KENTWOMENINBUSINESS
THE 2026 KENT WOMEN in BUSINESS SPECIAL FEATURE
“ Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”- RUTH BADER GINSBURG, AMERICAN LAWYER AND JURIST
It feels remarkable- and frankly unacceptable- that in 2026 we’ re still having to underline the same truths about women and power. The outdated notion that women are naturally better suited to supporting roles hasn’ t disappeared entirely; it still lingers in both boardrooms and wider business culture, and yet the issue has never been about ambition or ability- it’ s about opportunity.
Across the UK, progress towards gender equality continues, but the numbers show how far there is still to go. The latest FTSE Women Leaders Review reports that women now hold around 43 % of board positions across the UK’ s 350 largest companies and roughly 35 % of senior leadership roles- record highs that signal real movement. However, true parity at the very top remains elusive, with fewer than 20 female CEOs leading FTSE 350 businesses.
Pay tells a similar story. The Office for National Statistics data shows the median gender pay gap across all employees sits at 12.8 %, while the full-time gap remains close to 7 %, with FERRY HOUSE disparities widening at the highest earning levels, so although it’ s clear progress is happening, that progress is slow, uneven and far from guaranteed.
Study after study links gender-diverse leadership teams with stronger governance, sharper decision-making and better financial results. Women don’ t just deserve seats at the table- businesses actively benefit when they’ re there, so, while record representation is worth celebrating, it should be seen as a stepping stone and not the finish line. Too many talented, capable women are still overlooked and normalising female leadership rather than treating it as exceptional is the next step forward.
Women are already doing the work; leading teams, growing companies and pro-actively reshaping industries every day. Welcome to insideKENT’ s Kent Women in Business special feature- a celebration of the advice, insight and success stories of some of the county’ s most inspiring female business leaders. www. insidekent. co. uk • 185