Women in Business
News
Celebrating women in business at BSU
Friday, 8 August, 2025Bath Spa University’s innovative Business School is renowned for helping students develop their careers as globally connected professionals. Throughout the University’s history, BSU has fostered an inclusive environment, encouraging people from all walks of life to pursue one of its Business degrees, brought together by a shared passion.
This week, BSU is celebrating all things business and shining a spotlight on the achievements and entrepreneurial spirit of students, staff, and alumni, with a particular emphasis on the way women in business have shaped their careers.
In a historically male-dominated field, Bath Spa University continues to champion gender equality in leadership and business. National trends reflect growing progress: as of 2025, women hold 36.3% of senior management roles in the UK, putting the UK ahead of the global average.
At BSU, the numbers tell an even more encouraging story. In 2022/23, 57.2% of the University’s senior staff identified as female, and women make up half of management positions, as well as the majority of specialist technical staff who support students' learning and development.
Discussing her experience as a staff member in the BSU Business School, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Marketing and Management, Kirsty Bennetta said:
"The Business School is an ambitious and inspiring place to work, where women hold prominent senior management positions – something that motivated me greatly as a new starter in 2023. The guidance and encouragement I’ve received from my female management team has been invaluable, enabling me not only to attend research events to further my own development, but also to enrich my modules through insightful trips and teaching from experienced lecturers within a truly diverse cohort of staff."
Aiming to foster an inclusive and welcoming culture, BSU encourages students from diverse backgrounds with a shared passion to pursue a career in business, equipping them with skills, networks and confidence along the way.
This culture of empowerment is reflected in the University’s students, who are stepping confidently into the world of business, and even creating their own.
One standout example is Natasha Underwood, who graduated from BSU in 2019 with a BSc (Hons) in Biology Conservation. In 2021, she founded NHU Ecology and Detection Dogs, a growing business that combines science and canine expertise. Her company provides a range of services, including wildlife and habitat assessments, research, training, and ecological detection using trained dogs.
These specially trained detection dogs help locate wildlife, carcasses, plant pathogens and scats across large terrains, making Natasha’s work essential for environmental monitoring, conservation research, and ecological compliance and demonstrating how business and science can unite for real-world impact.
Another inspiring alumna is Natalie Willetts, who spent ten years forging her career in marketing before launching her own company, Mercharoo – a stationary business focused on sustainability. Her brand Happy Aardvark introduced a line of plantable stationery, including pens, pencils, and notebooks embedded with seeds. Once used, the products can be planted to grow wildflowers, showing how environmentally friendly ideas can take root and flourish.
Do you have an idea for the next big thing? Or are you looking to start your own business? Explore our Business courses and get first-hand, real-life experience.