As we reach the close of 2025, I am struck by how far the Black Talent Charter community has come, and how vital our work has become in the national conversation about inclusion, equity and leadership.
Across our programmes and events this year we have seen what is possible when leaders, practitioners and professionals come together with shared purpose: deeper collaboration across sectors, stronger evidence to inform strategy, and growing momentum behind the principle that race equity is not a peripheral issue - it is central to business performance and growth.
Yet the external environment has also grown more complex. As debates about diversity and inclusion become increasingly politicised, the need for clarity, data and principled leadership has never been greater. BTC’s role is to provide that clarity, offering a trusted, cross-sector space where evidence guides action, where discussion remains honest and constructive, and where commitment is measured by outcomes, not rhetoric.
We are deeply grateful to all of our speakers, hosts and partners who have generously shared their time, expertise and insight throughout the year. Their contributions have shaped thoughtful dialogue, inspired our community, and strengthened our collective resolve to drive real change.
Our mission remains unchanged: to embed equitable representation for black talent into the structure of British business within a decade of our founding. With the continued commitment and energy of our community, I look forward to advancing our mission into 2026.
Laura Durrant
Chief Executive Officer
Throughout 2025, the Black Talent Charter delivered a focused programme of leadership, learning and collaboration - uniting executives, HR and EDI professionals, and ambassadors from across our Signatory cohort. Each strand of activity reinforced BTC’s purpose: embedding race equity into the DNA of British business through evidence, dialogue, and shared accountability.
In June 2025, BTC hosted a pilot C-suite Readiness Event at The Leathersellers’ Hall supported by generous sponsorship from The Clothworkers. The day was attended by more than 55 senior professionals. Designed to prepare the next generation of leaders for executive and board-level roles, the programme combined leadership insight, peer exchange and reflective practice.
Speakers included Richard Iferenta (Partner & Vice Chair, KPMG), Caroline Flanagan (Business Coach), Tangy Morgan ( Former Senior Advisor, Bank of England) , Professor Tim Soutphommasane (Chief Diversity Officer, University of Oxford) and Kamal Ahmed (Editorial Director), who shared candid reflections on resilience, authenticity and influence at the top.
The BTC is now developing an extended C-suite Readiness programme for 2026.
BTC’s quarterly HR Forum Series provided a confidential forum for HR and EDI leaders to collaborate and translate insight into action.
Examples of curated forums across the year:
Together, these sessions strengthened BTC’s role as a trusted convenor of cross-sector dialogue, equipping leaders with practical, evidence-based insight.
The BTC C-suite Series offers senior executives a confidential setting for strategic reflection under the Chatham House Rule, connecting Chairs, CEOs and Managing Partners with thought leaders on business, equity and global change.
Across the year, the series reinforced BTC’s position as a platform for senior-level reflection, accountability and collaboration on race equity and inclusive growth.
The BTC Ambassador Network remains a cornerstone of our collaborative model - a cross-sector community of professionals from our Signatory organisations who meet every six to eight weeks, virtually or in person, to exchange ideas and strengthen collective progress.
Recent discussions have focused on Black History Month programming, the role and sustainability of Employee Resource Groups, and addressing internal challenges to drive lasting cultural change. It's been particularly wonderful to see so many of our Ambassadors supporting each other at company events.
BTC extends its deepest thanks to our Ambassadors for their commitment, insight and candour. Their experiences continue to shape our research, strategy and events, ensuring that BTC’s agenda is informed by lived experience and driven by collaboration at every level of business.
As BTC moves into 2026, our focus remains on accelerating systemic change through collective leadership, evidence, and accountability.
Our priorities include:
In an era of shifting political and economic landscapes, BTC’s mission endures: to ensure black talent can thrive and lead in every sector of British business. By working together - with courage, clarity and purpose - we will continue to turn commitment into measurable change and make race equity a defining strength of the UK’s corporate community.
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