At the Federation of Small Businesses, Julie founded a new cross-organization Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Steering Group, which includes both leading staff and a set of elected FSB volunteer members, including female business owners and staff. Last year she created a new full-time EDI Coordinator role, which means that for the first time FSB has a specific person charged with looking after each diversity strand and community, advising the elected board and supporting staff, volunteers and members. Meanwhile Julie has also been building a program of activity across the business which involves collecting data, drawing together what internal reforms are required, and deciding what policy work should be looked at externally. Julie is proud to lead a majority female senior management team, recognizing that this sends the message throughout the organization and beyond that women succeed at FSB, and reach the very top.
