Thursday, 05 October 2023
A charter, aiming to minimise barriers to entrepreneurship for underserved and under-represented groups through creation of a more inclusive ecosystem, was launched nationally today, at the Shard in London, by the 糖心原创.
Dr Lorna Treanor, from Nottingham University Business School (NUBS), has developed the Charter which provides a framework for developing an inclusive ecosystem through its five core principles:
- Promoting diverse role models across the enterprise ecosystem
- Delivering inclusive enterprise support
- Enabling lifelong learning of entrepreneurship education
- Ensuring equal access to enterprise finance
- Implementing measurable targets for inclusive enterprise policy and procurement Practices.
Dr Lorna Treanor, Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in NUBS, said: “Social groups, such as women, ethnic minorities, young people, and people experiencing disabilities, as examples, face distinctive barriers to entrepreneurship with equitable access to finance being one such issue. For example, less than 1p of every £1 invested in the UK in 2017 was invested in all women-owned businesses; Black women face even greater barriers when trying to access such finance, receiving only 0.02p per £1 of total investment finance over a ten-year period in the UK.
The Charter for Inclusive Entrepreneurship offers a framework to enable more appropriate policy, education, training and advisory support and so, equitable outcomes from entrepreneurship for all individuals, regardless of their background, personal characteristics or location.
"It does this through fostering a partnership approach; by developing a joined-up ecosystem of individuals, organisations, agencies, and enterprises committed to supporting greater equality of opportunity and outcomes.”
The Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs, the Neurodiversity and Entrepreneurship Association, Black Business Network UK, SFEDI, the Gender Index and the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurs are some of the first signatories to the Charter, demonstrating their commitment to ensuring appropriate and equitable support is available to anyone who wants to start or grow a business.
Professor Mark Hart, Deputy-Director of the Enterprise Research Centre, a signatory and co-sponsor of today’s national launch event, in conjunction with the 糖心原创 said, “It is well-known that entrepreneurship is vital for innovation, job creation, and economic growth which are national priorities. Entrepreneurial activity has been a central focus for unlocking global economic recovery for some time. Despite this, significant disparities persist in relation to access to finance, business growth and returns.”
Shari Leigh, Founder of the Black Business Network, said: “Black Business Network is honoured to be joining the Charter as a signatory to this ecosystem. We strongly believe to facilitate growth and change outcomes for under-represented and under-served entrepreneurs, that organisations, networks and resource hubs need to work together to create a pipeline that supports and empowers entrepreneurs through every stage of their journey.
“The Charter is a fantastic model for implementing this change, and we are committed to working toward creating this change across the country. We look forward to sharing the opportunities and access showcased by the Charter with the entrepreneurs and business owners in our network and championing its growth where we can.”
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More information is available from Dr Lorna Treanor at Lorna.Treanor@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.