I like to think that other countries around the world look at the UK and view us as a great place to live and work.
We have a thriving business community, a wonderfully diverse mix of cultures, and bags of enthusiasm all pushing us to the centre of the world stage.
I am a proud British businessman and I think the talent we have across the country is outstanding.
But this status I created in my head was knocked down a peg or two last week when the annual Global Gender Gap Report was published by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
It turns out the UK is not a world leader in gender equality – in fact, we don’t even feature in the top 20.
I found myself amazed at this news – how could it be possible?
The UK has always led the way in human rights – yet somehow we are still lagging behind countries like Rwanda when it comes to men and women being equal in one of the areas that matter most.
The average wage for women is being blamed on our decline from ninth to 26th place in eight years, as pay has dropped by £2,700 in the last year. Depressingly, although there are more women in work, they tend to be in lower level positions, and despite a small increase in the number of women in senior roles, the pay gap is still ‘alarmingly large’ according to one commentator.
The report by the WEF covers 142 countries and looks at how nations distribute access to healthcare, education, political participation, resources, and opportunities between women and men.
Coming out on top in this year’s report is Iceland, closely followed by its fellow Nordic countries, and then Nicaragua, Rwanda, Ireland, the Philippines, and Belgium.
At the other end of the scale, Yemen remains at the bottom of the table for the ninth year in a row.
The conclusion by the WEF is that we will certainly achieve gender equality – just not in my lifetime. Amazingly, it estimates that it won’t be until in 2095 – 81 years’ time – that women and men will be fully equal.
I feel like this report has put us back into the dark ages; that somehow we have actually regressed as the wage gap has actually grown under our noses
It’s clear that when it comes to gender equality, policy makers need to do more to ensure we are closing the gap, but it can’t be just left to them.
The business community also has to do its bit to ensure it is rewarding and incentivising its best talent, irrespective of gender. It has to be certain that pay scales are open, honest, and equally attainable.
I hope over the next year we can make more head way and breach the top 20 in 2015.
Looking at the bigger picture, it also brings into focus how well we are meeting our objectives in delivering social justice and fairness.
As the son of a newsagent, I’d like to think that everyone born in the UK has the chance to reach their full potential.
Of course people have to take personal responsibility for getting ahead in life, but we have to ensure the mechanisms are in place to deliver a fair society that rewards the best people, irrespective of gender or social background.
Flying High for Success
Travelling to London is a big part of the weekly working routine for many people in Scotland now, so being able to travel to and from there quickly, easily and frequently is vital.
I’m there a lot on business, often for just a day at a time, and rely on direct flights from airports across the UK to the capital.
With that in mind, I was really pleased to hear that Europe’s largest regional airline Flybe has launched new routes from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness, Belfast City, Exeter and Dublin direct to London City Airport.
The new routes provide direct links for customers into the heart of London’s financial district and their introduction is a sign that we’re continuing to build and maintain strong links with the city.
The airline expects that 64,000 passengers will fly on the Aberdeen to London route alone, which clearly shows there’s great demand.
And it’s not just business passengers who will benefit. The flights will be ideal for people travelling to London on a weekend break to the theatre district or for a night on the tiles.
This is a very positive development for each of the airports involved, and for each city’s economy.
The growing number of direct flights will increase footfall at UK airports as people become aware of the service, and will make it easier to get around the UK.
And it’s also going to give customers faster and more efficient access to European destinations, which will bring in even more business.
It’s a welcome announcement – I am sure it will really take off and be a soaring success.
It Made Me Laugh: Warm Up to Make Up Folks
It’s official – the secret of a happy marriage rests firmly with the radiators.
Research has revealed that 55 per cent of couples admit to arguing about the temperature at home – and that the optimum temperature to keep both sexes happy is 22 degrees Celsius.
The findings also show that women are nine times more likely to suffer from cold hands and feet than men and that men are more inclined to seek a cooler climate at home.
OK, so the human body sits at around 37 degrees Celsius all the time but clearly we have to take external factors into account.
People are very sensitive to temperature and it can cause tensions to rise. But surely it’s all about compromise?
Whatever the case, keep warm and happy together this winter!
It Made Me Weep: Lost Connections
Remember when we didn’t have mobile phones? We did live without them at one point.
In the beginning, it was all about making the first call.
But it seems their use has completely changed. A new report, which is part of taxi app Hailo’s Future Cities campaign, has revealed that making a phone call is only the sixth most common way in which a phone is used nowadays.
Surfing the net, reading emails, using the phone’s alarm clock and texting all rank above calling now.
The report also shows that four in 10 Brits believed they could do without a call function altogether.
I’m disappointed by these results – it shows that we’re rapidly becoming a nation of people that only communicate by text or by email.
We can’t stop technology advancing at an incredible rate but we should still pick up the phone now and again.
