Business News


West Midlands lagging behind for equality in workplace


Mind the gap: Sarah Taylor


The West Midlands is falling behind other regions in the representation and welfare of women in the world of work, according to PwC’s latest Women in Work Index. While the UK has improved


across all five indicators of female economic empowerment to reach 13th place this year, the report suggests progress has not been evenly spread across the regions. The bottom two places are


occupied by the East and West Midlands, primarily due to high female unemployment rates and large gaps between male and female labour force participation rates.


‘To help the UK as a whole improve further we need to tackle local issues – a one size fits all approach isn't going to work’


The West Midlands ranks as the


lowest UK region due to poor female labour force participation, a large gap between male and female pay, and a high female unemployment rate. Scotland tops the index with a strong performance across the board. Sarah Taylor, people partner for


PwC in the Midlands, said: “The variation in performance across the UK shows how the makeup of each region’s economy influences female economic opportunity.


“In the East and West Midlands


we have a high concentration of manufacturing, engineering and automotive industries, in which there are more higher-earning men compared to women. “To help the UK as a whole


improve further we need to tackle local issues – a one size fits all approach isn’t going to work. “As the Midlands economy


evolves in the digital age, we need to ensure negative gender imbalances aren’t exacerbated.”


In Brief


A Lichfield-based company has been recognised as one of the top 100 design firms in the UK by a leading trade magazine. PHd Design, launched in 1992


by Peter Howard, has been named as one of UK’s top creative firms by Design Week. Mr Howard said: “There are


about 125,000 design companies in the UK. With most on the list located in London, we’re one of a select few in the Midlands and the only company in Staffordshire.”


• More Lichfield and Tamworth news on page 52.


Ronald McDonald House Charities are hosting their annual golf day at Coventry Golf Club on 8 May. Entry for standard teams is


£550, while the cost for corporate teams is £750 including hole sponsorship. Both packages include a


goody bag, a full round of golf, a three-course meal and entry into various individual competitions.


To enquire about booking or sponsorship contact RMHCcentralwest@uk.mcd.com or call 0121 203 2010.


April 2019 CHAMBERLINK 31


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