Striving for Equality in the Business World

11 June 2020

The Growth Hub’s Marketing and Events Manager, Kayleigh Newby, talks about what the D2N2 Growth Hub is doing to achieve equality in a business context.

The recent debate which has been started in relation to racism following on from the death of George Floyd by police officers in America has certainly been thought provoking for us all.

The media has filled our screens with footage of the Black Lives Matter protests, including the riots and violence that has come with them. As a person of dual heritage, I have heard a cross-section of opinions on the subject. At a time like this I think it’s so important to focus on the reasons why these demonstrations are taking place. The reason why so many people are desperately trying to evoke change and the realisation that there is indeed a need for change in our society.

With this, I wanted to highlight some of the support that the D2N2 Growth Hub provides for BAME businesses, in particular B-Global. B-Global is a pioneering business network based in Nottingham designed to specifically support start-ups, established and scale-up BAME businesses to reach their full potential in the Nottingham City area.

Through tailored business adviser support and events, B-Global aims to:

• Establish a fully functioning directory of black businesses in the city

• Bring businesses together to network, share and celebrate

• Create a robust black business community hub

• Develop a black business forum

• Provide a well-resourced platform for entrepreneurs

• Facilitate a network for growth, innovation and empowerment

• Help grow the black business sector locally, nationally and globally

• Provide a dedicated B-Global Business Adviser / Account Manager

“Whist our brief is to support businesses of African heritage, we work with the wider BAME business community, providing various bespoke business support interventions to enable their development and growth”

- Alfred Bawak, B-Global Account Manager

For more information and to register as a member of the B-Global network, please click here.

Due to the mixture of diverse cultures within the D2N2 area, particularly in Nottinghamshire, our account managers often have the opportunity to work with black and other BAME businesses as part of the Growth Hub support package. Please click here for more information on how the D2N2 Growth Hub has supported Grassfields, for example, an African print design clothing company.

The Growth Hub in partnership with the Chamber, is also running a webinar on the 15th June called Understanding Inclusivity & Unconscious Bias. This webinar aims to educate participants about understanding inclusivity in a workplace setting and how to work on your own prejudices and bias to improve inclusivity. This webinar is fully funded and open to all SME businesses.

Although there is still a long way to go, by having these avenues of support available, the hope is that we can help to create equality in the business world and beyond.

The D2N2 Growth Hub Programme is managed by the East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire). Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, designed to help all SMEs businesses located in Derbyshire, Derby, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham.

Kayleigh is the Marketing and Events Manager for the D2N2 Growth Hub and is responsible for the organisation and promotion of all Growth Hub events. Kayleigh is responsible for all Growth Hub marketing activity to ensure that the D2N2 Growth Hub can reach as many businesses as possible with the Growth Hub service.

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