Specsavers' co-founder Mary Perkins has received the Spirit of everywoman Award at the NatWest everywoman Awards to recognise Britain's most inspiring female business owners.
The London ceremony was hosted last week (December 7) by BBC presenter Fiona Bruce and over 300 women attended. Perkins was described as a champion of women in a male-dominated industry who, since qualifying in the 1960s when 3 per cent of qualified optometrists were female, has given nearly 300 female practitioners the opportunity to run their own businesses.
Specsavers said that a 'robust' career ladder offered training, coaching and mentoring, while the emphasis on personal service made the company suitable for women with the added benefit of financial and flexitime support. Perkins, a mother herself, was also praised for her maternity policy that encourages women to return to the work place.
Some 9,500 out of the total 13,000 workforce are female, including 51 per cent working at the Guernsey head office, with 10 who report directly to the main board and two female directors.
Karen Gill, co-founder of everywoman and one of the judges, said: 'Mary Perkins encapsulates the "Spirit of everywoman" in every sense. She has identified the enormous contribution that women can make to a major corporate enterprise and nurtured female talent throughout the company. The interest and care she takes with all of her employees has contributed to Specsavers' phenomenal success.'
Perkins added: 'The award is a fabulous endorsement not just of the Specsavers brand but for the dynamic women who help drive the business from strength to strength.'
