Progress on gender equality at top of UK’s biggest firms ‘achingly slow’

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Campaigners have bemoaned the “achingly slow” progress made on gender equality at the top of Britain’s biggest businesses, as research showed blue-chip firms had missed key targets and there were only nine female bosses at FTSE 100 companies.The average number of female FTSE 100 chief executives did not move last year, according to the government-backed FTSE Women Leaders Review.They were Allison Kirkby at BT, Zoë Yujnovich at National Grid, Milena Mondini de Focatiis at Admiral, Stella David at Entain, Louise Beardmore at United Utilities, Margherita Della Valle at Vodafone, Amanda Blanc at Aviva and Cindy Rose at WPP.The report also considered Emma Walmsley at GSK and Liv Garfield at Severn Trent, although both women left their roles in December, as well as Carol Howe, the interim chief executive of BP, who is due to be replaced by Meg O’Neill in April.Debra Crew left the drinks group Diageo last summer after two years in which the company’s share price dropped more than 40%.

The FTSE 100 also lost two female chief executives when the housebuilder Taylor Wimpey and the advertising firm WPP were relegated to the FTSE 250, although both companies are still run by women.The number of female chief executives in the FTSE 100 peaked in 2023, when 10 out of the 100 bosses were women.It stood at only six in 2016.The FTSE 350, which includes mid-sized businesses, missed a voluntary target set in 2021 of 40% of women in top executive roles by 2025.In this group, women made up 36% of senior leadership roles – defined as those on the executive committee and senior managers immediately below that level.

However, the group met its 40% target for boards, with 43% of seats now held by women.Vivienne Artz, the chief executive of the FTSE Women Leaders Review, said progress had been “achingly slow”.She said: “Roles like chief financial officer, chair and chief executive are the most difficult to fill.Progress has been very slow.“It is about looking at the talent pipeline and female talent getting experience in revenue-generating and [profit and loss] roles.

”Burberry was the FTSE 100 company with the highest number of women on its leadership team, followed by the retailer Next,Games Workshop, the company behind the fantasy game Warhammer, and the miner Fresnillo ranked as the businesses with the lowest proportion of women in senior leadership roles,Female representation was notably stronger among non-executive directors (NEDs), who are part-time board members who provide guidance without being involved in daily business operations,The report showed the proportion of female NEDs stood at 49% in the FTSE 350 and 50% in the FTSE 100, flat on the previous year,The UK ranked second among G7 countries for women in the boardroom, behind France, the report found.

Women on the boards of FTSE 350 companies stood at 43%, and at 44% in the FTSE 100.In the French Cac 40 group, which covers its 40 biggest listed companies and where there is a mandatory quota for female representation, women held 45% of board seats.The UK chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said that while the report showed “how far we’ve come”, there was “still a long way to go”.She said: “As chancellor, I’m clear there should be no ceiling on a woman’s ambition.When they can participate fully at every level, organisations make better decisions, innovate more and perform more strongly, boosting our whole economy.

”Seema Malhotra, the minister for equalities, said: “In 15 years, women have moved from the periphery to the heart of the boardroom, showcasing the power of voluntary business-led efforts.“Aligning with the review’s ambitions, this government is accelerating progress for women in leadership through the Employment Rights Act, a landmark shift providing stronger protections for mothers, tougher sexual harassment laws, and enhanced gender pay gap transparency.We’re also supporting women at work with expanded childcare hours and wraparound provision like free breakfast clubs.”Games Workshop and Fresnillo were approached for comment.
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Nadiya Hussain’s recipes for chicken half-moons and rice paper tteokbokki

I use a lot of rice paper and always have plenty at home, because it can be used in a wide variety of ways. It’s delicious fried, as are most things! These half-moons are filled with an aromatic chicken mince, while tteokbokki is a Korean dish of chewy rice tubes that are often cooked in a stew. They are not always easy to find, but I love them, so I make my own.Prep 5 min Cook 20 min Makes 12134g pack rice paper spring roll wrappers 3 tbsp oil 6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 3 tbsp gochujang paste 2 tbsp soy sauceTo serve Sesame oil Spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced Sesame seedsDunk each sheet of rice paper in a lipped plate or shallow bowl of cold water, submerging them until soft. Roll each one into a log, then cut in half and set aside

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How to make proper rice pudding – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

There are almost as many rice puddings as there are savoury rice recipes. If you were also put off by that dazzlingly white, school dinner gloop, fear not, this is a much more luxuriant baked dessert, gently spiced and finished with sweet wine and cream. It can be enjoyed warm or cool, on its own or with a spoonful of jarred fruit or some vivid pink spring rhubarb.Prep 5 min Cook 2 hr 10 minServes 450g butter, plus extra for greasing50g soft light brown sugar 100g pudding rice 1 litre whole milk (see step 4)1 unwaxed lemon ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg¼ tsp ground cinnamon, or a small length of cinnamon stick1 bay leaf ½ vanilla pod, or 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 pinch salt 2 tbsp sweet fortified wine –eg pedro ximenéz or cream sherry, madeira, tawny port (optional)150ml double creamHeat the oven to 160C (140C fan)/325F/gas 3. Find a wide baking dish or ovenproof pot large enough to hold about 1

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Sông Quê Phở Bar, London E1: ‘The best phở in town’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

Some hot dining spots seem to expand almost the moment they open, but east London’s Vietnamese stalwart Sông Quê has waited almost 25 years to spawn a little sister, Sông Quê Phở Bar. The new offshoot sits on Commercial Street, a mile or so down the road, and serves a tiny menu focusing on phở, as well as a smattering of the original cafe’s small plates in the form of summer rolls, green papaya salad, grilled lamb chops and savoury banh khot cupcakes.Quite why Sông Quê, with its regular weekend queues and well-known name, took so long to branch out, however, is unknown. Still, why rush things? After all, the road to restaurant ruin is paved with premature brand roll-outs, and even if managers think they’re superhuman, they cannot be in two – or three or four – sites all at the same time. Plus, the big question with an institution such as the OG Sông Quê is: can you really recreate the magic elsewhere?The new phở bar has appeared in what at a glance seems a pretty good location, almost directly opposite the much-adored (not least by me) Xian Biang Biang Noodles (go for the belt noodles, I implore you), and close to the beloved Thai hotspot Som Saa

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Helen Goh’s recipe for rhubarb, pear and hazelnut crumble with browned butter | The sweet spot

Rhubarb brings its late-winter brightness to this favourite pudding, while ripe, buttery pears soften the edges and add a gentle creaminess. Instead of the traditional rubbing-in method, the crumble is made by pouring warm browned butter straight into the dry ingredients, creating a pebbly topping with a deeper toasted flavour. Leave out the crushed fennel seed, if you prefer, but this small addition, bloomed briefly in the butter, gives the whole thing a subtle aromatic lift.Prep 15 min Cook 1 hr 15 min, plus cooling Serves 680g caster sugar Finely grated zest of 1 orange, plus 1 tbsp juice 1½ tbsp tapioca flour, or cornflour500g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into roughly 2cm pieces2 large, ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 2cm pieces 1 tbsp orange juice 1 tsp vanilla bean pastePouring cream, vanilla ice-cream or thick yoghurt, to serveFor the crumble topping130g unsalted butter, plus 10g extra, softened, for greasing1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed (optional)130g plain flour 80g light brown sugar 70g rolled oats 70g toasted blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped ¼ tsp fine sea saltStart by making the topping: put the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter has completely melted. Keep cooking until the butter smells nutty and turns golden; it will splutter and hiss at first, then quieten as the foam subsides

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The story of Georgian wine has been 8,000 years in the making | Wine

France, Italy and Spain purport to be the best-loved classical wine regions, but if you’re in the market for the real old-world deal, look no further than Georgia, which has more than 8,000 years of winemaking prowess. There’s something about this place on the lush intersection of the silk roads between Europe and Asia that gets under the skin. Perhaps it’s the combination of unpolished authenticity paired with profound generosity (guests are considered a gift from God and fed accordingly), all while being gently rocked in a cradle of civilisation, that make Georgian wine so beguiling. (My first visit in August 2023 – a khachapuri-fuelled reconnaissance for my book, Drinking the World: A Wine Odyssey – lingered in my mind long after my flight touched back down on British tarmac.The Guardian’s journalism is independent

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The feast before the fast … my pre-Lent indulgent recipes

In terms of religious food festivals, this week is kind of a double whammy. First up was pancake day, which is always a whole-day affair in our kitchen, with both sweet and savoury stations, crepe pans and all the toppings (you can always rely on Felicity Cloake for a foolproof recipe). And, because of the way the calendars fall this year, we are also celebrating Orthodox Maslenitsa, or cheesefare, week at the same time.OK, so the sentiment is pretty much the same (it’s the week before the start of Lent, when people ease into their strict fasting period), but these two celebrations can often be weeks apart (blame the battle of the Gregorian and Julian calendars). For those of Orthodox faith, last week was all about eating meat, and this week is all about dairy