{"id":55861,"date":"2015-03-26T09:32:18","date_gmt":"2015-03-26T09:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=704a03c53704ccf8ca17b878868fa502"},"modified":"2015-03-26T09:32:18","modified_gmt":"2015-03-26T09:32:18","slug":"speech-by-investing-in-women-you-invest-in-business-nicky-morgan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=55861","title":{"rendered":"Speech: By investing in women, you invest in business: Nicky Morgan"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Thank you Vince [Cable] and thank you Mark.
\nI agree that whilst we have achieved so much, there is still some way to go, and that building up executives of the future is a particularly important development.<\/p>\n

Thank you also to Barclays and Cranfield.<\/p>\n

Thank you also to Cranfield for inviting me to the launch of your 16th Female FTSE<\/abbr> report.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s down to the work of everyone involved in this agenda: Lord Davies and his steering group, Cranfield, male and female business leaders, the 30% Club and many others that the visibility of women in high-ranking roles is now part of a meaningful public debate. <\/p>\n

The FTSE<\/abbr> report, alongside Lord Davies\u2019 Women on Boards review<\/a>, enables us to look behind the doors of the world\u2019s biggest businesses and plot the progress of women in the workplace.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, I walked on my first International Women\u2019s Day march as Minister for Women and Equalities. And it was a really special moment. <\/p>\n

Today we recognise that the suffragettes fought for more than our vote. They fought for our equal pay and for our seat at the boardroom table.<\/p>\n

And their cry for \u2018deeds not words\u2019 still echoes around the corridors of FTSE<\/abbr> companies.<\/p>\n

On the march, as we passed city hall, I looked around at my fellow marchers, and was so pleased to see such a diverse range of people standing shoulder to shoulder for gender equality. Public figures, business owners, teachers, actresses, parents, and importantly of course, men from all walks of life. <\/p>\n

Because far from being a \u2018women\u2019s\u2019 issue, achieving a fairer representation of women is an issue for everyone, not least businesses. <\/p>\n

Achievements<\/h2>\n

That all starts, as you\u2019d expect the Secretary of State for Education to say of course, in the classroom, and it is the duty of all of us, particularly as parents and teachers to make sure girls make informed choices about subjects and careers and we monitor the impact their choices have on issues such as the gender pay gap. <\/p>\n

That is something we are all passionate about.<\/p>\n

This includes encouraging girls to take up STEM<\/abbr> subjects at school that will take help them to go so far in those sectors. <\/p>\n

Sir Davis also told me earlier about the apprentice scheme at Barclays and how around 50% of them are girls.<\/p>\n

In my role as both Minister of Women and Equalities, and Education Secretary, I get to meet countless inspirational individuals.<\/p>\n

Last month I met Jacqui Miller, the main Board Director of the engineering firm Miller International Limited, at the 2015 UN<\/abbr> Women conference.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t know Miller, I would encourage you all to Google it to see exactly why this is quite an achievement.<\/p>\n

Jacqui\u2019s a real tour de force but her achievements shouldn\u2019t be the exception. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s why, over the past 5 years, we have continued to strive for real, lasting change for the benefit of women, business and the economy.<\/p>\n

We have made incredible progress and our achievements are outstanding:<\/p>\n