Karen Birch Email & Phone Number

Scottish Borders

Together with a group of like-minded people, I co-founded Abundant Borders (SC046962). I currently devote a large part of my time (unpaid) to this charity.VISIONOur vision is a world where everyone, regardless of personal circumstances, has access to healthy, nutritious food.MISSIONOur mission is to alleviate food poverty in the Scottish Borders by creating a network of local food production and encouraging people to seek out locally produced food.We successfully delivered a pilot project in sustainable growing and healthy eating, with support from Scottish Government Good Food Nation, and look to build on this amazing start throughout 2017.

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Chair since April 2012 and Board Member since 2011.Glasgow Women’s Library is a vibrant information hub housing a lending library, archive collections and contemporary and historical artefacts relating to women’s lives, histories and achievements. I have been chair during the transition of GWL from a largely nomadic library to having a permanent home in a newly refurbished building. This process has involved massive capital funding, project management and change management projects and culminated with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon opening the new premises.

When we first launched the3rdi magazine our aim way to provide something totally new, totally fresh. We felt women wanted something different, that they were interested in hearing each others stories, to celebrate each others success and to inspire each other to greater achievement.The3rdi has become the most extraordinary collaborative project, bringing together the UK’s most innovative and entrepreneurial women …and 2011 will see us uniting to change the way the world does businessIt is clear that the current system isn’t working; women are under-represented in the boardroom and in public office and issues such as work-life balance have slipped off the agenda. The bail-out of the banking system has continued to dictate public finances, with the perpetrators of the failures not only remaining in post, but seemingly unrepentant and still drawing huge bonuses.Now we could sit back and wait for someone else to fix it … or we can take control ourselves – together we can build a community of women, become powerful on our own terms and be the driving force behind the change we want to see. Tthe3rdimagazine is a member owned co-operative so that everyone can have an input and everyone can benefit from it's success

Changing the Chemistry is a group which seeks to improve board effectiveness by increasing the diversity on all types of boards. Evidence suggests that increasing board diversity improves the performance of organisations and can thereby also benefit the wider economy. CtC's unique approach is that members share the responsibility to help each other, volunteering time and skills in a peer-to-peer support network providing practical assistance to help individuals secure non executive positions.The group, now over 100 strong, developed from the Inspiring Women Leaders conference which I and a small group of like-minded women organised in 2013

CBC advises and supports cooperatives with their governance and management issues

Scotland

Maroan is an enterprise development consultancy, dedicated to helping co-operative and social enterprises start-up, grow and thrive. In association with Co-operative Business Consultants (CBC), a network of co-operative business advisors, and using principles of EthiconomicsTM, we offer a range of advice, mentoring, training and research on issues such as legal structures, community shares, fair trade, marketing and human resource management.Maroan also allows me to continue my work as a sculptor and gallery artist

Recently founded WISE-net, women in social enterprise network to provide peer to peer support for women creating and working in social enterprise

Scotland

Anyone who has been in business knows what it is like to have those niggling problems or concerns. Things that just wont go away no matter how much you think about them. Sometimes you need support and ideas from outside your business to help you to get to the heart of the matter.Fair Comment is an innovative and cost-effective response to this problem and generates dozens of ideas to ensure future business success while at the same time raising funds for community projects on behalf of The Women's Fund Scotlad

SWF owns and is responsible for the management of the following competitions: SWPL – Scottish Women’s Premier League SWPL Cup SWFL – Scottish Women’s Football League SWFL Cup Scottish Cup Youth Regional League Cups Youth League Scottish Youth CupsThis is an exciting time for women and girls football. One of the fastest growing sports globally, we now have 8,230 players registered to play in Scotland across 249 clubs

I have recently taken a new and exciting role as a Member of the BBC Audience Council for Scotland. The Audience Council ensures that the voice of Scottish audiences is heard at the heart of decision-making at the BBC.The council provides independent advice to the BBC Trust, the BBC's governing body, on how well the BBC is performing for audiences in Scotland, taking into account all of the BBC's services. We also identify, and advise the Trust on issues of priority for Scottish audiences.

Scotland

Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS) has its own advisory board and, by working closely with key partners, aims to demonstrate the improved productivity, sustainability and community benefits that co-operative models can offer. Its remit is to: Raise awareness of co-operative business models Help new and existing co-operatives to grow Develop markets for co-operative and co-owned businesses

Promoting entrepreneurial business activity

Working with AF Consulting to provide business development and marketing support. AF Consulting are specialist UK consultants providing support to professional advisers thus enabling them to help their clients comply with the pension rules on auto-enrolment.

Cortex Media Limited developed the3rdimagazine, which has been spun out as a member owned co-operative business. Cortex Media is dedicated to promoting ethically based business practices in traditional corporate business environments and in social enterprises. The approach is based on the priciples of Ethiconomics, as detailed in the book of the same name written by co-founder Phil Birch.

Board member working with finance and fundraising committees

Isle Of Skye

Worked to build a social enterprise from a small, failing charity

Scotch Corner was Scotland's leading Internet Retailer, selling everything except haggis across the world! I advised the Scottish Parliament on e-commerce strategy and was a regular speaker on getting women into technology. I was also recognised as one of Scotlands leading Internet entrepreneurs

Glasgow, United Kingdom

CEO of organisation which I led to from one wholly depending upon grant support to a fully self-funded member controlled company.

Bsc, Zoology

Master Of Business Administration (Mba)

Education record

Education record