Women’s Leadership Programme focuses on overcoming barriers to female progression in the workplace

Andy Wood, chief executive of Adnams, speakiing at Pures Womens Leadership Alumni event in Newmarket. (Image: Archant)

The programme, first developed by Pure in 2014 in conjunction with strategic HR consultancy People & Performance, has so far helped nearly 70 aspiring female leaders to strengthen their leadership skills, develop their confidence and work with their employers to remove barriers to progression.

Speakers at the event, held at The Jockey Rooms in Newmarket, included Andy Wood, chief executive at Adnams, who described the Southwold company’s inclusive culture, which has people and values at its heart.

David Britain, a strategic HR consultant who also led a workshop on aligning culture and values, and Bree Sherwood, a director at PwC, gave an insight into the latest findings on gender diversity in the eastern region.

And Lynn Morgan, chief executive at the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity (ARHC), and Donna Talbot, fundraising director at the charity and a previous programme participant, shared the story of how ARHC raised £10m to build its new, award winning, hospice building which opened in Cambridge last year.

Lynn Walters, founder and director at Pure, said: “As well as supporting the continued development of aspiring female leaders in our region, this event provided an opportunity for all those involved with our Women’s Leadership Programme to continue discussions on developing a culture of inclusive leadership and building diverse talent pipelines.

“We were delighted to see a significant number of men at the event who are committed to building inclusive work environments where men and women will thrive and, in turn, the region as a whole will benefit. Our aim to inspire organisations across the region to create inclusive work environments, where any barriers to progression are removed and everyone can work in a way that makes them feel productive and engaged.”