United Kingdom: business leaders call for term “chairman” to be scrapped

UK business leaders have called on the government to scrap use of the gendered word “chairman” in official documents filed with Companies House, the country’s corporate register. A letter signed by the British Chambers of Commerce, the Institute of Directors, and the Confederation of British Industry, as well as the manufacturer’s organisation Make UK, says: “‘Chairman’ is still used by Companies House as its default term in its model articles, and subsequently used as the basis for the articles of many thousands of companies across the country. While it may seem trivial to some, language matters.” The signatories propose using the gender-neutral term “chair” instead. These bodies have already taken such a step and encourage companies to follow suit. Sarah Howard, chair of the British Chambers of Commerce, says: “Research from the World Bank suggests a direct link between the use of gendered language and differing employment rates between men and women,” adding that the word “chairman” should be “consigned to the history books”. “It’s a small but very significant alteration that will help break down subconscious bias and send a clear message to future generations that they have an equal role to play in running businesses whatever their gender identity,” she continues.