CBI

Back in February 2021 we announced that US2U Consulting was one of 75 UK businesses to sign up to the Change the Race Ratio initiative. The idea of Lord Bilimoria, pictured with Rachel Blackburn, was to grasp the moment to create real and lasting change to improve the racial and ethnic diversity across company boards and senior leadership positions in UK businesses.

There are currently 100 signatories for the initiative and all were invited to a Reception on the Thames at Tower Bridge Quay, London, hosted by the British Television Presenter June Sarpong OBE. Key points from the various speakers who presented during the evening included:

• Only 20% of FTSE 100 companies have signed up to the Change the Race Ratio

• There are still no FTSE 100 companies with a black Chairperson, Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer

• When recruiting, to make a statement along the lines of "We embrace diversity but won't compromise on merit" can be seen as patronising and an inappropriate comment - as it's assumed that the best candidate will not be from an ethnic minority

• Black people who are capable to do key roles may feel like an "imposter" and may benefit from a mentor or sponsor to help them navigate the career ladder

Lord Bilimoria said "It's a dream come true to have this evening; it's proven that to have more diverse senior leadership makes good business sense as more diversity leads to more innovation."

To find out how we can help your organisation develop its Diversity and Inclusion strategies, please contact Rachel Blackburn at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for an exploratory conversation.

What is the future of work? Rachel Blackburn attends CBI Future of Work Conference to learn how the world of work has changed and what solution can be implemented for the challenges ahead

US2U Consulting Director Rachel Blackburn attended the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) Future of Work Conference in London on 1 March 2023 to understand how external drivers such as the pandemic have impacted the world of work in the current and future economy.

The aim of the conference was to bring the CBI community together and challenge members' ideas of what they think the future of work looks like. The audience also heard from key speakers on how to ensure their business strategies align with building a work environment fit for purpose. Keynote speeches also explained why the future of work is changing, giving example such as an aging population and technology advancements - and how this has contributed to the new principles of the labour market.

Throughout this conference there were also several discussions on leadership and whether senior management are ready for the new factors contributing to the change of work. There were also discussions on reskilling employees rather than rehiring, and how hybrid and remote working have been introduced globally since the pandemic.

Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, was also one of the keynote speakers in attendance, talking about how employers should apply innovative policies to increase productivity and to ask employees how they think their employers should manage flexible working.

Overall, this was an insightful conference learning about the future of work. It emphasised how today's jobs and work processes need to modernise and improve in order to produce a thriving economy, and how organisations such as US2U Consulting can assist with this.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how US2U Consulting can make a positive difference to your organisation and help your employees to achieve their goals.

We have also produced a summary of key Future of Work points from the CBI conference which is free to download. Access this below and let us know what you think:

US2U Consulting - CBI Future of Work Summary Points March 2023

Rachel Blackburn attended a CBI (Confederation of British Industry) meeting on Cannon Street in London on 23 February 2023 to discuss the Change The Race Ratio Campaign that US2U Consulting has been a key signatory of since 2021 (read more about this here).

The purpose of this movement is to campaign for race equity and encouraging diversity in leadership and senior management positions - which US2U Consulting has always been passionate about as one of our core values. We offer a variety of Diversity and Inclusion-focused services, with our Diversity and Inclusion language quiz being one of our activities on this topic. Read and have a go at this here - let us know how you get on!

Richard DeNetto (pictured with Rachel) was one of the key speakers at this meeting in his role as a Race Change Equity Agent.

Overall, this CBI meeting was helpful for members to discuss the topic of race equity within a variety of industries, and how an inclusive culture can help any type of business thrive.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how we can support your organisation's Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities strategies.

US2U Consulting Founder and Director Rachel Blackburn has been elected to join the East of England CBI (Confederation of British Industry) Council from 1st January 2021. The CBI's mission is to promote the conditions in which businesses of all sizes and sectors in the UK can compete and prosper for the benefit of all. It speaks for about 190,000 businesses - together employing around a third of the private sector workforce. The businesses comprise the UK's largest network of FTSE 100 companies and large businesses, as well as mid-caps, SMEs and trade associations.

Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE DL, President of the CBI, said, "Congratulations on joining the CBI's Council, everyone here greatly values the contribution our Council members make. For 2021 with the UK business community facing real challenges from Brexit to overcoming COVID, your voice will be more important than ever at the CBI. Your contribution to the CBI Council will have a real impact and influence on our work and I hope over your term we are able to share some vital insights and intelligence that help both you and your business develop and grow. Thank you for your time and commitment to this important role."

Rachel said, "As we plan for 2021 it has never been more important for business and government to proactively work together to lift our productivity, renew our infrastructure, solve our skills gap and invest in new technology. Having been a management consultant for over 20 years working with a wide range of businesses in the UK and overseas, I am looking forward to the opportunity for US2U Consulting to play a leading role in influencing the policy landscape at a local and national level. I also recognise that I enable the East of England CBI Council to strengthen its Diversity and Inclusion practices."

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any specific points with Rachel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

As an elected member of the East of England Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Rachel Blackburn attended the quarterly regional meeting followed by the annual dinner at The Graduate Hotel in Cambridge. Lord Bilimoria, pictured with Rachel, attended the dinner and made the keynote speech. Karan Faridoon Bilimoria, Baron Bilimoria, CBE, DL, FCA is a British Indian entrepreneur, life peer in the UK House of Lords, and a university chancellor.

He founded the global beer brand Cobra Beer and currently operates as the company's chairman. In addition to his business activity, Bilimoria is a politically active crossbench member of the House of Lords, currently serves as Chancellor of the University of Birmingham and is President of the Confederation of British Industry.

One of the themes for the meeting was the fact that CBI research shows that only one in five businesses currently invests in developing their leaders and managers to support their business goals. We support the CBI's recommendations to boost labour productivity in these challenging times when all sectors appear to be facing recruitment and retention issues. These include:

• Adopting leadership, management and people practices that retain, engage and develop all staff, unlocking a healthier, more motivated and productive workforce by:

• Establishing and communicating a strong company purpose that encourages motivation

• Embedding effective performance management that keeps staff engaged and accountable in goals that are important and contribute to organisational success, while not being onerous

• Setting people management objectives for leaders and managers and put them on a par with commercial targets

• Ensuring leaders and managers regularly communicate clear expectations around organisational priorities, while also asking staff about their workload and wellbeing

• Regularly recognising and rewarding staff to appreciate what the team does

• Keeping track of employees' engagement levels and establishing ways staff can provide feedback and ask questions which are acted upon

Please get in touch with US2U Consulting to explore how we can help you manage these challenges.

US2U Consulting Director, Rachel Blackburn, flew to India on the 6 February 2023 for three days to attend the CBI's Trade Delegation to discuss and gain exclusive insights into India's market and the new and exciting opportunities it can bring to UK businesses. As Rachel is on the East of England CBI (Confederation of British Industry), it was important that she attended this trip to get the most out of her role as a member, as well as to enjoy the opportunities that come with the position.

The trip, to business hubs in Delhi and Mumbai, consisted of learning about India's market trends, attending sessions assessing the key trade opportunities and challenges India can bring, as well as networking with Indian and UK businesses. It was also a good opportunity to promote US2U Consulting and how we can make a positive difference to an array of clients across various sectors overseas.

When interviewed about her trip to India, Rachel expressed how great it was that the delegation was female-led, with the individuals involved being from a number of different ethnicities and religions including Hindu, Muslim and Christian. It was amazing to see such a diverse team work so well together. One of US2U Consulting's core values is encouraging diversity, so it was great to have that as one of the main features of the trip.

Rachel (pictured at the CBI delegation in India) proclaimed her favourite aspect of the trip was learning from lots of interesting people and understanding how India has managed its economy to create so many successful businesses.

Thanks to the information and knowledge gained from this successful trip, this trade delegation will add to US2U's current knowledge base and skillset when advising clients within different markets and territories, and across different cultural boundaries.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out how US2U Consulting can support your organisation's international strategy.