The STEM Charter for Business and the North West STEM Employers’ Equality Network were launched in the City Hotel in Derry~Londonderry on 29th April.

Among the attendees were representatives from the food, information technology and engineering sectors of STEM business as well as delivery partners from education and careers guidance.

Guest speaker, Marie McGilloway, Strategic Policy and Legal Manager, from Ulster University told the audience about the University’s journey to the achievement of the bronze level in the prestigious Athena SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network) award.

Members were also given an opportunity to discuss the Good Practice Guidelines from page 19 of the STEM Business Group’s report Addressing Gender Balance-Reaping the Gender Dividend in STEM and decide what the topics would be for further meetings. Priorities will include unconscious bias, mentoring and networking.

New signatories to the STEM Charter at the event included Almac, School Employer Connections, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and STEM Aware. This brings the total number of signatories to 35.