CBE FOR YORKSHIRE ENTREPRENEUR IN NEW YEARS HONOURS
Yorkshire entrepreneur, Emma Harrison, has been awarded a CBE in the 2010 New Years Honours.
Emma is best known as founder and chairman of Sheffield-based welfare and employment specialist, A4e, which works with people and communities to tackle unemployment and deliver skills, advice, guidance and enterprise. Emma is a mentor and supporter of many small businesses and is a non-executive on the board of the Institute of Directors.
Emma is active in a voluntary capacity as:
· Founder of the Foundation for Social Improvement, which supports over 1,000 small charities around the world with training and advice.
· Trustee of the Eden Trust, which oversees Cornwall’s Eden Project.
· Trustee of the Fellowship Council of the RSA
· An honorary member of the NSPCC Council
Previous voluntary roles include:
· Chair of Regions of the NSPCC Full Stop Campaign, raising £57 million
· Member of the NSPCC National Appeal Board
· Governor of Sheffield College.
Industrialist, investor and regeneration leader, Sir Hugh Sykes, who is currently a non-executive director of A4e, comments: “I have seen Emma's business, A4e, grow from a modest local business into an international organisation, leading new approaches in welfare to work and learning. This has been achieved through Emma's passion and creativity and her unfailing commitment to improving people's lives whether through business or charity. Her work extends so far now beyond A4e.
Pauline Broomhead, CEO of the Foundation for Social Improvement, congratulates Emma on her achievement: “Emma has been a godsend for small charities; from the initial establishment of the Foundation for Social Improvement, she has led the way with the utmost understanding of the business requirements of both the Foundation and the charities we work with. Her commercial nous and inspirational leadership have allowed us to grow and deliver innovative solutions to every organisation we work with. Emma is a passionate advocate for smarter philanthropy and this honour rewards her outstanding abilities and genuine commitment to our sector”.
Founded in 1991, A4e has worked successfully with both Conservative and Labour administrations and Emma has no political affiliations.
Emma lives with her husband, Jim, and four children in Derbyshire.
ENDS
For more press information please contact:
· Phil Kennedy, FD: 020 7269 9300 or 07703 330884
For more comment please contact:
· Jo Blundell, A4e: 07515 188434
Notes to editors:
· A4e is a private company on the front line of public services. We are the largest supplier of Department for Work and Pensions contracted employment services, community legal advice, generic financial guidance for the Financial Services Authority and telephone legal advice on behalf of the Legal Services Commission. We are a global community, headquartered in Sheffield, working across four continents and employing over 3,500 people. We deliver front line public services from over 200 local, community based delivery locations including UK, Australia, France, Germany, India, Israel, Poland and South Africa. Over the last 22 years we have helped over 1 million people in their journey back into sustainable employment.
· CBEs are awarded for:
o a prominent national role
o a conspicuous leading role in regional affairs, through achievement or service to the community or
o making a highly distinguished, innovative contribution in his or her area of activity