The Women’s Educational Suppliers Working Group is an informal advisory group whose purpose is to advise BESA on how to maximise women’s contribution in this industry sector, facilitate networking of women across the sector, help women supporting each other in business and career growth and raise the profile of influential women in this sector.
The WESWG is currently Chaired by Jane Mann, Director of Education Reform at Cambridge University Press, and meets quarterly to advise BESA on:
- Gender balance opportunities and challenges within member/Launchpad companies
- The barriers and challenges that prevent some from achieving their potential in this industry
- Identifying solutions to help overcome such obstacles
- Generating proposals for BESA and others to maximise women’s contribution in this sector
- Acting as a sounding board on the impact of proposed activities relating to women in this area of business
- How we can best facilitate networking of women across the sector and to enable women to support each other in business and career growth by sharing information and expertise
- How we might raise the profile of influential women in this sector, and support member organisations to maximise women’s contribution
Who are the WESN WG members?
| 2Simple Software | GL Education | Pearson |
| Arbor Education Partners | HES (Havering Education Services) | Real Group Ltd |
| Arc Education | HFL Education T/A Herts for Learning | sAlnaptic |
| BlueSky Education (Atkey Solutions) | Imagine Learning | SchoolOnline |
| Brownbread Group Ltd T/A Gluu | JEM Education Direct / Menzies Response Limited | Sparx Ltd |
| Cambridge University Press & Assessment | Joskos Solutions | Staff Absence Management Ltd |
| Classroom Secrets | Mangahigh.com | Texthelp Ltd |
| Discovery Education | Maths Circle Ltd | The Gender Equality Collective |
| Eximus Education | Metaverse Tech Ltd (VBuddies) | The Literacy Company |
| Elastik Learning | Microsoft Ltd | Third Space Learning |
| Fiction Express Education Ltd | My Rockerbox Ltd (Rockerbox News) | TrainingToolz (Kodo Education) |
| | NetSupport | Westchester Publishing Services UK Ltd |
| Findel Education (International) | North Yorkshire County Council | White Rose Education Ltd |
| Get Good With | Oxford University Press (OUP) | YPO |
1. To advise BESA on how to maximise women’s contribution in this industry sector. In particular the BESA Women’s Educational Suppliers Working Group will advise BESA by:
- Identifying the barriers and challenges that prevent women from achieving their potential in this industry
- Identifying means of overcoming these obstacles
- Generating proposals for BESA and others to maximise women’s contribution in this sector
- Acting as a sounding board on the impact of proposed activities relating to women in this area of business.
2. The Group should have two or three meetings a year, unless the Group wants more.
3. When attending a meeting, members need to be ready to contribute to all areas of meeting unless not relevant.
4. When attending a meeting, members need to be ready to interact to the polls, Q&A’s and have their camera turned on.
5. When attending a meeting, members need to ensure that they are in a suitable location without distractions.
6. To facilitate networking of women across the sector and to help women support each other in business and career growth by sharing information and expertise.
7. To raise the profile of influential women in this sector, and support member organisations to maximise women’s contribution.
8. When attending a meeting, members need to be ready to contribute to the chat, polls and have their camera turned on.
9. Member companies need to attend a minimum of two meeting per year. If the minimum requirement is not met, the company may be asked to leave the Group and will have to reapply for membership.
10. The Chairman of the Group has the responsibility of organising a guest for each meeting, this responsibility is not for members of the group.
How do I join the WESWG?
Joining the WEWSG is free and open to all, both men and women. The process is an email or letter from the company, stating that you want to join the group.
Meetings take place approximately three times a year and are usually held at the BESA offices.
Example application letter
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to formally apply to join the WESWG Group.
Paragraph confirming that
i)You are happy to share ideas with the rest of the WESWG Group
ii) Committed to developing and taking the Group forward
iii) Additionally you need to meet the Group’s Terms of Reference which are available on the website.
Yours sincerely
Next steps
Please email the events team expressing that you wish to join the group.
Group's Terms of Reference
