Meta (NASDAQ:FB) has launched a partnership with NatWest, the United Kingdom’s largest business bank, in order to provide financial readiness training and other support “to female business owners.”
This is available to all women entrepreneurs as part of Meta‘s #SheMeansBusiness program, which “provides digital skills training and opportunities to expand business connections and networks.”
Meta’s management noted that they launched #SheMeansBusiness 6 years ago “as a long-term commitment to support women’s economic empowerment.”
To date, the program has reportedly supported over 1.5 million women “around the world in 33 markets.”
In order to further support women in business, Meta is also “launching a competition next month to offer 50 UK-based female entrepreneurs the chance to win £1000 in advertising credits to promote their business, 1:1 digital mentorship and support to build a creative advertising campaign, as well as NatWest coaching and peer-to-peer sessions.”
Winners will be announced in June this year and judges “will be looking for ways that the women go above and beyond to achieve in business.”
Carrie Timms, Director of Global Business Marketing, EMEA at Meta, stated:
“Women small business owners have fought to keep their doors open during this pandemic. We at Meta want to stand by them, which is why we’re proud to partner with NatWest on this new #SheMeansBusiness programme. Whether it’s help getting an ad campaign up and running, or expert advice on business finance, we hope these new offerings will help women entrepreneurs come back from the pandemic stronger than ever.”
The partnership with NatWest offers crucial support to female entrepreneurs and comes soon “after the Rose Review’s recent update stating that more help is needed to boost the number of female businesses, which could add an additional £250 billion to the UK economy.”
Julie Baker, Head of Enterprise at NatWest Group, remarked:
“More women than ever are starting up businesses and we must harness this potential. The latest Rose Review progress report showed that women are starting more businesses than ever: last year 140,000 new businesses were founded by women compared to 56,000 in 2019. Supporting women to build their companies is a key next step and it’s great news that NatWest and Meta have partnered to offer all female entrepreneurs tuition and networking, and a lucky fifty women business owners an even bigger boost to their companies.”