Beauty giant L’Oréal and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have teamed up to help encourage more women into science.
The For Women in Science manifesto aims encourage more girls to take an interest in science and help to break down the barriers faced by women already in science. They are also committed to narrowing the gender inequality within the industry.
Recent research has shown that nearly 25 per cent of UK female science graduates would not pursue a career in the subject. This is due to reason such as the demands of work and work-life balance.
The research, conducted by NUS Insight on behalf of L’Oréal UK and Ireland, also found that 11 per cent were worried about future earning potential; 15 per cent said they had felt lonely and isolated; and 48 per cent claimed that their options were ‘unappealing’.
Dr Steve Shiel, Scientific Director at L’Oréal UK and Ireland said, “There’s no question that science needs women, and it’s disappointing that almost a quarter of passionate young UK scientists are being put off before they’ve even begun their career.”
“The reality is that the concerns they face are similar to women working in any sector, but if we stand any chance of plugging the leaky pipeline of female scientists, those concerns need to be tackled head on.”
To find out more about the For Women in Science manifesto, click here.
