Cross Organisational Mentoring Circles for Ethnically Diverse Employees
2025-03-12 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/London) | Online
Business in the Community (BITC) invites you to attend an information session on its Cross Organisational Mentoring Circles Programme

This is an online event.
Audience
This event is open to both members and non-members of BITC, with a particular focus on those working in D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) and HR (Human Resources) who wish to learn more about the programme.

Background
Cross Organisational Mentoring Circles (COMC) creates a supportive space to connect Black, Asian, Mixed Race, and other ethnically diverse employees across our Responsible Business Network.
Participants are matched with other professionals from different organisations to share their experiences, challenges, and aspirations, working in circles. The mentoring circles are led by a senior leader from a participating organisation, who facilitates conversations and learning over a six-month period.
The mentoring circles empower participants to gain new insights, learn from each other’s experiences, and build a network of support and encouragement.
A cost is associated with participation in the programme, with both BITC member and non-member rates available. If you are a BITC member, please get in touch with your Relationship Manager or Adviser for more information. If you are not a member, feel free to contact us at comc@bitc.org.uk.

About the event
During this session, you will learn more about the programme’s structure, goals, and benefits. We will be joined by Darren Tanner, Marsh, to talk about his experience as a mentor and Linda Li, Southend City Council, who is currently a mentee on the programme. They will share the impact the programme has had on them. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions to the team.
This event is open to all organisations interested in learning more about the mentoring programme and how it can help your Race at Work Charter commitments. Registration is now open, with a deadline of 30 April 2025. Please note that applications are accepted from organisations only, not individuals.
Join us to learn more about this exciting initiative and take the first step toward building a supportive network of professionals from different organisations.

Booking and contact details and further information

Contact Jenny.McLaren@bitc.org.uk, Events Manager at BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Business Response Forum: Navigating the Evolving Challenges of EDI
2025-03-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
In response to recent member enquiries, BITC is hosting a one-hour online forum to explore the increasing pushback on EDI policies.

This is a repeat of the Business Response Forum taking place on 27 February. Please do not book to attend this event if you have already booked to attend the original date.
Audience
This event is open to all Business in the Community (BITC) member organisations and has been designed for HR Leads and EDI Leads. Registrations are limited to two places per organisation. If you would like more of your team to attend, please email Jenny.McLaren@BITC.org.uk to be added to the waiting list.

About the event
In response to recent member enquiries, BITC is hosting a one-hour, confidential, online forum to explore the shifting landscape of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and the increasing pushback on EDI policies, particularly in the US.
The session will be introduced by Shannon Rivers, BITC’s Director of Inclusion and Wellbeing Advisory, before members participate in breakout rooms designed to encourage peer-to-peer learning, discussion, and deeper engagement. To foster an open and candid exchange, the discussion will not be recorded and will follow Chatham House rules.
This forum offers a valuable opportunity for members to:

Share insights on how businesses are responding to these challenges
Discuss adaptations to EDI strategies, language, and positioning
Learn from peers about best practices and evolving approaches

We hope you can join us for this important conversation.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact Jenny.McLaren@BITC.org.uk, Event Manager, BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Pride of Place – together lifting up the UK
2025-03-17 18:00 - 20:00 | London
Join us to learn about the future of place-based regeneration, network with others, and hear more about how you can get involved.

This is an in person event.
Audience
This is an invite only event for parliamentarians and business leaders interested in Place-making.

About the Event
Business in the Community have been successfully delivering place-based initiatives for over four decades and as we reach more places, we want to share what works, and crucially how business and government can work in partnership to positively impact millions of lives. Hear about the future of place-based regeneration as we share our approach though the launch of our national prospectus.

Refreshments
Light refreshments will be served.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact Annette.Ettarh@bitc.org.uk, Events Manager at BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Peer Learning Forum: Tackling Social Mobility
2025-03-18 10:00 - 11:30 | Online
Interactive session on sharing some of the approaches that businesses are taking to consider their role in addressing social mobility.

This is an online event.
Audience
Business in the Community (BITC) members who have advisory in their membership package. Our Peer Learning Forums (PLF) are now open to all members who have advisory in their membership package – hosted by our issue experts, there are 20 forums a year, covering a range of responsible business areas and enabling our members to discuss challenges, solutions and ideas.
This event is especially suited to managers and practitioners working in Social impact, social value/community investment, CSR and responsible business, Diversity and inclusion, and Human resources/People Management.

Background
In 2022/23, six million people – or four in 10 of those in poverty – were in very deep poverty, with an income far below the standard poverty line. More than twice as many (over 12 million people) had experienced very deep poverty in at least one year between 2017/18 and 2020/21.*
Meanwhile, a report by Demos the Co-op revealed ‘that the UK economy is missing out on £19bn in GDP growth every year due to a systemic failure to promote greater social mobility in the workplace’ and businesses investing in ‘strategies that support greater social mobility, …could equate to a £1.8bn rise in private sector business profits.’ In addition, BITC’s State of the Nation 2024 report found that attracting and retaining talent is one of the greatest challenges facing 57% of CEOs, especially in green and digital skills, but many leaders are innovating new, socially responsible ways of securing their talent pipeline, while tackling social mobility and local deprivation.
Social mobility is a systemic issue that no one business can tackle alone.

About the event
BITC’s approach to social mobility and the support we provide to our members is informed by our organisational Theory of Change and our Social Mobility Framework, in addition to best practice collated from across our membership. This Peer Learning Forum will share some of the approaches that businesses are taking to consider their role in addressing social mobility, whilst providing a forum to discuss and explore collaboration opportunities between participants.
BITC Social Impact Advisory support helps businesses build sustainable and impactful interventions co-designed with their communities, driving inclusive economic growth. Our Social Impact Advisers support companies to understand leading practice principles of social impact, co-designing solutions with their communities, leading to sustainable impact within society and the business. ​ We are working with companies to create truly responsible societies and systemic change.

Speakers
We will be joined by:

Michelle Amileke, Responsible Business & Sustainability Manager, Lewis Silkin
Ola Kolade, Education, Employment & Skills Director, Business in the Community

Booking and contact details and further information

Contact the Events team for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

References
* (UK Poverty 2025, JRF (https://www.jrf.org.uk/uk-poverty-2025-the-essential-guide-to-understanding-poverty-in-the-uk#_-poverty-has-deepened).

CEO Leadership Forum - Dinner
2025-03-18 18:30 - 21:00 | London EC2Y, United Kingdom
This event provides the opportunity to share your experiences, successes and ideas regarding the key challenges facing the world and society.

This is an in person event.

Audience

This event is by invitation only and for CEOs.

Background

As part of Business in the Community’s work in supporting businesses to drive transformation at pace and scale in our communities, we are holding a series of CEO Leadership Forum Dinner events.

About the event

These informal, private discussions over dinner will form a key part of the national conversation initiated by BITC’s Lifting up the UK: State of the Nation 2024 report, which detailed the thoughts of the leaders of some of the UK’s largest businesses on what has been done and what is still needed to change the world around us. As such, they provide CEOs with the opportunity to share their experiences, successes and ideas regarding key challenges in the world and society today, as well as the action that can collectively be taken to make a positive difference and change the world around us.

If you are unable to join this date we are also holding more dinners in the coming months, to join another date instead, click here.

We are currently finalising dates for our 2025 CEO Leadership Forum Breakfasts and look forward to sharing details with you shortly. To join us at a CEO Leadership Forum Breakfast instead, click here.

Refreshments

Dinner will be served.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact Fiona Macleod, Head of Events at BITC for any further questions.

Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Peer Learning Forum: Stress and Burnout Prevention at Work
2025-03-20 10:30 - 12:00 | Online event
Join us to discuss workplace stress and burnout, share insights, and learn best practices to foster healthier work environments.

This is an online event.
Audience
Business in the Community (BITC) members who have advisory in their membership package. Our Peer Learning Forums (PLF) are now open to all members who have advisory in their membership package – hosted by our issue experts, there are 20 forums a year, covering a range of responsible business areas and enabling our members to discuss challenges, solutions and ideas.
This event is especially suited to leaders in HR, Wellbeing, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), as well as those in people management and health and safety roles.

About the event
The World Health Organisation has recognised burnout as an ‘occupational phenomenon’ and have described it as a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion which can occur if someone has experienced long-term stress and constant pressure.
According to a recent report from Mental Health UK, “one in five workers (20%) needed to take time off due to poor mental health caused by pressure or stress in the past year” and the Health and Safety Executive have stated that 17.1 million working days were lost in 2022/23 due to work-related stress, despite it being an employer’s legal duty to prevent work-related stress.
In this peer learning forum, we will provide an overview of stress in the workplace, how to identify stress and burnout, and actions organisations can take to reduce stress and burnout at work.
The event will also feature time for peer discussions, allowing participants to learn from each other’s experiences, share insights, and explore best practices with those in their industry.
To foster open and honest dialogue, this conversation will be conducted under Chatham House rules, and this event will not recorded.
https://mentalhealth-uk.org/burnout/
https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/burnout-report-one-in-five-needed-to-take-time-off-work-due-to-stress-in-the-past-year/
https://press.hse.gov.uk/2024/11/03/stress-awareness-week-employers-have-to-fulfil-legal-duty/
Guest speaker

Laura Hollies, Mental Wellbeing Specialist, National Grid

Agenda

Stress in the workplace: through an intersectional lens
What does burnout mean for business?
Actions organisations can take to prevent prolonged stress and burnout in the workplace
Break out discussions: Insights and experiences of managing and preventing stress and burnout at work

About Business in the Community’s Peer Learning Forums
BITC’s Peer Learning Forums provide a confidential environment to discuss common issues, solutions, and good practice. There will be an emphasis on discussion and sharing experiences. All contributions from businesses will be confidential within the group and won’t be shared externally by BITC.
Booking and contact details and further information

Contact Jessica Hart, Event Coordinator, BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Race Equality Campaign 30 Year Anniversary Event
2025-03-25 10:00 - 11:00 | Online webinar
Join us to learn the key actions for UK employers to promote fairness and equality to create truly inclusive workplaces ready for the future.

This is an online event.
Audience
This is event is open to both members and non-members of Business in the Community (BITC). It would be of interest to anyone who has signed the Race at Work Charter or who participated in the ‘Leadership, employees and procurement’ YouGov survey, particularly leaders and Executive Sponsors for Race.

Background
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the BITC Race Equality campaign. We will be sharing some fresh insights and updated evidence on trends linked to the Race at Work Charter captured within our most recent Leadership, Employees, and Procurement survey, with YouGov in June 2024. This new data fed into our Diverse and Inclusive Supply Chains Insights report and builds on the evidence gathered in our Race at Work Survey series (2015–2021), providing a deeper understanding of racial disparities, fairness and access to opportunities in UK workplaces.

About the event
Through consultations with current and past leaders from the BITC Race Leadership Team, senior business leaders, and leading academics, we have identified key actions for UK employers to drive equality and fairness.
Key Focus Areas:

Evolving the Role of the Executive Sponsor for Race: In 2015 32% of employees said they had an executive sponsor for race. What is the picture now? What is the role of the executive sponsor in driving change and galvanising leadership commitment at the top and how can this be further enhanced for impact?
Diversifying the Pipeline to Senior Leadership: What concrete steps must employers take to include the widest range of talent in their organisations in their leadership pipelines and open pathways to the “top table” for underrepresented talent with the intersections of ethnicity and social background, age, gender, and disability?
Leveraging Data for Inclusion: How can data-driven insights help to shape racial equality and fairness strategies and track progress?

Additionally, we will be launching:

A new 10-point Leadership Trend Paper with calls to action for leaders
Updated Goals and Targets guide
Updated Being Visible Leader guide
New sponsorship, mentoring, coaching framework to support executive sponsors.

Additionally, we will be publishing an insights paper and toolkit at this event. This event provides a unique opportunity to understand how you can use these insights to reinforce your commitments to race inclusion and drive impactful change within your organisation.

Speakers
Sandra Kerr CBE, Race Equality Director, Business in the Community will be chairing the event, and we are delighted to have some speakers already secured:
Albertha Charles Partner PWC Global and UK Asset and Wealth Management Leader and member of BITC Race Leadership Team
Justin Onuekwusi, Chief Investment Officer, St James’s Place (SJP) and member of BITC Race Leadership Team
Richard Iferenta, Partner and Vice Chair, KPMG, and BITC Race Leadership Team Chair

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact events@bitc.org.uk any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Let's Care Together - Programme Introduction (for Employers)
2025-03-25 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-04-08 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-04-22 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-05-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Online webinar
This webinar is for employers and wellbeing leads to introduce our new virtual befriending initiative to support carer’s wellbeing.

Audience

This is a virtual event open to employers, wellbeing leads and employee carer networks.

Background

Business in the Community (BITC) and leading healthcare provider Simplyhealth, have come together to co-create the Let’s Care Together programme.

Research shows that unpaid carers have worse wellbeing outcomes than non-carers, and are likely to be time-poor due to their caring responsibilities*. The programme aims to support carers by streamlining access to resources and providing practical support across the four pillars of wellbeing: Physical, Mental, Social and Financial. This support will include helping people with caring responsibilities to connect with friends and family, community groups and wider support, find wellbeing information and gain financial confidence.

Our volunteer befrienders will work on a one-to-one basis with each carer on one or all of the following, depending on their preference: ​

Increasing connection to their local community, improving overall social wellbeing and reducing any feelings of isolation. ​

Supporting financial independence and knowledge of financial tools/support available.​

Access to practical support and tools for their physical wellbeing. ​

Being a regular listening ear and friendly face to offer support and guidance.​

About this event

In this webinar you will learn how our Let’s Care Together programme can support unpaid carers (over 18) with their wellbeing, through pairing them with an online befriender.

Join this session to learn more about how your beneficiaries, or colleagues with caring responsibilities could benefit from the programme.

Speakers

Usha Manojkanth – BITC Programme Manager

Simon Walters – BITC Programme Manager

Michelle Brannen – BITC Programme Manager

Booking, contact details and further information

Email care@bitc.org.uk, for any further questions.

The session will take place on Teams.

Joining instructions will be sent before the event.

About Business in the Community

Business in the Community is the largest and longest-established movement dedicated to responsible business in the UK, formed in 1982 and with HM The King as our Royal Founding Patron. Together with our network of businesses we are leading the UK to create a fair and sustainable world in which to live and work.

*Carers UK 2022 – Unpaid carers continue to suffer poorer health- with some groups adversely affected.

The King's Seeing is Believing Visit in Glasgow, Scotland
2025-03-27 09:00 - 15:00 | Glasgow, Scotland
The visit will bring key insights on factors impacting social mobility in towns and cities across Scotland and solutions to these challenges

This is an in person event.

Audience

C-Suite – attendance by invitation only. To express interest in attending, please complete the booking form and the Seeing is Believing team will reach out with further information.

Background

The King’s Seeing is Believing programme of visits is one of the most well-established and widely respected experiential leadership programmes in the UK. The Programme has been championed by HM The King for over three decades.

Over the past thirty years, its profound influence and extensive reach has engaged more than 25,000 leaders. It is a unique immersive experience which provides senior leadership from businesses of all shapes and sizes with opportunities to view their business from the ‘outside in’. It also allows them to meet and better understand those who are really struggling in life and to consider actions that can be taken to address some of the key issues facing our communities today – and in turn transform millions of lives.

About the event

This unique programme of visits brings together CEOs and senior business leaders. in small groups to re-connect with communities across the UK. This programme is kindly supported by Salesforce and Linklaters.

Led by Roisin Currie, Chief Executive of Greggs, this experiential visit will bring together prominent business leaders for The King’s Seeing is Believing event in Glasgow on 27 March 2025. The visit will bring insights into some of the key factors impacting on social mobility in our towns and cities across Scotland, looking specifically at barriers such as food insecurity, child poverty and the growing issue of in-work poverty and lack of opportunities for the communities living in areas of high deprivation. The visit will also explore collaborative solutions to address these challenges.

To help set context for the visit, delegates are also invited to join the dinner with local stakeholders and community groups the night before the visit, Wednesday, 26 March, for an opportunity to meet fellow delegates and hear from those who live and work in the city.

Event Details:
Date and time for Seeing is Believing Visit: Thursday, 27 March 2025 @ 09:00 – 15:00
Date and time for Pre-Visit Stakeholder Dinner: Wednesday, 26 March 2025 @ 18:30-21:00
Price: Free of charge
Location: Glasgow, London
Audience: CEO and C-Suite (by invitation only)

Refreshments

Light refreshments and a lunch break.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact SIB@bitc.org.uk to book your spot or if you have any questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Transform Your Workplace: Is Data-Driven DEI a Game Changer?
2025-03-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Irwin Mitchell Solicitors 20 Colmore Row 9th Floor Birmingham B4 6AH
Join us for an afternoon where DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) best practice will be mixed with networking and opportunities to talk through current challenges.

This is an in person event.
Audience
This event is open to both members and non-members of Business in the Community (BITC) and has been designed for HR people/Talent management practitioners/managers.
About the event

Join us for an engaging and insightful 2-hour event designed for West Midlands businesses, focusing on the transformative power of data-driven DEI strategies. Discover how real-time analytics and measurable outcomes can enhance transparency, build trust among employees, and drive meaningful change in your organisation.
This event will feature a keynote presentation, a panel discussion with industry experts, and interactive table exercises to help you develop actionable DEI strategies. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from recent case studies and best practices, and to network with like-minded professionals committed to fostering inclusive and sustainable workplaces.

Refreshments
Light refreshments will be served.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact Andreea.Tudor@bitc.org.uk, Regional Lead at BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Business Response Forum: Keeping Net Zero on Target
2025-04-01 10:00 - 11:00 | Online event
In response to recent member enquiries, BITC is hosting a one-hour online forum to explore and discuss the challenges around Net Zero.

About the event
The conversation around net zero targets is shifting rapidly. Sustainability leaders are feeling pressure coming from multiple angles including the changing international political landscape, the need to deliver value for shareholders, and evolving reporting requirements coming from the European Commission. There is also increasing scrutiny on how companies will achieve their net zero targets that they have committed to.

The session will be introduced by Gudrun Cartwright, BITC’s Climate Action Director, before members participate in breakout rooms designed to encourage peer-to-peer learning, discussion, and deeper engagement. To foster an open and candid exchange, the discussion will not be recorded and will follow Chatham House Rule.

This forum offers a valuable opportunity for members to:

Share insights on how businesses are affected by and responding to these challenges
Discuss adaptations to net zero strategies, reporting, and positioning
Learn from peers about best practices and evolving approaches

We hope you can join us for this important conversation.

This is an online event.

Audience
This event is open to all Business in the Community (BITC) member organisations and has been designed for Sustainability Leads. Registrations are limited to two places per organisation.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact Annette.Ettarh@BITC.org.uk, Event Manager, BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

BITC Cymru Senedd Event
2025-04-02 12:00 - 13:30 | Seminar Rooms, Pierhead Building, Cardiff, CF10 4PZ, United Kingdom
This is an in-person event.

Audience
This event is open to members and non-members

About the event
Join Business in the Community at this drop-in event for an update on BITC’s work in Wales, with a focus on their Pride of Place work tackling some of society’s biggest issues.
Sponsored by John Griffiths MS

Booking, Contact Deatils and Further Information

Contact sarah.hunter@bitc.org.uk at BITC for any questions
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event

Cross Organisational Mentoring Circle Closing Ceremony
2025-04-02 14:00 - 16:00 | London
Join mentors and mentees of the 13th Cohort to celebrate success together.

This is an invite only and in-person event
Audience
Open to all Business in the Community (BITC) members and non-members who have participated in the 13th Cohort of the Cross Organisational Mentorting Circle (COMC) programme.

Background
Cross-Organisational Mentoring Circles (COMC) creates a supportive space to connect Black, Asian, Mixed Race, and other ethnically diverse employees across our Responsible Business Network.
Participants are matched with professionals from different organisations to share experiences, challenges, and aspirations while working in mentoring circles. These circles are led by senior leaders from participating organisations, who facilitate conversations and learning over a six-month period.
Through this programme, your organisation can offer mentoring opportunities—either in addition to or in place of setting up your own programme—demonstrating your commitment to race equality, inclusion, and workplace diversity.

About the event
This in-person event brings mentors and mentees together as the programme draws to a close, to celebrate success, share experiences, and network across all circles.
Attendees will engage, reflect, and share with peers, while also thanking those who have supported them on this journey. They will hear from fellow mentors and mentees about their experiences in the mentoring circle programme. Our programme’s strategic lead will also share her reflections and summary of the programme, as well as guidance on the next steps for career progression following this initiative.

Agenda
14:00 – Arrival and networking
14:30 – Welcome and introduction
14:40 – Fireside chat with mentor and mentee speakers
15:10 – Interactive session
15:25 – Reflections
15:30 – Closing remarks
15:35 – Networking and refreshments
16:00 – Event close
Speakers
Mentor: Debola Ojo, Berkeley Group (Circle C)
Mentee: Sydney Alexander, London Borough of Lambeth (Circle C)
Mentee: Naheed Farooq, Royal Mail (Circle C)
Mentor: Serena Simon, Westminster City Council (Circle K)
Mentee: Amela Karamehmedovic, HSBC (Circle K)
Mentee: Savinder Kahlon, Royal Mail (Circle K)

Booking and contact details and further information

Contact Jessica Hart, Events Coordinator at BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Race at Work Charter Surgery April 2025
2025-04-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Online event
Join this event to learn more about insights from the Race at Work Charter survey, as well as the Diverse and Inclusive Supply Chain.

Audience
This event is open to members and non-members of Business in the Community (BITC). We also encourage those who are attending the ‘Executive Sponsors and Network Chairs’ Event on 21 March to attend this surgery.

Background
The Race at Work Charter surgeries are an opportunity for attendees to speak directly with Sandra Kerr CBE, Race Equality Director, BITC and ask any questions about the Charter, the survey, or race advisory support at BITC.
These surgeries benefit anyone wishing to sign or build on their organisation’s commitment to the Race at Work Charter.
This year our surgeries will touch on how to effectively integrate the Diverse and Inclusive Supply Chain Insights and calls to action into your existing frameworks to enhance your commitment to fairness and equality.

About the webinar
This surgery will offer attendees a chance for discussion around the Race at Work Charter including leadership and executive sponsorship and engaging employees within organisations. Additionally, we will touch upon the importance of a Diverse and Inclusive Supply Chain (DISC) and how it can enhance your organisation’s commitment to race equality.
This webinar will provide employers with a space to ask questions about the feedback available from the Race at Work Charter 2023 survey and the commitment to action that we ask of employers who have signed the Charter. We will also highlight the exciting opportunities with phase two of the Diverse and Inclusive Supply Chains project to advance the impact of inclusivity across your supply chain and organisational culture.

About the Race at Work Charter
The Race at Work Charter is seven calls to action to ensure fairness and equality so that ethnically diverse employees are represented at all levels in an organisation. The actions include:

Appoint an Executive Sponsor for race. Capture ethnicity data and publicise progress.
Commit at board level to zero tolerance of harassment and bullying.
Make clear that supporting equality in the workplace is the responsibility of all leaders and managers.
Take action that supports Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse people’s career progression.
Support race inclusion allies in the workplace.
Include Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse-led enterprise owners in supply chains.

Learn more about BITC’s Race at Work Charter.

Business in the Community’s work on race equality
BITC is working to ensure all employees feel they belong, have a voice, are valued and can be their true selves.
For 30 years, BITC has been campaigning and helping organisations to ensure Black, Asian, Mixed Race and ethnically diverse employees are represented at all levels.
All organisations want to recruit from the widest talent pool and help successful applicants progress. It is key to future productivity and performance. Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse staff still encounter significant disparities in employment and progression*. The government-sponsored Race in the workplace: The McGregor-Smith Review found that greater progress and positive outcomes are needed to ensure all organisations benefit from the wealth of diverse talent and tap into the potential economic boost to the UK economy of £24bn annually by tackling racial disparities in the workplace and labour market . These findings and the insights from our Race at Work surveys led BITC to create the Race at Work Charter, with 85 founding signatory organisations committed to improving equality of opportunity in the workplace. This charter now has more than 1100 signatories.
Find out more about BITC’s work on race equality.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact jessica.hart@bitc.org.uk, Events Coordinator at BITC for more information.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

References
*Business in the Community (2021) Race at Work 2021 Scorecard Report

Staff Networks Get Together: building an inclusive workplace
2025-04-23 11:00 - 13:30 | Glasgow
An exciting chance for Staff Network members focused on inclusion to connect with members from other businesses’ networks.

This is an in-person event
Audience
This event is open to all Business in the Community (BITC) members. It would be of interest to Employee Network Chairs/Co-Chairs, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Human Resources (HR) Practitioners, Business Leaders, and Employee Network Sponsors and liaisons. It is designed for anyone leading, involved in, working with, and/or supporting the work of Employee Networks.

Background
It was fed back by the audience at our Race events in June 2024 that there was currently no opportunity for staff networks to socialise with staff networks from other businesses and BITC had a unique opportunity to create such an event.

About the event
Join other Staff Network members, leads and executive sponsors focused on building an inclusive workplace from across BITC’s membership in Scotland, to share their experience of best practice and challenges.
Be inspired by our speakers who will discuss latest trends and themes and provide guidance on how to have greater impact with the activity your network deliver.
Engage with and learn from BITC issue experts on how to implement best practice in your business through interactive breakout discussions.

Refreshments
Tea, coffee and refreshments will be provided.

Booking and contact details and further information

Contact Annette Ettarh, Events Manager at BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Peer Learning Forum: Responsible Business Case
2025-04-29 10:00 - 11:30 | Online webinar, United Kingdom
In this interactive peer-learning forum, we’ll explore how to build a compelling business case for responsibility.

This is an online event.
Audience
Business in the Community (BITC) members who have advisory in their membership package. Our Peer Learning Forums (PLF) are now open to all members who have advisory in their membership package – hosted by our issue experts, there are 20 forums a year, covering a range of responsible business areas and enabling our members to discuss challenges, solutions and ideas.
This event is especially suited to managers and practitioners working in Responsible Business/ ESG.

Background
In today’s fast-changing world, responsibility isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic advantage. A strong business case helps companies secure investment, drive innovation, and build long-term resilience.
Companies that integrate responsibility into their strategy see higher financial returns, stronger stakeholder trust, and a lasting competitive edge. Customers, investors, and employees are demanding it—are you ready?
We’re excited to welcome Wendy Carter, Responsible Business Lead at Leeds Building Society, who will share expert insights on embedding responsibility into business strategy and driving measurable impact.

About the event
In this interactive peer-learning forum, we’ll explore how to build a compelling business case for responsibility. Through real-world insights, success stories, and breakout discussions, you’ll connect with like-minded professionals and gain the tools to turn responsibility into a driver of growth, impact, and resilience.

Booking and contact details and further information

Contact Annette.Ettarh@bitc.org.uk to inquire about event registration
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Employee Networks Forum
2025-04-30 10:00 - 13:30 | London
PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS NOW SOLD OUT.
Join us to celebrate and elevate the work of Employee Networks from across the UK and come together to discuss the impact they are making.

This is an in-person event
Audience
This event is open to Employee Network Chairs/Co-Chairs, DEI and HR Practitioners, Leaders, and Executive Network Sponsors. It is designed for everyone leading, involved in, working with, and/or supporting the work of Employee Networks

Background
Employee networks play a crucial role in fostering inclusive workplace cultures and have become vital to organisation’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ambitions. They provide a platform for diverse voices and drive organizational change.
The Employee Networks Forum 2025 aims to empower those involved in these networks, offering insights, strategies, and connections to enhance their effectiveness.
ERGs serve as important catalysts for community building within organizations. According to a McKinsey report (1) from 2022 on employee networks, 66% of employees believe that their ERG is effective at fostering a sense of community.
BITC has been training, supporting, and working with hundreds of employee networks. This summit has come about based on a need of bringing together network leads and creating a space for exchange, collaboration, peer support, and best practice insights.
(1) Mckinsey report (2022)

About This event
From fostering inclusivity, advancing diversity to driving innovation, advocacy and action, many organisations in the UK would not be where they are today if it wasn’t for the relentless and passionate work of employee networks.
The Employee Networks Forum 2025 is the premier gathering for professionals leading and supporting employee networks. It’s a celebration of the impact employee networks have had on workplaces from across the country.
Attendees will gain actionable insights from industry leaders, access the latest best practice, and network with peers. This summit will provide the space, tools and guidance to harness the full potential of employee networks.
Agenda
9.30am: Arrive from this time
10.00: Keynote Session
10.45: Breakout Session 1
11.15: Break
11.30: Breakout Session 2
12.15pm: Insights session
12.45 -1.30: Networking Lunch

Booking and contact details and further information

PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS NOW SOLD OUT
Contact Jessica.hart@bitc.org.uk, Events Coordinator at BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Nature and Resilience Insight Series
2025-05-06 10:00 - 11:30 | Online
This series will help businesses act on nature stewardship, connecting the dots with carbon, biodiversity, and resilience.

This is an online event.
Audience
This series is open to Business in the Community (BITC) members and non members.

About the event
Session One- Introduction to adaptation and TNFD
This introductory session will examine the relationship between climate and nature, with a focus on the role of international frameworks such as the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
The guest speakers include Ella Thomson, Sustainability Manager at OVO and Oliver Robinson, Director at Fola, who will share their learnings on how a leading energy company secured organisational buy-in to become an early adopter of the TNFD and the practical steps they have taken since.
The interactive session will include polls, a peer-learning Q&A and breakouts to maximise collaboration on business nature stewardship strategies.

Booking and contact details and further information

Contact Annette.Ettarh@bitc.org.uk , Event Manager, BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Business Response Roundtable: Navigating Challenges of EDI
2025-05-07 08:30 - 10:00 | London
Join us for an in-person, confidential, roundtable discussion for senior leaders to explore the increasing pushback on EDI policies.

This is an in-person event.
Audience
This event by invitation only and for HR Directors and Chief People Officers. If you would like to attend this event, please email Jenny.McLaren@bitc.org.uk.

About the event
In response to recent member enquiries, BITC is hosting an in-person, confidential, roundtable discussion for senior leaders to explore the shifting landscape of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and the increasing pushback on EDI policies, particularly in the US.
Breakfast will be available from 8:30am before the roundtable discussion takes place from 9 – 10am.
The session will be introduced by Sandra Kerr CBE, BITC’s Race Equality Director and Kirstene Hair, BITC’s Inclusion and Wellbeing Issue Director, before members participate in a facilitated discussion designed to enable peer-to-peer learning and deeper conversation. To foster an open and candid exchange, the discussion will follow Chatham House rules.
This event offers a valuable opportunity for members to:

Share insights on how businesses are responding to these challenges
Discuss adaptations to EDI strategies, language, and positioning
Learn from peers about best practices and evolving approaches

We hope you can join us for this important conversation.

Agenda
8:30 – Arrival, breakfast and networking
9:00 – Roundtable discussion
10:00 – Event close

Refreshments
Light refreshments will be served.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact Jenny.McLaren@bitc.org.uk, Events Manager at BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Peer Learning Forum: Carbon Reduction or a Just Transition
2025-05-08 10:00 - 11:30 | Online
Join us to discuss practical strategies for making this transition not only possible but just for all.

This is an online event.
Audience
Business in the Community (BITC) members who have advisory in their membership package. Our Peer Learning Forums (PLF) are now open to all members who have advisory in their membership package – hosted by our issue experts, there are 20 forums a year, covering a range of responsible business areas and enabling our members to discuss challenges, solutions and ideas.

About the event
As the world grapples with the urgent need for climate action, the conversation must go beyond simply reducing emissions. A Just Transition ensures that the shift towards a sustainable future is inclusive, fair, and considers the needs of workers and communities, as well as considering those who have been previously excluded from the labour market.
This Peer Learning Forum will explore how we can move from a mindset of mere reduction to a holistic transition—one that prioritises social equity, economic resilience, and environmental sustainability.
This event is part of a two-part series, with the second Peer Learning Forum taking place on 19th June, ‘Ensuring a Just Transition.’

About Business in the Community’s Peer Learning Forums
BITC’s Peer Learning Forums provide a confidential environment to discuss common issues, solutions, and good practice. There will be an emphasis on discussion and sharing experiences. All contributions from businesses will be confidential within the group and won’t be shared externally by BITC.
Booking and contact details and further information

Contact Jessica Hart, Event Coordinator, BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Opening Doors Forum: Supporting Young People Into Work
2025-05-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Join other Opening Doors signatories to share challenges, learnings, experience and best practice on opening doors to diverse talent.

This is an online event.
Audience
Open to both members and non-members of Business in the Community (BITC). This event would be of interest to employers seeking to support young people of diverse backgrounds into work.

Background
Inclusive recruitment is more than a moral imperative, it’s becoming a business imperative. Businesses that succeed will benefit from a larger, more diverse talent pool, increased innovation, and improved employee retention. Research from the Boston Consulting Group found that organisations with above-average diversity levels generate 19% points more revenue from innovation (BCG, 2018).
Compared to other forms of discrimination, ethnic discrimination presents the biggest barrier for young people entering work, with three in ten ethnically diverse NEET young people citing discrimination as their biggest barrier to work (YFF). With recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing almost 1 million young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK not in education, employment, or training (NEET) and significant disparities in NEET levels by racial group (Black Caribbean young people are twice as likely as White young people to be NEET, YFF), this session will explore insights on why and how businesses can support young ethnic minority people in their transition into the workforce, ensuring that recruitment processes are inclusive and accessible for all.

About the event
In this year’s Black Inclusion Week, join us for an insightful webinar designed for talent acquisition leads, hiring managers and business leaders committed to building inclusive workplaces. Participants will share challenges, learnings, and best practices on supporting young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) into the workforce. The session will provide the chance to:

Gain best practice insights from businesses leading on effective strategies for reaching, attracting and recruiting young ethnic minority people into your workforce.
Learn from leading businesses about how they create inclusive opportunities for young talent.
Engage in discussions on the challenges and opportunities of recruiting and retaining young, diverse talent.

Guest speaker
Karima Khandker, Director of Resourcing, Skills, Learning and Development, Thames Water

Booking and contact details and further information

Contact events@bitc.org.uk for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Business Response Forum: The UK Supreme Court Ruling
2025-05-13 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
This event is now fully booked, please email events@bitc.org.uk to join the waiting list.

This is an online event.

In response to the recent UK Supreme Court ruling, Business in the Community (BITC) is hosting a one-hour, confidential, online listening forum for member businesses.

Audience
This event is open to all BITC member organisations and has been designed for HR Leads and EDI Leads. Registrations are limited to two places per organisation.

About the event
In the absence of statutory guidance, this Business Response Forum fosters a space for members to listen, reflect and share emerging concerns about the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers.
Businesses navigating uncertainty about upholding their equitable and inclusive practice are encouraged to come together in this vital, trusted space to explore potential implications. This forum reflects BITC’s commitment to stand alongside our members as we work through this change, utilising member insight to shape our guidance going forward.
While we await the release of finalised statutory guidance, this session welcomes discussion of member concern which will be used to inform BITC’s subsequent guidance and support. To foster an open and candid exchange, the discussion will not be recorded and follow Chatham House rules.
This forum offers a vital opportunity for our members to:

Share insight on how businesses are considering the UK Supreme Court ruling

Discuss potential implications in upholding inclusive intent and equality

Connect with peers on co-creating best practice response and evolving approaches

We hope you can join us for this important conversation.

Background
The UK Supreme Court ruling on the 16th of April has created confusion for responsible businesses committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in their organisation. Amidst the complexity of legal interpretations, there is some risk of stalling the progression towards inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive authentically.
We know our members are committed to doing the right thing, even when the landscape shifts. Legal uncertainty and public debate can undermine the psychological safety of marginalised groups. This Forum is an opportunity to share emerging thinking, hear member concerns, and begin shaping the support and guidance we will provide going forward.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact events@BITC.org.uk for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Race at Work Charter Surgery May 2025
2025-05-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Online event

Peer Learning Forum: Social Value - Are We There Yet?
2025-05-15 10:00 - 11:30 | Online
Join us to discuss current risks, opportunities and trends as we continue on a journey to deliver Social Value.

This is an online event that will take place on Microsoft Teams.
Audience
Business in the Community (BITC) members who have advisory in their membership package. Our Peer Learning Forums (PLF) are now open to all members who have advisory in their membership package – hosted by our issue experts, there are 20 forums a year, covering a range of responsible business areas and enabling our members to discuss challenges, solutions and ideas.

About the event
Social Value has been shaping public procurement since the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, evolving through frameworks like the National TOMs (2016), created to increase consistency and understanding for Local Authorities, and the Social Value Model released in 2020. Now, with the National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) 2023 aligning with the Procurement Act 2023, we ask: Are we there yet?
Whilst there can be no doubt that getting more for our tax pounds is a win for everyone and Social Value presents a good and useful way, beyond cost, of comparing tenders, challenges remain—fragmented approaches, inconsistent measurement, and businesses grappling to evidence social impact through a system that rewards quick wins. But what if, through consistency and collaboration, we could drive meaningful change—lifting communities out of poverty while delivering public services that truly work?
In this Peer Learning Forum we will explore current risks, opportunities, and trends. We will discuss engaging colleagues across the business, engaging with suppliers and clients through partnership working, being proactive as well as responsive, and investing to create change.

About Business in the Community’s Peer Learning Forums
BITC’s Peer Learning Forums provide a confidential environment to discuss common issues, solutions, and good practice. There will be an emphasis on discussion and sharing experiences. All contributions from businesses will be confidential within the group and won’t be shared externally by BITC.
Booking and contact details and further information

Contact Jessica Hart , Event Coordinator, BITC for any further questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Senior Leaders Breakfast
2025-05-20 08:00 - 09:30 | London
This event provides the opportunity to share your experiences, successes and ideas regarding the key challenges facing the world and society.

This is an in person event.

Audience

This event is by invitation only and for senior leaders.

Background

As part of Business in the Community’s work in supporting businesses to drive transformation at pace and scale in our communities, we are holding a series of Senior Leaders Breakfast events.

About the event

These informal, private discussions over breakfast will form a key part of the national conversation initiated by BITC’s Lifting up the UK: State of the Nation 2024 report, which detailed the thoughts of the leaders of some of the UK’s largest businesses on what has been done and what is still needed to change the world around us. As such, they provide senior leaders with the opportunity to share their experiences, successes and ideas regarding key challenges in the world and society today, as well as the action that can collectively be taken to make a positive difference and change the world around us.

If you are unable to join this date we are also holding more breakfasts in the coming months, to join another date instead, click here.

Refreshments

Breakfast will be served.

Booking, contact details and further information

Contact Fiona Macleod, Head of Events at BITC for any further questions.

Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community

Resilient Business Networks Webinar
2025-05-20 10:30 - 11:30 | Online
Join our launch to hear about the critical role of business networks in strengthening community resilience and the next steps.

This is an online event.
Background
Through our partnership with Greater London Authority’s Resilience Unit, Business in the Community (BITC) is pleased to launch an insightful report into the critical role of business networks in strengthening community resilience and the opportunity for deeper engagement with Local Resilience Forums (LRF’s).
While businesses are essential in emergency preparedness and response, their involvement has been hindered by low awareness, resource limitations and competing priorities. This study identifies key opportunities to integrate businesses into resilience planning and equip them with the tools needed to be proactive contributors to the ‘whole of society’ approach to resilience set out in the UK Government resilience framework.

About the event
BITC, alongside Greater London Authority’s Resilience Unit, will be presenting the findings and recmomendations from the report. The five focus areas will be sharing their next steps for their localities.
Event 10:30-11:30am
There will be also be a Q&A at the end

Contact details

Contact programmes@bitc.org.uk for further information and questions.
Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Let's Care Together - Programme Introduction (for Employers)
2025-05-20 12:00 - 13:00 | Online event
This webinar is for employers and wellbeing leads to introduce our new virtual befriending initiative to support carer’s wellbeing.

Audience
This virtual event is open to employers, wellbeing leads and employee carer networks.
Background
Business in the Community (BITC) and leading healthcare provider Simplyhealth, have come together to co-create the Let’s Care Together programme.
Research shows that unpaid carers have worse wellbeing outcomes than non-carers, and are likely to be time-poor due to their caring responsibilities*. The programme aims to support carers by streamlining access to resources and providing practical support across the four pillars of wellbeing: Physical, Mental, Social and Financial. This support will include helping people with caring responsibilities to connect with friends and family, community groups and wider support, find wellbeing information and gain financial confidence.
Our volunteer befrienders will work on a one-to-one basis with each carer on one or all of the following, depending on their preference: ​

Increasing connection to their local community, improving overall social wellbeing and reducing any feelings of isolation. ​
Supporting financial independence and knowledge of financial tools/support available.​
Access to practical support and tools for their physical wellbeing. ​
Being a regular listening ear and friendly face to offer support and guidance.​

About this event
In this webinar you will learn how our Let’s Care Together programme can support unpaid carers (over 18) with their wellbeing, through pairing them with an online befriender.
Join this session to learn more about how your beneficiaries, or colleagues with caring responsibilities could benefit from the programme.
Speakers
Usha Manojkanth – BITC Programme Manager
Simon Walters – BITC Programme Manager
Michelle Brannen – BITC Programme Manager

Booking, contact details and further information

Email care@bitc.org.uk, for any further questions
Please hold the date in your diary
The session will take place on Teams
Joining instructions will be sent before the event

About Business in the Community
Business in the Community is the largest and longest-established movement dedicated to responsible business in the UK, formed in 1982 and with HM The King as our Royal Founding Patron. Together with our network of businesses we are leading the UK to create a fair and sustainable world in which to live and work.

*Carers UK 2022 – Unpaid carers continue to suffer poorer health- with some groups adversely affected.
