Entrepreneur and advocate for workplace equality awarded honorary degree by UWE Bristol

28 November 2024

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Two women and a man wearing gowns and mortar boards looking at the camera against a grey background — Sarah Grabham, deputy head of the College of Business and Law, honorary degree recipient Dr Zara Nanu MBE, and UWE Bristol chancellor Sir Peter Bazalgette

Dr Zara Nanu MBE, an innovator in addressing workplace inequalities and tackling the gender pay gap, has been awarded an honorary degree by UWE Bristol.

Zara founded Gapsquare in 2016, a pioneering tech firm which helped organisations identify and close the gender pay gap. Using data analytics and machine learning to provide insights into pay disparities and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Gapsquare enabled businesses to develop effective strategies to make working environments fairer.

Zara, who completed a PhD at UWE Bristol, has received an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from the university, in recognition of her commitment to addressing inequalities in the workplace. She is among three individuals receiving honorary degrees at the university’s graduation ceremonies held at the Bristol Beacon this week, in recognition of outstanding achievements in their chosen fields and significant contributions to Bristol.

After Gapsquare’s acquisition by RELX, a FTSE100 listed company, Zara founded a new company, WorkVue, which addresses broader workplace inequalities, empowering workers with data about pay, skills and labour market intelligence.

On receiving the honorary degree from UWE Bristol, Zara said: “It is a tremendous honour for me to have received this degree. It inspires me and strengthens my commitment to creating a fair and equal future of work.”

In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Zara is a member of the Harvard Women’s Leadership Board at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is an influential voice in DEI globally, and she actively collaborates with policymakers, pushing for legislation promoting pay transparency and accountability in closing pay gaps.

Sarah Grabham, deputy head of the College of Business and Law at UWE Bristol said: “Zara is a tireless advocate and a pioneering entrepreneur championing women in business, particularly in the South West. Her ability to bring together technology, policy and social activism to create long-term and sustainable change in today’s workplace will no doubt act as a source of inspiration for our students.”

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Bristol Business School Bristol Law School Enterprise Equality and social justice