Women’s Enterprise
Over one million women in the UK work for themselves and
women-owned enterprises contribute approximately £70 billion to the
national economy and there encouraging signs that this is on the
increase as many more new entrepreneurs are women: 34% of the
newly self-employed are women compared to 27% of those currently
self-employed. In the Northwest region alone female early
stage entrepreneurial activity between 2002 and 2007 has increased
from 1.5% to 3.4%.
However there is still considerable room for improvement, despite
the rise in the numbers of women involved in enterprise activity in
recent years, only 14 per cent of businesses with employees are led
by women, with two men starting up in business to every one woman.
Tackling this gender disparity will not only improve the number of
women setting up their own businesses which has been identified as
a key way to increase the size and scope of the small business
sector in the UK but will also be a major contributing factor to
the future economic growth of region.
The Government’s enterprise strategy released in March
2008 highlights the importance of engaging more women in enterprise
and it sets out several initiatives to encourage more female
entrepreneurial activity in the UK. The Northwest’s Regional
Economic Strategy (RES) also identifies women as a group with
different business support needs, and with huge potential to
increase the number of new enterprises in the region. This will be
emphasised in the NWDA’s Regional Enterprise Strategy which is due
for release in 2008.
In June 2007, Margaret Hodge Minister of State for Industry and the
Regions announced the creation of a 1000 strong national network of
inspirational women entrepreneurs. The NWDA is committed to this
and since its regional launch of the Women’s Ambassador Campaign in
the Northwest in July 2007 we have had over 140 female
entrepreneurs from the region sign up to act as Women’s
Ambassadors. Find out
more about becoming a Women’s Enterprise
Ambassador
The NWDA has also established the Northwest Women’s Enterprise Forum
(NWWEF) to increase the number of women starting
up and growing their own businesses in the region.
Northwest Women in Business Awards 2009
Building on the great success of the inaugural
ceremony in March 2008 the Northwest Women's Enterprise Forum
(NWWEF), in partnership with the NWDA, has launched the Northwest
Women in Business Awards 2009, which will again bring together some
of region’s most innovative and successful female-led companies and
recognise and reward their achievements and successes.
By celebrating those women who are already making their mark,
recognising and rewarding them for achieving that success, the
event aims to inspire and encourage more women to consider
enterprise as a career and increase the number of women starting up
and growing businesses in the Northwest. Download an entry form
below.
Northwest Women in
Business Awards Entry Form
Northwest Women in Business
Awards Entry Form - word version
For more infromation about the event and to register to attend
the 2009 NW Women in Business Awards please visit www.nwwomeninbusinessawards.co.uk
If you are thinking of setting up a business or are looking for
advice to help your existing business grow please contact Business
Link NW on 0845 00 66 888 or visit www.businesslinknw.co.uk
Women's Enterprise Facts
* If the UK had the same rates of female entrepreneurship
as the US we could have 900 more businesses in the country
* Women-owned businesses contribute about £60 billion to the
economy (Gross Value Added)
* The Annual Small Business Survey 2006 reports that 13% of UK
enterprises are majority women-led in the UK. This compares to 30%
of the total in the US.
* If women started businesses at the same rate as men, the UK would
see 150,000 more businesses per annum
* Most of the one million self employed women in the UK are in the
service sector. (Labour Force Survey)
* Women are more likely to have a fear of failure than men, (39.2
percent) compared with (32.6 percent). (BERR)