Gail was appointed to Business in the Community (BITC) in 1994 where she established an employee volunteering programme and later set up the first central communications team.
Under Gail’s leadership from Strategic Communications, the collective activities of BITC have expanded to encompass support for business investment in communities, positive environmental activity, promotion of diversity and best practice in the workplace and encouraging ethical operations in the wider marketplace. During this period, Gail has established a reputation as an innovative and creative director through her work communicating BITC’s aims and aspirations for corporate social responsibility, and has been responsible for raising the organisation’s profile hugely.
Her achievements include establishing the BITC Annual Responsible Business Awards in 1997, which have since expanded to be recognised by the business community as the UK’s leading responsible business awards and the pilot Business Connectors programme. Gail is also the Executive Sponsor for the Cultural Awareness Network within BITC.
Gail was asked to join the Talent and Enterprise Taskforce inside Number 10 in 2007, to look at cross government initiatives that brought alive the importance of using the best talent and ingenuity to create a new role for Britain in the competitive global economy. Projects include setting up the Generation Talent Campaign, a joint initiative between BITC and The Department for Work and Pensions to help jobseekers by providing practical help for companies as they promote their vacancies to the unemployed and The Work Inspiration Campaign, a framework to improve work experience which BITC rolled out across the UK.
She also plays a central role in corporate campaigns, working with large companies to build a positive image of business and promote the benefits business is able to bring to society.
Gail was awarded an LVO by HRH The Prince of Wales in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2015 for her work at BITC.