Business leaders convene in Rhondda Cynon Taf to address low employment rates 

Business leaders from a range of sectors were brought together in the Rhondda Cynon Taf region to see first-hand the challenges facing those living and working in the region and develop long-term and impactful solutions to these challenges. 

Business in the Community (BITC) has today brought senior business leaders from a range of organisations across the UK together in the Rhondda Cynon Taf region as part of BITC’s flagship The King’s Seeing is Believing programme. The visit enabled business leaders to understand the challenges facing people living and working in the area, with regard to low employment, especially among young people, and low social mobility rates. The visit allowed business leaders to see how they can come up with innovative, long-term solutions to address these challenges and support those experiencing them. 

Led by Julie-Ann Haines, Chief Executive of Principality Building Society, the visit was attended by business leaders from organisations including Principality Building Society, GE Aerospace (Wales), Football Association Wales, International Baccalaureate, University of South Wales, Network Rail, and Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. 

The visit comes as data shows that 27 of Wales’ 10% most deprived areas are located in Rhondda Cynon Taf, accounting for 17.5% of Lower-layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) in the region,^[2] while more than a quarter of children under 16 in Rhondda Cynon Taf live in relative low-income families.^[3] Data also shows the unemployment rate in the Rhondda region is at 4.3%, higher than the Wales average of 3.6% and the UK average of 3.9%.^[4] Furthermore, the rate of economic inactivity among the population of Rhondda is 32%, far higher than the Wales average of 23.9% and the UK average of 21.6%.^[5]

During the visit, business leaders visited community organisations around the Rhondda Cynon Taf region, including: 

Julie-Ann Haines, Chief Executive of Principality Building Society, said:  

“With nearly a quarter of children in Rhondda Cynon Taf living in relative low-income families, it has never been more important to support both young people and adults in the region to promote better upwards social mobility. The community organisations that we visited today are already doing such important work on the ground to support the people who live and work in Wales. It is encouraging to see the willingness of business leaders to support the vital work already being done on the ground to support the communities they operate in.” 

Tracy Rees, Wales Director at Business in the Community, said:   

Our Pride of Place programme has been in Rhondda Cynon Taf for over a year, and we are delighted to be hosting our first Seeing is Believing visit there, convening businesses to co-create practical immediate, and more strategic long-term solutions to the challenges facing the region. The King’s Seeing is Believing programme is a powerful portrayal of the willingness of business leaders to commit to long-term impact in their local communities. Over the years that Business in the Community has run the programme, we have seen time and again the importance of collaboration between businesses, local government, and community organisations to address the challenges facing their communities. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of this visit, that are sure to make impactful change at pace and scale.

The King’s Seeing is Believing programme was established by the then Prince of Wales in 1990. The programme, supported by Salesforce and Linklaters LLP, was born from a simple but powerful belief that the best way to close the gap between the boardroom and the community was to take business leaders out to the communities and, through the power of experiential learning, to inspire and challenge participants. The visits are designed to encourage business leaders to think strategically about the implications for their own businesses and the practical actions that can be taken in response, leading to meaningful and sustained impact for both businesses and communities. To date, over 25,000 business leaders have taken part in the King’s Seeing is Believing programme which has led to various initiatives being set up including Career Ready, Ban the Box and mentoring circles in collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions.    

Ends

Notes to the editor

Photos of the visit are available upon request. 

For further information, please contact Polly Dacam, Press Officer, on 020 7566 6638.

References

About Business in the Community

Business in the Community is the UK’s largest and most influential responsible business network dedicated to building a fairer and greener world together, supported by His Majesty the King for over 40 years. We inspire, engage and challenge purposeful leaders to take practical action to mobilise their collective strength as a force for good in society.  

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