Diversity In Practice Updates 2 - Summer Events
Sabrina Shadie 
Sharing professional experiences and insights from a range of events and opportunities in the diversity space.
Welcome to our second Diversity In Practice Update!
As usual we have been keeping busy and promoting values based business and projects. Please join me in celebrating that both D'Rose and Diverse Business Network are now signatories of the Charter for Inclusive Entrepreneurship. Led by Nottingham University Business School, the charter requires organisations to commit to and promote the principles of inclusive business practices.
We have been enjoying a wonderful summer of attending speaking events and meeting new people. Getting to work with my handsome and supportive husband building our businesses, travelling around speaking at events or just attending to learn, share and expand our community.
From hosting a high-power panel discussion at the Birmingham Black Business Show in June. Where we explored cultural isolation in leadership spaces for global majority executives. This is a recurring topic in the community and we hope to provide a webinar on how we can work together to address this to achieve more collaborative outcomes.
It was particularly special as so many of our DBN community members and connections were in attendance or exhibiting at the event. Get in touch to put your name down for the DBN members tickets, for the UK Black Business Show in London in October - diversebusinessnetowkr@outlook.com
To the wonderful RACE Summit at UCL in London on 12th July discussing the intersection of Environmental sustainability and diversity action. With attendance from a lot of UK environmental charities and NGOs and discussions about how to implement the existing research like the Route Map Towards Greater Ethic Diversity. And the electric energy of the young people from Students Organising for Sustainability I am confident that change is coming.
Attending the third UK Black Business Entrepreneurs Conference was another fun and engaging day, with data from the accompanying report shared in relation to the economic value of Black British business and leadership. We got to connect and reconnect with other entrepreneurs, met some amazing small business owners with exciting products which incorporate ethics, sustainability and wellbeing.
To the Milton Keynes Education Awards where we sponsored a table so one of the EDI finalists Q:Alliance (a queer youth work charity) could attend the awards.
Sadly, they didn’t win but we did have a fun packed evening surrounded by educators from across the region. It was also a great way to launch D’Rose Ethics & Equity Academy our accredited training platform.
To the UnderOne Festival at the University of Northampton where we got to finally meet the inspiring powerhouse that is Hannah Litt, in person. We also connected with a range of other like-minded people from across the UK all working towards equitable outcomes.
I hosted a leadership forum on the topic of how to apply principles of Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity work. With regulations changing in the UK and Europe raising awareness of organisation’s obligations and sharing ways to achieve good practice by establishing values-based equity approaches, was a great way to spend an afternoon in a marquee on the university campus.
I am in the process of developing some training to support businesses with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and we will be releasing content linked to establishing effective and ethical Equality Data processes, with the aim of preparing to report on gender, ethnicity and disability. Watch this space!
So far, I have enjoyed a wonderful summer, even if the weather has been a bit patchy. I have met some inspiring and sensational individuals, been treated to tasty lunches and snacks, discovered new places and innovative use of space, learnt about small businesses making a difference in their communities and I have connected with other passion driven change makers from across the UK and the globe.
My aim for the summer was to step up and step out. Be the champion and the advocate for the valuable work we do and share the love of people and planet. I feel like I have succeeded.
The Diversity in Practice community is all about bringing together a range of Diversity Professionals from various sectors and specialisms, to provide support and share good practice. If you would be interested to join our free DIP monthly community calls, which are for anyone working in the diversity space, please register using the link.
We have also been creating more social media spaces for our community to engage together. You can follow us on Facebook D'Rose Academy or in our Facebook Diversity in Practice Group. We also have our Instragram page drose_academy we would appreciate your support and patronship.
Have a wonderful week and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes,
Sabrina
