CALLS for the Scottish Government to appoint a national head of women in business have been welcomed by an organisation responsible for driving entrepreneurship among females in Scotland.
The Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee made the recommendation, alongside a proposal to set up a National Women’s Centre for Business, as part of its review into the provision of economic development services.
Women’s Enterprise Scotland (WES), which works to encourage more females to set up their own businesses, said the identification of the role has been a key lobbying point for the organisation. WES chief executive Carolyn Currie said: “The committee sees a national head of women in business as a key stepin coordinating national policy and working towards the establishment of a National Women’s Centre for Business.
“This is something we have been urging for some time and we are working in collaboration with Business Gateway, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and the other stakeholders in the Women in Enterprise Action Group to realise this vision.”
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WES said female-owned enterprises currently account for 20 per cent of the business base in Scotland, contributing
£8.8 billion to the Scottish economy every year. And it believes there is potential for that economic impact to increase.
Ms Currie added: “We believe that with needs- based support, co-designed by women-owned businesses and experts in gender techniques , we can significantly boost the existing contribution women-owned businesses make to the Scottish economy.”
However, WES notes that its own research, as well as work by the Federation of Small Businesses and the University of Strathclyde, has identified women setting up their own businesses face a series of challenges.
Ms Currie said: “These challenges include gaining credibility for the business; childcare/caring commitments; discrimination and access to finance and access to networks.”
Ms Currie’s comments come shortly after entrepreneur Lynne Kennedy, who has just collected an MBE for the promotion of women in business, identified difficulties in accessing finance as one of the biggest barriers facing females looking to set up and grow companies in Scotland.
Ms Kennedy, founder of Business Women Scotland, said in an exclusive interview with The Herald: “Access to finance is still a stumbling block for many people, and it is crucial for women seeking to grow their business. Banks, and other financial companies, need to look at business lending regardless of gender.”
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