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11/02/2003
Pearson urges businesses to promote opportunity for women
NIO Trade Minister Ian Pearson has urged businesses to enable women to compete on a more equal footing by promoting skills and career development training.
Mr Pearson made his comments after meeting with the Board of Opportunity Now, a business-led campaign managed by Business in the Community. The board works with employers to realise the economic potential and business benefits that women, at all levels, contribute to the workforce.
Following the meeting, the Minister said: “Businesses which place emphasis on the skills and career development of women enable them to compete equally for wider and higher level job opportunities.
"Such an approach will undoubtedly enhance women’s impact on business’ bottom line.”
The most recent Labour Force Survey figures indicate that women continue to be under-represented particularly among the self-employed in the Northern Ireland labour force. The Minister said that it was important to understand the reasons for this and tackle any barriers that may be "impeding their progress along their chosen career paths".
At the meeting, the Minister also announced the setting up of a joint research project between the board, DETI and Northern Ireland’s top 100 companies to establish the extent of any changes in organisational culture in response to women’s equality issues.
The aim of the research is to identify best practice case studies which would be shared with other employers. The intended research would also provide information on how well prepared Northern Ireland companies are to deal with demographic and legislative changes, as well as with a changing labour market.
The research is likely to take about six months and its findings will be published towards the end of 2003/beginning of 2004.
“The proposed research complements important work on women and enterprise currently being undertaken by Invest NI and the Vital Voices Women in the Economy project in which my Department also has a major interest," he said.
"I believe that the planned shared approach with Opportunity Now will produce some highly interesting and instructive findings in this area.”
(GMcG)
Mr Pearson made his comments after meeting with the Board of Opportunity Now, a business-led campaign managed by Business in the Community. The board works with employers to realise the economic potential and business benefits that women, at all levels, contribute to the workforce.
Following the meeting, the Minister said: “Businesses which place emphasis on the skills and career development of women enable them to compete equally for wider and higher level job opportunities.
"Such an approach will undoubtedly enhance women’s impact on business’ bottom line.”
The most recent Labour Force Survey figures indicate that women continue to be under-represented particularly among the self-employed in the Northern Ireland labour force. The Minister said that it was important to understand the reasons for this and tackle any barriers that may be "impeding their progress along their chosen career paths".
At the meeting, the Minister also announced the setting up of a joint research project between the board, DETI and Northern Ireland’s top 100 companies to establish the extent of any changes in organisational culture in response to women’s equality issues.
The aim of the research is to identify best practice case studies which would be shared with other employers. The intended research would also provide information on how well prepared Northern Ireland companies are to deal with demographic and legislative changes, as well as with a changing labour market.
The research is likely to take about six months and its findings will be published towards the end of 2003/beginning of 2004.
“The proposed research complements important work on women and enterprise currently being undertaken by Invest NI and the Vital Voices Women in the Economy project in which my Department also has a major interest," he said.
"I believe that the planned shared approach with Opportunity Now will produce some highly interesting and instructive findings in this area.”
(GMcG)
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