New wave of Charter Signatories as gender equity movement grows across the West of England
From one of the world’s best known animation studios to regional education institutions, legal insurers to education technology, the Charter's growing community spans more than 40 organisations and 45,000+ employees
The Women in Business Charter (formerly Bristol Women in Business Charter) has welcomed a significant cohort of new signatories, reflecting the continued growth of the region's most ambitious gender equity framework.
Our new members, spanning technology, higher education, creative industries, legal services, and financial services, reflect the breadth of the West of England economy and the increasingly regional and national reach of a movement founded in Bristol nearly seven years ago.
Among the newest signatories is Aardman, the Bristol-based animation studio behind Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. Their decision to join underlines that the commitment to gender equity extends well beyond the boardroom and into creative and production environments.
(L-R): Pauline Mallam, EDI manager at Aardman; Abbe Rodgers, Women in Business Charter operations manager, Helen Beard, Chief People Officer at Aardman; Sarah Rice, Director Women in Business Charter; Sandra Gordon, Founding Director Women in Business Charter.
Pauline Mallam, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Aardman, said: "Joining the Women in Business Charter gives us a structured framework and a wider network to tackle the practical challenges we're already working on internally, like making floor-based crew roles more flexible for our people.
“We already have a strong internal community in AardWomen, and this membership means we can connect that work to a much wider regional network, learning from other organisations facing similar challenges and sharing what we have learned in return."
"“The creativity, warmth and individuality of our people are what make Aardman special. Joining the Women in Business Charter gives us a valuable framework and network as we continue to strengthen an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued, supported and able to thrive.
“Alongside our AardWomen community, it creates opportunities to learn from others, share our experiences and make progress on the challenges we're already working on, including creating greater flexibility in some of our production roles."
Aardman joins organisations such as Jisc, the UK's digital, data and technology agency for tertiary education and research, Bath Spa University, YTL UK Group, and ARAG, the Bristol-headquartered legal expenses insurer, in formally committing to the Charter's seven goals on gender equality.
This timing matters as the UK government has introduced new measures requiring large employers to address gender pay disparities, with companies of 250 or more employees publishing detailed action plans on a voluntary basis from April 2026, becoming mandatory by spring 2027.
At the same time, research by IRIS Software Group found that three in five UK workers would consider quitting if their employer rolled back on DEI commitments.
The organisations joining the Charter and signing up to a selection of its seven tangible goals are doing the opposite.
Aardman's commitment reflects a growing recognition that gender equity challenges in creative industries are often structural and practical, not just cultural. The studio's existing internal women's network, AardWomen, will now connect to the Charter's wider programme of events and peer learning.
Sandra Gordon, Founding Director of the Women in Business Charter, said: "Each of these organisations brings something distinct to this community. What connects them is a refusal to treat gender equality as an aspiration and a willingness to be held publicly accountable for making it a reality.
“When Aardman, one of Bristol's most beloved creative institutions, sits alongside a national education technology agency, a West of England university, a major property and infrastructure group, and a legal insurer that has been championing inclusion for years, that tells you something important about where this movement is heading.
“This is no longer a Bristol initiative, it’s now a fully regional one. We are growing because the evidence is clear - organisations that commit to this work perform better, retain more talent, and build cultures that last."
Research from the Center for Talent Innovation, cited by Harvard Business Review, found that companies with diverse leadership teams were 70% more likely to capture new markets than those without. Yet progress nationally remains slow. PwC's 2026 Gender Pay Gap Report shows the mean UK pay gap fell from 11.2% to 10.7% in the past year.
At the current rate of progress, it is estimated it could take more than 30 years to close the gap entirely.
The Charter's own mandatory-reporting cohort is outperforming the national picture, with the mean gap having fallen by nearly 36% since 2019.
Bath Spa University is among the first public sector organisations outside Bristol to formally join the Charter, reflecting our expanding regional reach. The university's most recent data shows 62% of senior staff identify as female and 60% of professors are female, both above benchmark institutions and up on the previous year.
Melissa Mulhall, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Student Success and Inclusion and Co-Chair of the Women's Staff Network at Bath Spa University, said: "We're delighted to be joining the Women in Business Charter. Being part of the Women in Business Charter creates an important platform and partnership for collaboration, shared learning and collective action."
Jisc, which supports digital transformation across the UK's higher and further education sector, has embedded equity, diversity and inclusion into its strategy since 2021, with employee networks, a diversity and inclusion steering group, and an executive sponsor at the top table.
Lydia Samuel, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Jisc, said: "Joining the Women in Business Charter is an important step in deepening Jisc's commitment to gender equity.
“We want to take more focused and targeted action with the network's support."
YTL UK Group, whose operations span construction, engineering, water, entertainment and hospitality across the South West, brings significant scale to the Charter community.
Abbie Thomas, HR Director at YTL UK Group, said: "YTL UK is proud to sign up to the Women in Business Charter and reaffirm our commitment to creating a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Diverse teams bring broader perspectives, drive innovation, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for our customers and communities."
ARAG, headquartered in Bristol and a signatory to both the Women in Finance and Women in Law Charters, joins with an existing track record on inclusion, including its internal SPARK network which supports and empowers women at every level of the business.
Deb Shepherd, Head of Talent at ARAG, said: "We're delighted to be joining the Women in Business Charter. Being part of this community gives us a brilliant opportunity to collaborate with like-minded businesses across the city, share what we have learned, and keep pushing for the kind of inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive."
Kristal McNamara, Director of the Women in Business Charter, said: "The organisations joining the Charter this year are not starting from zero.
They are coming with existing networks, existing commitments, and existing momentum, and they are choosing a framework that turns that momentum into measurable, reportable progress.
“Gender equity cannot sit in an EDI folder or be managed by one team in isolation. It has to be woven into how organisations recruit, develop talent, structure flexibility, and hold leadership to account.
“What excites me about this cohort is that they understand that. And as we expand across the West of England, we are building the infrastructure to support organisations across the entire region in doing exactly that."
ENDS
Notes to editors
High-resolution photography, including images featuring Shaun the Sheep and Gromit, is available here.
Pic cap:
With Shaun the Sheep l-r: Pauline Mallam, EDI manager at Aardman; Abbe Rodgers, Women in Business Charter operations manager, Helen Beard, Chief People Officer at Aardman; Sarah Rice, Director Women in Business Charter; Sandra Gordon, Founding Director Women in Business Charter.
With Gromit (front to back): Pauline Mallam, EDI manager at Aardman; Helen Beard, Chief People Officer at Aardman; Sarah Rice, Director Women in Business Charter; Sandra Gordon, Founding Director Women in Business Charter.
For further information or interview requests please contact:
Sarah Rice | 07944798380
The Women in Business Charter is a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales. Company number 12516760. www.womeninbusinesscharter.org