This month Herts Chamber of Commerce, chief executive, Yolanda Rugg talks about Women in Leadership.

Firstly, to celebrate Hertfordshire women’s leadership achievements. Secondly, to inspire young women to achieve equal success through a mentoring and leadership skills programme.

Thirdly, it is to lead the way in developing more gender-diverse boardrooms and executive teams throughout the county.

A launch in March will be followed by a series of career management workshops and also open discussions beginning with gender diversity, relevant employee legislation, educational stereotyping and the real or imagined glass ceiling.

Hertfordshire Chamber launches its Women in Leadership campaign at an inaugural lunch on March 14 at Marriott Hanbury Manor in Ware. The keynote speaker is Nora Senior, president of the British Chamber of Commerce. Nora is herself a great example of extraordinary achievement: First Woman of Media UK Award, UK Outstanding Business Achiever, Global Women in Business Award and many others.

The chamber invites women business owners, directors and senior managers of organisations and education leaders to participate in this rally call to improve gender diversity and reduce role-stereotyping in career path options and aspirations for women in Hertfordshire.

According to the Office for National statistics, the ratio of women in work – 67% in December –was the highest since records began (The Times: February 20, 2014); exceeding 14 million in December.

The more we exemplify women carving out exceptional careers for themselves, using their vision, force, talents and capabilities to contribute to Hertfordshire’s economy, the greater the positive environment to nurture similar aspirations of young women for tomorrow’s economy.

At the chamber, we recognise that there are many challenges for women to overcome to be successful in their chosen field. We also believe that young girls have much wider job and career options than before in previously male-dominated sectors such as construction, engineering, agriculture and IT. We plan to promote these options passionately.

Herts Chamber will lead in the creation of a working group that will plan and review a programme of development and network building.