Adam Smith Business School has achieved the Athena Swan Silver Award for gender equality.

The Athena Swan charter is a framework to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research.

Achieving Silver status is a significant recognition of the School’s progress and reinforces its ongoing dedication to embedding EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) values in all activities across the school. 

To gain Silver status the School expanded its initiatives to encompass all staff across the school, improved data-driven analysis, and embedded EDI more deeply into governance and everyday practices.

Head of School Professor Eleanor Shaw said: “This is an enormous achievement and an important step forward in the School's commitment to be welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and a champion of equality. A key achievement has been an increase in female representation amongst academic staff, and for professional services an increase in male representation. We will continue our journey towards gender parity.

Silver awards are based on five criteria:

  • Structures and processes underpin and recognise gender equality work
  • Evidence-based recognition of the key issues facing the department
  • Action plan to address identified key issues
  • Demonstration of progress against the applicant’s previously identified priorities
  • Evidence of success addressing gender inequality

Athena Swan Business School Champion Dr Tanya Wilson said: “This success would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of everyone who has been a member of the Self Assessment Team. The work we've done together exemplifies the qualities of an enlightened, engaged, and entrepreneurial approach to promoting gender equality and EDI within the school.

Achieving Silver status is a remarkable achievement, one of which we should all be very proud and our journey toward true gender equality across the school is ongoing.”

The journey to Silver has been a five-year endeavour, building on School achievements since receiving the Bronze award in 2019.

The Athena Swan Charter is designed to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM), the arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL), and employment in higher education and research.

The Charter also recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly and not just barriers to progression that affect women.

First published: 19 November 2024

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Athena Swan Charter