Bristol Women in Business Charter
Learn. Support. Empower.
At Bristol Women in Business Charter CIC, we provide the goals, framework, and ongoing support for businesses to truly embrace diversity, increase representation, and empower women to thrive in their careers.
Be a part of our inspiring community, dedicated to driving strategic growth and productivity through a gender-equal future.
Join the business journey to gender equality.
Our Impact.
Our April 25 impact report shows remarkable progress from our signatories, including:
Our signatories' median hourly rate pay gap improved to 6.96%—compared to the UK average which increased to 13.1%
Multiple organisations achieved gender-balanced leadership teams with at least 40% women
Companies like Barcan+Kirby demonstrated that flexibility and seniority are compatible, with two-thirds of their board working part-time
Bristol City Council achieved a precise 50/50 gender split at director level
Simitive have 60% female representation on their board
These aren't isolated successes—they represent a quiet revolution happening across our city, dismantling outdated myths about leadership, flexibility, and who belongs in the boardroom.
Our seven goals
The Charter has seven research backed goals that support Signatories in acheiving gender equity in their organisation.
Signatories select two to three of these goals to work on, in their journey towards gender equality.
Our signatories report on their progress annually in order to retain their accreditation through a simple form. Find out how you can become a signatory and join.
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The promotion and availability of flexible and part-time working, especially at senior levels that attract higher levels of pay and conditions
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A commitment to increase the numbers of women at senior levels and on the board.
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Making at least one member of the senior executive team responsible for reporting on gender equality and inclusion.
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Encouraging and supporting female employees in lower paid and lower skilled occupations to progress through the organisation, through appropriate training and other on-going support.
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A commitment to close the gender pay gap
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A focus on implementing recruitment, appraisal, personal development and promotion processes that are non-discriminatory towards women and are free from unconscious bias
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Supporting women where they are under-represented, through mentoring and women’s networks
Why Join Us?
Demonstrate your commitment to gender equality by aligning your organisation with a recognised regional standard.
Connect with a thriving network of local business leaders and change-makers committed to inclusive workplaces.
Access events, insights and guidance, including regular workshops, peer learning and practical support from our team.
Drive real progress through accountability, action planning, and expert consultancy to help you reach your goals.
Charter signatory benefits
Charter signatory benefits
Accreditation, external measure to support talent attraction
Access to our detailed gender equity standards and guidance
Professional development through peer community membership
Signatory exclusive events
Free tickets to public ‘paid-for’ events
Discounted expert consulting services
Peer to peer mentoring programme
One to One guidance and support from directors
Access to insight, case studies and expertise through exclusive signatory members hub
Celebration of your progress and acheivements
“Being a Charter signatory has provided us with a clear framework to operate responsibly & encouraging transparency, inclusivity, and social impact.
Being part of a community of like-minded businesses that share a commitment to ethical principles has enabled us to learn from others, exchange best practices, and stay updated on industry standards.
Overall, being a Charter signatory has been a powerful enabler of positive change, both for our internal culture and our external relationships.”
Esther Wride,
Inclusion and Diversity Lead,
Avon and Somerset Police
What do our members say?
“The issues and goals addressed by the Charter are critical to our continuing work to improve equality, diversity and inclusion at Bristol City Council. Being a signatory offers us a further level of focus, monitoring and accountability to the work we are already doing.”
James Brereton,
Head of Human Resources,
Bristol City Council
We’ve found it particularly helpful as a mechanism to share best practices with other organisations, and our People team have gained valuable insights through the peer-to-peer mentoring scheme.”
Vicki Shaw,
Head of HR,
Wessex Water
FAQs
How do I sign up?
Declare your commitment of intent to gender equality. We ask you to fill out our application form where we ask a bit about you, which Charter goals you are going to work toward (select 2-3 goals) and what your plans are.
How do you measure progress?
After your first year (and annually ongoing) we ask you to submit a progress report to share what you have achieved, in order to renew your signatory status. It's a great opportunity to showcase your accomplishments!
How much does it cost?
We charge an annual fee to our signatories dependent on theie number of Bristol employees. This fee supports our day-to-day running. All our events are free of charge for signatories. You can find out fees and more about how we work here.
How can I get more help?
We'll check in you halfway through the year, in our mid-year check in to see how you are tracking against your goals and give you any additional guidance you need.
What do you spend the fee on?
We are a not for profit community interest company, our fees support our running costs and paying our part time team of five employees, as well as our annual schedule of events.
How else can I get involved?
We have a dedicated team of volunteer ambassadors who support us to run events and programmes, get in touch if you’d like to find out more about volunteering for us.
Contact Us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!