smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Necessity and invention - it's hard being green

Not so long ago the Environment Agency, the public body...
Have your say »

RSS

Women business leaders question government business fund

Mar 14 2008

The British Association of Women Entrepreneurs (BAWE) has questioned the potential effectiveness of the government's £12.5 million fund for women entrepreneurs.

President of the BAWE Tanya Hine is sceptical about the impact that the fund will have, saying the type of business started under the scheme will be smaller and home-based and simply serves as a political move to reduce the number of women on the unemployment register.

'But those are not really fully businesses – those are going to be home-based businesses that never employ anybody. That is a lifestyle choice, but it's not employment,' she comments.

According to Hine, women entrepreneurs will actually find it more difficult to start businesses this year because of the economic climate and banks' hesitance in lending money.

'There is a lot of talk about helping women [but] on the whole, everybody has to do it themselves,' she adds.

Only 14 per cent of businesses are wholly led by women or led by a management team consisting mainly of women. In contrast, 54 per cent of businesses are entirely male-led according to the Annual Small Business Survey 2006-07.

Comments

There are currently no comments on this article

Prize Draw

Enter our prize draw!!

You've probably noticed smallbusiness.co.uk has a brand new look. You can personalise the homepage to suit your needs and there's lots of new content including video, blogs and the small business resource centre.

We're interested to know what you think about the new small business site, so we'd like you to take this opportunity to have your say. All entrants will be entered into our free prize draw to win a bottle of champagne provided by our partners at Laithwaites! Enter here

Polls

News

Energy efficiency could save £2.5bn, says think-tank

British businesses could save £2.5 billion in costs if they implemented energy-efficiency savings, new research from the Carbon Trust shows.

BCC: High-speed rail not enough

Having a high-speed rail network is not enough to solve the business disadvantages caused by a 'crumbling transport infrastructure', according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

Environment Agency launches green campaign

The Environment Agency claims that greater compliance with environmental regulation could save millions of pounds for small businesses.

Employees urged to make small changes for the environment

Small business can become more energy efficient by making 'very simple' changes, an expert claims.

FPB says economy unsustainable for small businesses

There is a 'toxic combination' of problems facing small firms in the UK, according to the Forum of Private Businesses (FPB).

CBI: 'Working time directive opt-out advantage for UK'

The UK is given a competitive advantage by Britain's option to allow workers' to opt-out of the European working time directive, it is reported.

CBI: 'Working time directive opt-out advantage for UK'

Under rules in the UK, employees are given the choice to work more than the 48 hours dictated in other European Union countries.

Milton Keynes 'most expensive business location'

The town of Milton Keynes is the most expensive place outside London to start up a new business, research has found.

Risk management 'essential' for small firms

Small businesses need to ensure that they have effective risk management strategies in place, it has been claimed.

BPF behind commercial property emissions reductions

The British Property Federation (BPF) is backing a new parliamentary investigation aimed at reducing emissions from commercial buildings.

Small business must 'wake up to climate change'

The Small Business Consortium has announced the re-launch of its website designed to help SMEs reduce their carbon footprint.

Guides & Tips

Office space dilemmas

Moving offices will test your financial skills and your ability to forecast how the company is set to grow.

Checklist: Choosing business premises

When deciding what sort of property is best to house your business, there are a plethora of issues to consider. This list brings together all you need to think about in one place.

Go green in the office

Recycling is now a way of life for many of us – in the home at least. It seems that the green message is finally filtering through as we become more aware of behaviours and actions that can have a negative impact on the environment.

Store

Starting a Business 2007

Starting a Business is the essential guide and resource for anyone thinking of starting their own business, packed with information and tips from the highly experienced team behind SmallBusiness.co.uk

FT Guide to Personal Tax

Formerly the Lloyds TSB Tax Guide, the FT Guide to Personal Tax is now published by Pearson Education. Written by Sara Williams, CEO of Vitesse Media Plc and Jonquil Lowe, this unique guide gives step-by-step advice to completing your tax return as well as 100 tax-saving tips.

FT Guide to Business Start Up

Formerly the Lloyds TSB Small Business Guide, the FT Guide to Business Start Up is now published by Pearson Education. Written by Sara Williams, CEO of Vitesse Media Plc, this unique guide has sold over two million copies. It offers practical advice about starting and running your own business.

Growth Company Investor

Growth Company Investor is widely recognised as the leading magazine for investors interested in AIM and smallcap companies. Published 10 times per year, and brought to you by an award-winning analyst team, it offers subscribers unrivalled insight into high-potential smaller companies. Subscribe today with a 50% discount in your first year.