Pride of Place: Sheffield - Business in the Community
Learn how Pride of Place: Sheffield is brokering cross-sector relationships to tackle the challenge of social mobility.

Pride of Place: Sheffield

Pride of Place: Sheffield

Business in the Community’s Pride of Place programme unites businesses, councils, charities and communities to tackle entrenched social and economic challenges. Working in UK communities facing high deprivation, it supports local partners to create and deliver a shared vision for the future, driving collaboration, investment and action so more people can thrive in a place they call home. 

The Pride of Place programme
The Sheffield Leadership Board

What is Sheffield Pride of Place?

Business in the Community’s Sheffield Pride of Place programme is a business-led cross-sector partnership, bringing together employers, local council leaders, and community organisations to drive long-term, transformative change across the city. Established in 2019, Sheffield Pride of Place celebrates and harnesses the city’s economic strengths while tackling persistent inequalities.

Why Sheffield?

Sheffield is the second largest city in the Yorkshire and Humber region, with a population of around 580,000 and an economy worth approximately £15.7 billion. The city’s rich industrial heritage gives it an international reputation for manufacturing and engineering, alongside thriving digital, tech, creative, cultural, and independent sectors. Sheffield is widely recognised as one of the greenest cities in the UK and is home to the largest theatre complex outside London and two world class universities.

However, Sheffield is now a stratified city, with the benefits of large urban developments in its centre often out of reach for many of its residents. By 2040, the city aspires to be a place that inspires – where connection and innovation shape an inclusive and sustainable future for all.

pride of place: Sheffield

Our strategic priorities

Social Mobility

Provide equity of opportunity for all, empowering individuals and communities to realise their full potential and improve their future.

Economy

Foster an equitable, robust, and adaptable economic climate that delivers shared prosperity and opportunity for all.

Infrastructure

Develop a resilient, inclusive, and well-connected city that strengthens the quality of life for all while fostering a sustainable and thriving environment.

Our impact to date

Our key achievements since 2019 are:

  • Delivering more than 503 interventions/projects
  • Connecting with and benefitting 90+ voluntary organisation
  • Establishing 600 employers in the network
  • Engaging 16,000 young people last year in educational outreach through See it Be it
  • Providing in kind value to the city in excess of 1 million pounds

The Sheffield Pride of Place Prospectus

Business in the Community’s Sheffield Pride of Place Partnership has launched the Sheffield Pride of Place Prospectus 2025-2035 at the House of Lords. The Prospectus acts as a useful tool to demonstrate that Sheffield is open for business, uniting diverse leaders around a shared vision for the city’s future. The Prospectus asks government and businesses to work together to accelerate Sheffield’s economic growth, drive greater social mobility for local people, and enable more resilient infrastructure fit for the future.

Download the Sheffield Prospectus

Case studies from Sheffield

Greening school playgrounds in Sheffield to improve children’s health and wellbeing

Alongside Sheffield Business Together and other partners, we are greening school spaces to combat urban air pollution. From green barriers to wild gardens and vegetable plots, these collaborative projects reduce exposure to harmful pollutants while creating vibrant, educational outdoor environments.

Learn more

The King’s Seeing is Believing visit to Sheffield in June 2023

The King’s Seeing is Believing visit to Sheffield brings together senior business leaders in small groups to re-connect with communities across the UK and see first-hand the challenges people face in under-resourced communities. The visit resulted in initiatives including IKEA’s collaboration with Shelter and Tesco’s new apprenticeship scheme.

Learn more

See it Be it (SIBI) educational outreach programme

See It Be It (SIBI) is a powerful Sheffield City Council programme that connects businesses with young people to raise career aspirations and improve future prospects. Supported by companies like Aviva and Henry Boot, the Pride of Place board is helping to expand the SIBI programme’s reach and impact.

Learn more

Restoring dignity and hope to victims of human trafficking

Sheffield Business Together teamed up with the Chamber of Commerce and City Hearts to support survivors of modern slavery. The campaign raised the profile of City Hearts, fostered new business connections, and secured media coverage, strengthening community ties and offering vital help to survivors on their journey toward freedom.

Learn more

Local businesses support the Shirecliffe Early Years Research (EYRC) nursery

Sheffield Hallam University teamed up with Watercliffe Meadow Primary, Save the Children UK and Sheffield City Council to create a unique research nursery in Shirecliffe, a community experiencing significant disadvantage. Support from organisations like Henry Boot, John Lewis, ToyBank and Aviva has provided resources and a community link worker to help empower families, avoid crisis and improve outcomes for children.

Learn more

Our Sheffield Pride of Place Leadership Board

Our work is led by our local Pride of Place Partnerships – a cross-sector senior leadership board which sets the strategic direction for our work, mobilises their workforce to support with delivery of activities and acts as an advocate for the programme both regionally and locally. The Sheffield Leadership Board is chaired by Tim Roberts.

Tim Roberts

Sheffield Board Chair & Chief Executive Officer, Henry Boot PLC

Niall Baker

Partner, Irwin Mitchell

Gemma Barlow

Head of Strategic Partnerships, Sheffield Hallam University

Louisa Harrison-Walker

Chief Executive, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce

Kate Josephs CB

CEO, Sheffield City Council

Javed Khan

Yorkshire Place Director, Business in the Community

Yasmin Knight

Assistant Director of Partnerships and Regional Engagement, University of Sheffield

Emma Latimer

Executive Place Director, NHS Integrated Care Board

Beth Longden

Regional Director & Principal Account Lead, Mott MacDonald

Carolynn McConnell

Place Lead Sheffield, Business in the Community

Andy Milner

Chief Executive Officer,
Amey

David Schofield

Sustainability Director,
Aviva

Martin Singer

Chief Executive, South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF)

Olivier Tsemo

CEO, Sheffield And District African Caribbean Community Association (SADACCA)

Sheffield is better when we come together. Explore the ways you can get involved in Sheffield.

If you are a like-minded business who wants to drive long term transformation in the city and work with us to address the challenges facing our people and communities, contact us and inquire about joining our Sheffield Pride of Place board.

Contact the Sheffield Pride of Place board

If you are looking for on the ground opportunities to deliver social value and work with charities, community groups and schools then join Sheffield Business together (SBT). SBT is a responsible business network with 600 members. Since 2023 SBT has been co-funded and delivered in partnership with Sheffield Chamber of Commerce with support from the Sheffield Property Association.

SBT’s focus areas are:

  • Education Outreach – continuing our partnership with See it Be it to engage employers with young people in schools, colleges, and alternative provision settings to bring the world of work to life, raise aspirations, and improve their life chances.
  • Environment – creating climate-resilient schools and building green barriers to combat air pollution.
  • Social Action – sharing resources and expertise alongside collaborating on projects that have legacy and impact to support charities/community groups and schools in under-resourced areas.

Whatever your time commitment and focus we have a pipeline of opportunities you can support to deliver real social impact in our great city.

Learn more

Sheffield is delighted to be the first place to launch the successful Business in the Community opening doors campaign. The simple, evidence based 5 keys to inclusive recruitment allows all employers regardless of size and sector to join the campaign and work with us to create a culture of inclusive recruitment across the city. We will provide expert support to help you recruit more inclusively through opening doors forums, peer learning, sharing of resources and case studies.

Contact the Opening Doors team

FAQs

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How can businesses get involved in Sheffield Pride of Place?

Businesses can get involved by joining the Sheffield Pride of Place board, supporting inclusive recruitment initiatives, participating in educational outreach programmes, volunteering expertise, mentoring young people or collaborating on city-wide regeneration projects.

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What is the See it Be it Sheffield programme?

See it Be it Sheffield is a careers and educational outreach initiative that connects employers with schools and young people to raise aspirations and improve career opportunities. The programme supports meaningful employer encounters, workplace experiences and careers education across Sheffield schools and colleges.

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Why is Sheffield an important focus for BITC?

Sheffield is one of the UK’s largest cities, with strengths in manufacturing, engineering, digital innovation, education and culture. However, the city also faces significant inequalities, with many communities experiencing deprivation, lower social mobility and health disparities. The Pride of Place programme works to address these challenges through place-based collaboration.

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What does BITC mean by ‘Place-Making’?  

BITC defines place-making as long-term and transformational change in a particular geographic location. For us, it is underpinned by some core principles: 

  • Collaboration – bringing together business, public and VCSE sectors
  • Business leadership – senior business leaders working together on a shared agenda
  • Community-needs-led: based on the priorities and needs of the Place, as defined by the people in the place. 

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Learn what we do to convene business leaders from across the UK, grow the economy and drive a better future for people, place, and planet.
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A special thank you to Marketing Sheffield for the image assets provided for the Sheffield Pride of Place page. Further credit to the photographers of each photo provided by Marketing Sheffield: Sheffield Tram and Bridge Photo – ©Doug Banks Photography, City Centre Garden – ©Doug Banks Photography, City Centre wide shot – ©Doug Banks Photography, Cambridge Street Food Collective – ©Pete Hill, Crucible Theatre – ©Doug Banks Photography, “Everything is different today” site gallery – ©Vox Multimedia, Sheffield aerial view – Hove & co for Marketing Sheffield, Sheffield street art – ©Vox Multimedia, & Leah’s Yard in Sheffield City Centre – ©Vox Multimedia.