We are excited to announce that Black Business Network has joined the Charter of Inclusive Entrepreneurship in East Midlands, a new initiative that aims to promote diversity and inclusion in the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem. The charter is a
voluntary commitment by organisations that support entrepreneurs to adopt best practices and principles that foster a more inclusive culture and environment for all.
As a signatory of the charter, we pledge to:
- Recognise and celebrate the diversity of entrepreneurs and their contributions to the economy and society
- Provide equal access and opportunity to our services and programmes for entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups
- Ensure that our staff, board, mentors, partners and stakeholders reflect the diversity of the communities we serve
- Monitor and measure our progress and impact on inclusive entrepreneurship and share our learnings and challenges
- Collaborate with other signatories and stakeholders to share best practices and resources and advocate for policy changes that support inclusive entrepreneurship
Since the release of our Black. British. In Business & Proud report, and accompanying actions, connecting the entrepreneurial ecosystem for Black business owners has been at the forefront of our agenda. We were excited to see the work the Charter has done as it closely alines with our goal of uniting the ecosystem, and we were happy to accept the Charter's invitation to become a signatory.
In celebration, we were delighted to attend the launch event of the Charter, where our Founder, Shari, met other signatories and stakeholders. We heard from inspiring speakers such as Natalie Gasson-McKinley MBE, who has been doing inspiring work with the Black Business community in Nottinghamshire and Derbys; and Sarah King of OBU (Over Being Unfunded), an organisation bringing the gaps in funding for women entrepreneurs.
We applaud Dr Lorna Treanor of the Hayden Green Institution for Innovation, University of
Nottingham and The Women's Organisation who have worked to produce this Charter.
We look forward to being part of this important movement and working together to make East Midlands a more inclusive and vibrant place for entrepreneurship.
If you have any questions or feedback about the charter or our involvement, please feel free to contact us at info@blackbusinessnetwork.co.uk. Thank you for your support!