imimobile signs open letter demanding action on Black inclusion for businesses
imimobile joins over 60 UK business leaders who have also signed the letter in response to #blacklivesmatter
London
More major UK business leaders have signed an open letter which demands action now for #blacklivesmatter with agreed actions for clear and positive change. The total number of signatures now stands at over 60 with imimobile joining other new additions including leaders from Fidelity, Virgin Money, Compass Group, Aviva, Santander, and Reward Gateway.
The letter is instigated by diversity and inclusion in business campaigners, Audeliss and INvolve, led by Suki Sandhu, OBE. In signing the letter, business leaders commit to reporting on the sustainable and long-term actions they are taking to address Black inclusion in the workplace. These actions, which will be documented in an annual report from signatories, include;
Diversifying the face of our organizations: Setting targets for diverse candidate slates for every position and holding recruiters accountable for presenting diverse shortlists. More specifically, setting targets on Black talent in our candidate slates.
Measuring: Investigating the specific challenges and barriers faced by Black talent in our organizations, starting to track ethnicity data and conduct focus groups or listening sessions to properly understand the experiences of our Black and minority colleagues.
Joining us on our journey of learning: Educating ourselves on the experiences of Black people in the workplace and in society at large.
Starting the conversation: Being vulnerable with our people. Admitting we haven’t done enough and that the work is just beginning.
Elevating Black voices: People know discrimination and racism are a lived, everyday reality now – but do they know what forms it takes every day in the workplace? We must start these conversations. We will also do more to celebrate Black leaders and talent in our organizations and the wider business community.
Committing to specific actions: We’ve posted on our corporate social accounts, but now we must show what our organisations look like truthfully and what more we are doing to change it.
The full letter of commitment and full list of signatories can be read here. All of these signatories are calling on other business leaders to commit to reporting on the actions they have taken to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement.
If your business is interested in joining us in committing to clear actions, then please contact info@involvepeople.org.
Suki Sandhu OBE, Founder & CEO of Audeliss and INvolve, said: “We must do more when it comes to driving Black inclusion in business. Organizations must step up and hold themselves accountable when it comes to turning well-intentioned aspirations into clear, concrete actions for change. It’s fantastic to see more and more signatories going beyond solidarity with #blacklivesmatter and committing to creating a workplace where Black and other ethnic minority individuals have an equal opportunity to thrive.”
Jay Patel, CEO of IMImobile PLC, commented: “We must educate ourselves on the experiences of Black people in the workplace and society too. As one of only a few BAME CEO’s of a UK listed PLC, I am personally committed to starting and leading the conversation. This letter presents positive actions that businesses can take and demands action on Black inclusion in response to #blacklivesmatter. In the coming months, we will be launching a new internship program at imimobile for young people from minority and underserved communities to gain work experience within the technology sector across our global teams.”
