We’ve re-launched an Ethnicity Advisory Council which will guide and support us on our ethnicity and inclusion strategy. Made up of diversity & inclusion leaders and specialists from across different industries including journalism, business and education, the Council members will draw on their expertise and experience to provide critical challenge, guidance and direction on our inclusion plans, specifically around ethnicity.
In October 2020 our Racial Equality Taskforce published a report, Banking on Racial Equality: A Roadmap for Positive Change (PDF 3MB), which set out ten commitments and a new target (PDF 38KB) from NatWest Group designed to make meaningful, positive change for our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic colleagues, customers and communities.
This work built on the progress we’d already made since 2015 to create a more inclusive and diverse culture. We recently published an update on progress on our commitments six months on since they were launched.
Our Ethnicity Advisory Council, which was originally formed in 2017 and has been refreshed and relaunched this year, will support us in delivering our commitments and targets, helping us to champion potential and remove barriers faced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic colleagues, customers and communities.
Newly appointed members of our Ethnicity Advisory Council:
- Angela Chan - Documentary director, commissioning editor. Lecturer and doctoral researcher at Royal Holloway University.
- Dennis Owusu-Sem - Founder of Success Talks, a platform which showcases Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic leaders across the UK and beyond.
- Minaxi Mistry - Founder and CEO of Equality Leaders. Board member, Historic Royal Palaces and the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith
- Oliver Franklin OBE - Senior adviser to next generation financial services companies, Co-founder of The City Fellows scheme and the third Honorary British Consul for Greater Philadelphia
- Sandra Kerr CBE - National Campaign Director for Business in the Community’s Race Equality campaign
- Sarah Garrett MBE - Writer and CEO of SPM Ltd. Runs the British LGBT Awards, Investing in Ethnicity and Race, and Opportunities 4 women
- Zara Janjua - Presenter, journalist, writer, producer and actor
Our Ethnicity Advisory Council also includes internal representation:
- Simon McNamara, Group Chief Administrative Officer and Nigel Prideaux, Chief Communications Officer, who are both Exec sponsors the bank’s Multicultural Network
- Yinka Fadina, Shamraz Begum and Samuel Okafor - Co-Leads of our Racial Equality Taskforce
- Liam Fogarty - Diversity & Inclusion Consultant
- Anna Ferguson - Legal, Governance and Regulatory Affairs
Simon McNamara, Group Chief Administrative Officer and Chair of the Council said: “Launching our Ethnicity Advisory Council is another important step in our journey to becoming an ethnically diverse organisation which champions the potential of people from all cultures, faiths and backgrounds. We want to embrace inclusivity to help people thrive. We can learn so much from such a diverse group of external advisors and I’m delighted to be a part of this to help shape our thinking and guide our actions to make a positive impact.”
