At GB Bank, we’re passionate about fostering inclusivity and supporting initiatives that empower underrepresented communities. As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, we’re proud to spotlight our partnership with Female Founder Finance, an organisation dedicated to breaking down barriers for female entrepreneurs to access funding and support.

Empowering female entrepreneurs

Did you know that a staggering 63% of women find external funding to be a barrier to growing and scaling their businesses? It’s a statistic that highlights the systemic challenges faced by female founders in accessing capital. That’s why we’re proud to work with Female Founder Finance to provide comprehensive support tailored to the needs of female entrepreneurs.

Our relationship manager, Laleta Buctkuar, is an advocate for this initiative. She emphasises: “We’re working with Female Founder Finance to ensure we empower female SME property developers and investors with access to the right financial knowledge and solutions to help grow and develop their businesses.”

Addressing systemic challenges

In an ideal world, initiatives like Female Founder Finance wouldn’t be necessary. However, the reality is that the finance industry, particularly in sectors like specialist and SME lending, has historically been male-dominated. Despite progress, women still face significant obstacles in securing funding, often encountering unconscious bias along the way.

Our Chief Commercial Officer, Rob Lankey, reflects on his 35-year career, noting the slow progress in achieving gender diversity at all levels of the industry. He comments: “At GB Bank, we recognise the importance of addressing these disparities head-on. Diversity, equality, and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords for us, they’re integral to our ethos. We’re committed to leading by example.

“This is just one of the reasons why we are so pleased to have the opportunity to support Female Founder Finance and back the brilliant businesses which use its services.”

As a business, we’re proud that:

• 33% of our board members are female
• 38% of our entire team are female
• 56% of our lending and completions team are female

A call to action

Our partnership with Female Founder Finance is a testament to our commitment to creating a fairer, more equitable world. By supporting their work, we’re taking tangible steps towards bridging the gender funding gap and empowering female entrepreneurs to thrive.

Roxanne Goodman, founder of Female Founder Finance, shares her insight: “Our partnership with GB Bank is a testament to our shared commitment to empowering female entrepreneurs. Together, we’re breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for women to succeed in business.”

As we mark International Women’s Day, let’s reaffirm our dedication to championing diversity and inclusion in all aspects of business and beyond. Together, we can build a future where every entrepreneur, regardless of gender, has the opportunity to succeed.

To learn more about Female Founder Finance and our partnership, visit their website here: https://femalefounder.finance/

Join us in making a difference!

You can read more about GB Bank’s mission and values on the ‘Our Purpose’ page: https://gbbank.co.uk/our-purpose/

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