear from high profile speakers and engage in panel sessions and networking.
Ana Stewart said: “The summit was a great success. We were able to explore many of the key challenges and opportunities for women in business and the investment backdrop, with attendees making valuable connections that will help to drive their own ventures.”
Pathways Forward was launched in September 2023 following the publication of the Scottish Government-commissioned Pathways: A New Approach For Women in Entrepreneurship report. In February, an Advisory Group was appointed to work alongside Pathways Forward’s chair Ana Stewart to amplify and progress the recommendations outlined in the Stewart Report.
This press release was originally created and distributed by Pathways Forward on the 21st October 2024. Shared with permission.