TOP 10 - NETWORK GROUPS
BT Ethnic Diversity Network
BT Group aims to be somewhere where every colleague feels valued, empowered and inspired to contribute to the organisation’s success and that of the communities it serves. As a business, BT Group believes firmly in the power of connection, the importance of everyone’s contribution, and the transformative potential of working together towards a common good. At the forefront of this commitment is the BT Ethnic Diversity Network. Its Executive Sponsor, BT Consumer Business CEO Marc Allera, champions putting diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything the company does. BT Group is building teams that reflect and celebrate differences and help staff to support each other and the communities that they are proud to be part of. This commitment is integral to BT Group’s purpose: to connect for good.
EMBRACE
EMBRACE is recognized as a key thought partner in driving racial, ethnic and cultural diversity at GSK, resulting in impacts such as setting and publishing aspirational targets, implementing global mandatory inclusion training and developing a new leadership programme for ethnic minorities. Critical to EMBRACE’s strategy is partnering with leaders to progress the agenda across the pillars of the company’s people, business and community with deliverables such as clinical trial and supplier diversity and supporting STEM initiatives within local communities. EMBRACE played an instrumental role in GSK voluntarily publishing its UK Ethnicity Pay Gap in March 2023, the first bio-pharma company in the FTSE 100 to have done so. The advocacy by EMBRACE was acknowledged in the 2023 GSK Annual Report. In the past 12 months, EMBRACE has exponentially grown its global impact, with new chapters across Europe, Latin America and Asia driving action for employees and local communities.
Embrace ERG
Embrace has helped to support the confidence of ethnic minority staff at Airbus and enable them to engage fully with their colleagues without any barriers. The employee resource group creates mentorship programs for employees and highlights role models within the business. Embrace works together with HR to support the recruitment process and advise on the tools that are used to respect employee diversity. The group also liaises with local communities for outreach programmes. Embrace hosts awareness and discussion sessions within Airbus to enable communication of knowledge and experience throughout the business.
Embrace Network
Virgin Money’s Embrace Network was created to find and celebrate what makes individual cultures so unique. Embrace Network enhances the company’s people strategy, “A Life More Virgin”, by enabling members to share experiences and knowledge around ethnic minority cultures and religions. The network’s mission is threefold: to increase awareness, understanding and empathy among colleagues around ethnicity, cultural and religious matters; to empower ethnic minority colleagues and allies to act as role models, facilitating career progression and development opportunities; and to encourage, promote, and actively facilitate colleague engagement in activities which contribute to improving and enabling ethnic minority communities.
I AM ME Network
The I AM ME Network at Sainsbury’s is a colleague-led network that focuses on fostering understanding of religious, cultural, and historical events that have shaped its ethnically diverse colleagues and customers. The network aims to create connections within the community and supports colleagues in navigating their careers and developing as their authentic selves. The network achieves this through various means such as celebrations, education and agitation, and strives to increase positive and visible allyship across Sainsbury’s. This means encouraging colleagues to actively support and advocate for their ethnically diverse peers, creating a workplace that embraces diversity and authenticity.
South Asian Network
The South Asian Network at PwC Consulting is focused on raising awareness, driving inclusion and providing a safe space for South Asian staff to explore, discuss and drive action. The network has collaborated with South Asian charities, held livestream panels with clients, set up focus groups and initiated mentorship programmes as part of a roadmap to creating a more inclusive workplace where South Asians can thrive and bring their whole selves to work. The network was established and is chaired by Bal Krishnamurthy, a Partner in PwC who leads Compliance Transformation for Financial Services clients. Bal was born in South India and spent his formative years in Nigeria, prior to settling down in London.
The Black Employee Network (BEN)
The Black Employee Network (BEN) is an employee resource group at Amazon open to black employees and allies. BEN’s mission at Amazon is to recruit, retain and empower black employees across the business. BEN UK Ops is a branch of the network specifically for employees in the operational arm of Amazon’s business. Through BEN, employees have access to resources, networking opportunities and engaging initiatives to support their personal and professional growth.
The Culture Club
The Culture Club is the ethnicity employee resource group of L&G and was set up in 2018 initially to address the under-representation of minority ethnic colleagues, but it soon pivoted to providing a safe space for everyone, including allies, where individuals can all perform their best no matter who they are. The Culture Club has the goal to promote and celebrate the understanding and appreciation of multiculturalism, diversity and religion through collaboration, dialogue, inclusion and action. It focuses on progressive improvements in workforce diversity at L&G, while influencing HR policies and supporting programmes promoting inclusive practices across recruitment, progression and retention.
The REACH Network
2GeTher
Social housing provider Stonewater has committed to race equality via its EDI strategy, aiming to become consciously inclusive and customer-driven with relationships built on respect, honesty and transparency. Stonewater’s networking group 2GeTher was formed in 2019 to ensure that black, Asian and minority ethnic colleagues had a voice to challenge and drive forward the work towards becoming a diverse organisation. The group members champion equality, diversity and inclusion in their daily work and shape Stonewater strategy. The 2GeTher group is where colleagues share experiences, raise awareness, learn and receive support. In the past year, events have each attracted around 150 or more colleagues. In Race Equality Week, the interactive sessions included guest speaker John Amaechi OBE talking about “Race, Inclusion and Leadership”.