Chancellor: “Everyone can do something for women’s equality”

While this is welcome to women who want to climb the career ladder and build a big business, this is ignoring the importance of family and the fundamental benefits a stable family life can bring to our future generations. Focusing on growth and childcare forces women who have had children back into the workplace to the detriment of their children. The WHO says for children to thrive they need responsive care for the first three years of their life. Is institutional childcare really the way to deliver that? We need to look at how to support parents so they don't feel financially obliged to go back to work, and can instead build those family connections.

This is reassuringly good news to know that the incredible progress made previously by The Rose Review and now by The Invest in Women Taskforce is going to be championed by Chancellor Reeves. The controversy around the allocation of funds by Innovate UK just last week demonstrates that there is still much ground to cover to achieve parity of opportunity within the business arena.

As a female-founded business, we are excited to see the government backing female entrepreneurs through the Invest in Women Taskforce. Supporting women in starting and growing their businesses is not just about fairness but also about driving innovation and strengthening the economy. The Rose Review shows that if women had the same opportunities as men, it could add £250 billion to the UK economy. At Yappily, we know how powerful female leadership can be, and we're looking forward to seeing how this taskforce helps more women succeed.

I'm encouraged by Chancellor Rachel Reeves' commitment to advancing women’s equality through the Invest in Women Taskforce. Creating one of the world’s largest investment pools for female founders is a powerful step toward addressing gender disparities, particularly in access to funding. I see daily how structural inequalities impact women in business, and this initiative is crucial to fostering change. The Rose Review’s findings, that gender parity in entrepreneurship could boost the UK economy by £250 billion, underscores the immense potential of women-led businesses. By tackling barriers like the gender pay gap and workplace rights, we can help create inclusive environments where women not only participate but thrive. At ICENA, we are ready to collaborate with businesses and leaders to drive this mission forward.

Women entrepreneurs bring fresh ideas, resilience and a leadership style we need more of. As leadership development specialists, we see firsthand how important it is for female founders to have access to funding and the barriers they face in getting funding and building networks. The Invest in Women Taskforce initiative recognises the value women-led businesses can bring and gives them support to grow on a more level playing field. Backing female founders isn’t just about equity – it’s about driving innovation, creating jobs, and boosting the UK economy for everyone.