Warwick Business School is one of just two business schools in the UK to be recognised for advancing gender equality.

In the first scheme of its kind the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) has awarded Warwick Business School a bronze for its progress in gender equality.

Based on the principles of the ECU’s highly successful Athena SWAN Charter for women in science, the gender equality charter mark aims to address chronic gender imbalance and underrepresentation in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Bronze level is the first step in the process, showing a strong commitment to specific actions and building a culture that will improve the representation, progression and success of both staff and students.

Warwick Business School Dean Mark Taylor said: “This is tremendous news for the school. We are committed to making sure there is gender equality at every level.

“The school will benefit greatly from having a diversity of skills, background and experience with both men and women playing a full part.

“In the world of business and politics we need more women in leadership positions and as a business school we have a role to play in this.”

Five universities achieved bronze level in the ECU’s trial gender equality charter mark. While the charter has a particular focus on the underrepresentation of women in senior roles, it will also encourage progress on the underrepresentation of men in subjects such as teaching and social work and also seeks to address the unfair treatment often experienced by transgender people.

David Ruebain, the ECU's chief executive, said: “These results offer an opportunity to celebrate the hard work and achievements of everyone involved in the charter mark trial, and to focus on the positive progress being made to address chronic gender inequalities in higher education.

“Following the success of this trial round, we are delighted that we will now be able to fully develop a charter mark that supports equality in the arts, humanities and social sciences – disciplines that have not until this point received the same attention as science subjects.

“We hope that the gender equality charter mark will have the same positive effect for these subjects as Athena SWAN has had on women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine.”

The ECU is currently finalising the format of the future charter based on feedback from trial participants, with a view to aligning it more closely with the Athena SWAN charter. All institutions and arts, humanities and social science departments will be able to take part in the charter mark in 2015. 

For more on the ECU gender equality charter click here.