Professor Helen Pankhurst on gender equality in NE workplace

Professor Helen Pankhurst, CBE, spoke at the North East Chamber of Commerce’s 1815 Lunch, held on April 30 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Durham.

She encouraged business leaders to embrace more flexible models of working to support inclusive growth.

Professor Pankhurst said: "We all have a role to play in creating a more inclusive society, we must collectively keep pushing for change.

"Making sure we have wider and more reflective conversations is critical, as is listening."

The event brought together around 140 senior leaders from some of the region’s largest and most influential businesses.

Professor Pankhurst argued that traditional working models, built around the expectation of constant availability, do not reflect the reality of many people’s lives, particularly women.

She said that embracing flexible working is vital for both efficiency and equity in the workplace.

Professor Pankhurst said: "Businesses that understand that more flexibility can allow for efficiency and equitable results are thriving.

"It’s important to embrace flexible working with thoughtfulness, your people are the magic."

She also encouraged leaders to engage with discomfort as a necessary step toward progress.

As the great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, both key figures in the suffragette movement, Professor Pankhurst said she was proud of her family’s legacy.

During a conversation with Dr Suzanne Hague, principal lecturer at Teesside University, she said: "I’m delighted that the Pankhurst name still means something.

"It stands for change and equality, it's about women saying it doesn't have to be like this."

She spoke about the continued need for greater representation of women in leadership and politics, noting that only 41 per cent of MPs in Parliament are women.

Professor Pankhurst said: "We need to ask ourselves ‘what does leadership look like and why does it look like this in certain spaces and not others?’"

She also discussed her charity, Centenary Action, founded in 2018 and hosted by CARE International UK.

The charity aims to achieve a gender-equal Parliament in the UK by 2028, marking 100 years since equal voting rights were secured.

Professor Pankhurst said: "To bring about necessary change, we need to make sure we have allies across all divisions.

"Events such as today provide a platform and create important links between politics and business."

The event was sponsored by Saica.

Riccardo Tonelli, regional director at Saica, emphasised the importance of employee wellbeing and community engagement for business success.

He said: "We do good work with local employers and communities, and we are all about people."

Mr Tonelli also highlighted the value of strong professional networks, adding: "Connections are key to taking businesses from surviving to thriving and this is the perfect platform.

"The Chamber brings people together."

Rhiannon Bearne, deputy chief executive at the North East Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the Chamber’s focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, including its Women in Business programme.

She said: "Creating a culture where all individuals have the tools, opportunities and sense of empowerment to bring their full self to work makes strong business sense.

"We know that inclusive organisations are better positioned to grow, adapt and compete, and that representation at senior levels has a direct impact on performance and decision-making.

"That’s why this work is so important and will remain a key priority for the Chamber for achieving inclusive economic growth."

Catherine Orridge, assistant principal at the Chamber’s large business associate sponsor Newcastle College, closed the event by stressing the importance of investing in young people.

She said: "From skills development to workplace culture, we need to work together to invest in our future generations.

"We need to bridge the gap between education and employment through meaningful work experience opportunities that equip young people with essential skills.

"That’s why events such as today are so important."