News / BeOnBoard
Disrupting the leadership status quo
A “game-changing” new pilot project “aims to break through barriers and disrupt the leadership status quo”.
Aspire from BeOnBoard hopes to increase representation across the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector.
“Countless reports point to the same issue of our boardrooms and senior management teams being snowy white peaks of power and white privilege,” says BeOnBoard’s Laura Morin-Quintal.
“However, because of systematic barriers baked in under the guise of ‘business as usual’ an unequal and unrepresentative balance of power continues in these positions.
“BeOnBoard was born to tackle this problem head on by advancing people of colour who aspire to step up as a trustee or board member.
“Aspire is a new and game-changing pilot project funded by the National Lottery. Aspire aims to break through barriers and disrupt the leadership status quo by diversifying boards with people of colour to increase representation across the VCSE sector.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNuP34QlWB8
Officially launching soon, Aspire hopes to eventually collaborate with four organisations committed to diversifying their boards as well as eight candidates of colour aspiring to become trustees.
Aspire will support the eight emerging and established trustees of colour to help them advance and accelerate their boardroom careers.
And for the four organisations, Aspire hopes to help them to diversify their boards while increasing their ability to lead with inclusion.
“With the momentum of Colston’s statue coming down, BLM and the sector looking to recover from Covid-19, now is the perfect time to increase diversity of thought and lived experience across our city’s boardrooms,” Laura Morin-Quintal adds.
“And given the recent headlines associated with Yorkshire County Cricket Club, maintaining the status quo is no longer an option.
“By delivering on diversity, you will reduce risks to your reputation, enhance relevance, resilience, and revenue, whilst supporting the recruitment and retention of talent.”
For more information, visit www.beonboard.co.uk/aspire
Main photo: Wikimedia Commons
Read more: ‘Diversity should never be seen as a tick-box exercise’
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