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EHRC: Did we need more research to reach this conclusion? - The appointment of women to FTSE 350-listed non-executive director roles is being held back by selection processes which ultimately favour candidates with similar characteristics to existing male-dominated board members, according to a new report released by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The report, produced by Cranfield School of Management, is the first in-depth study into ‘the appointment process to corporate boards and the role of executive search firms (ESFs). It follows the recent Davies Review which called upon ESFs to take on a more active role in increasing gender diversity on FTSE boards’.

The research shows how selection of candidates based on ‘fit’ and previous board experience, rather than competencies, is self-perpetuating as it works against women who have had fewer opportunities to gain previous board level experience.

Press release ~ Gender diversity on Boards: the Appointment process and the role of executive search firms ~ Related HO comment ~ Lord Davies’s Review of Women on Boards (see also ‘Related Links’) ~ Cranfield Female FTSE100 report (2012) ~ EU News: One notes that most ‘top bankers’ are male, which illustrates the point being made rather nicely

10 DS: Even Rolls Royce started out as a small partnership - An £82.5m StartUp Loan scheme has been launched that will give our next generation of entrepreneurs the finance & support to potentially start over 30,000 new businesses, in a move to boost enterprise & economic growth.

Any young people aged 18–24 accessing the StartUp Loans can expect to receive expert & personal support to help develop a business plan & access training. Where the business plan is robust & approved, they will be able to access financial support in the form of a loan typically in the order of £2,500 with a repayment period of up to 5 years.

The launch came in the week that Lord Young’s Report on Enterprise was published. This showed that if we had the same rates of entrepreneurship as the US than we would have 900,000 more businesses in the UK. Lord Young sets out the strength, diversity & growth of small businesses in recent years, a clear contrast to the Bolton Report of 1971 which predicted small businesses were in long-term decline.

Press release & links ~ Lord Young Report: Make Business Your Business ~ Lord Young: Guide to Starting-Up ~ Lord Young: Home Business Guide ~ Start-up loans ~ Business Link: Contracts finder ~ Start-up Spaces ~ Business Link: My New Business ~ BIS: Providers sought to help deliver start-up loans for young people ~ Wales SME Investment Fund ~ NACUE ~ The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship ~ Flying Start ~ BIS: Entrepreneurial Culture ~ HSE: Getting Started ~ HMRC: Starting a new business ~ Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) ~ Civitas: Springtime for German small business loans while British SMEs stay trapped in credit freeze ~ PX: Think tank calls for flat tax for start ups

CBI: Better idea than just giving ‘Quantitive Easing money’ to the Banks - As the IMF urges the UK to boost growth through a greater emphasis on infrastructure, the CBI is publishing a new report; An offer they shouldn’t refuse: attracting investment to UK infrastructure, in which the CBI has recognised that securing up to £250bn of investment to repair the UK’s creaking infrastructure will be tough, and has identified 4 transformational changes which could make a real difference:

* Targeting specific projects to enhance their credit rating and make them more attractive to investors

* Pooling pension funds beyond the Pension Infrastructure Platform (PIP) and building up in-house skills

* Commercialising the public sector’s approach to infrastructure and creating a single, attractive shop window for would-be investors

* Ensuring Solvency II doesn’t act as a barrier to private investment

Press release & links ~ An offer they shouldn’t refuse: attracting investment to UK infrastructure ~ EU News: Infrastructure project bonds- MEPs secure deal with member states on pilot scheme ~ CBI: Fine-tuning of planning system would reap big rewards in major infrastructure investment - CBI ~ ScotGov: Swinney calls on UK Government to act on IMF warning ~ Ippr: Osborne urged to invest in transport in the North to create much-needed jobs ~ Ippr: Unemployment hits women, public sector & the North ~ NLGN: Capital Futures: Local capital finance options in an age of recovery ~ NLGN: Retail Therapy - Local capital finance and the retail bond market

WAG: Credit where credit is due - A report published recently shows high levels of satisfaction among adult hospital patients in Wales, with more than 95% saying they feel respected by nursing staff.

The third annual All Wales Fundamentals of Care Audit Summary Report brings together results from hospitals in Wales, all of which are now using the All Wales Fundamentals of Care Audit Tool.

Press release ~ All Wales Fundamentals of Care Audit ~ WAG: Ensuring Nursing Care is ‘fit for purpose’ (4th item)

HO: Just as long as they don’t charge more - The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is strengthening checks so that it is harder for people with a criminal record to hide convictions by changing their identity to hide their past.

Since last week, applicants will be required to produce documents that involve undergoing tighter checks with the document issuer, such as a passport or driver's licence. A transitional period for introducing these changes, running parallel with the existing guidance to Registered Bodies will end on 31 August 2012, when the existing guidance will cease.

Press release & links ~ Criminal records regime scaled back to common sense levels

Defra: Cue to give generously to boost Kew’s services - The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has launched a video to promote its Breathing Planet Campaign. Kew provides vital botanical & fungal expertise that’s used all over the world, and the Campaign aims to raise £100m over 5 years to 'strengthen Kew and help build a more resilient planet'.

Press release & links

GPS: LOCOG have already fired starter’s gun on disposal of Olympic assets - The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) wish to invite public sector buyers to participate in the ITT for the sale of GE Medical Equipment used during the Olympic & Paralympic Games. If you are interested in taking part please email the LOCOG Asset Disposal Team before 9am on Monday 11 June.

Press release & links

FSCS: Beware false acronym - A claims management company is using the acronym 'fscs' in online search advertising promoting its services. It is seeking payment protection insurance claims (PPI) from consumers.

FSCS (the Financial Services Compensation Scheme) is not connected to the company, which charges for its services. FSCS is free to consumers. It was set up by government, is independent and funded by the financial services industry.

Press release & links

ICO: Free Advisory Visits – Data Protection Advice. In a Day - ICO advisory visits are aimed at small to medium sized organisations such as smaller public authorities, charities and third sector organisations.

The visit involves a one day, informal visit from the ICO to look at how your organisation works, what kind of personal information you hold and what you do with it. We will then give you practical advice about how you can make improvements to comply with the Data Protection Act.

There are three main areas that we will look at; security, records management and requests for personal information – however the review will be tailored to your organisation and will concentrate on the most relevant issues. The visit will also be flexible enough to provide an opportunity for you to ask us questions about data protection.

There is no expense to your organisation and you get a short report at the end which summarises what you should do next.

Simply click here to find out more, or email advisory@ico.gsi.gov.uk to register your interest.

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