Columbia Threadneedle has signed up to an inclusion programme launched by 56 Black Men founder Cephas Williams.
The aim of the partnership is to open pathways into employment for young black men and influence internal culture for their benefit.
The programme targets black men between the ages of 18–22 and involves a series of workshops, boardroom conversations, events and mentoring, as well as providing the opportunity to share and exchange experiences.
It follows the success of Williams’ 56 Black Men portrait series launched in December 2018 and is designed to build on the momentum of the campaign, which gained traction across the UK in 2019.
He photographed men, including MP David Lammy, wearing hoodies in a bid to overturn the pervasive negative stereotypes of black men by the mainstream media.
The MP for Tottenham told the BBC when the campaign was launched in February 2019: “It’s still too easy for people to fall into lazy impulses about what it means to be a black man in a hoodie.”
‘Unacceptable’ underrepresentation
“We are proud to be the first City firm to commit to this programme and hope to see many others come on board,” said Nick Ring, Emea chief executive at Columbia Threadneedle Investments.
“To improve diversity and inclusion in our organisations, we need to address equality of access and opportunity.
“The underrepresentation of certain groups in the city, such as black men, is unacceptable and we need programmes like this to begin to change our landscape for the benefit of all of us.”
56 Black Men founder Williams added: “The programme builds on the message of the 56 Black Men campaign, moving beyond making a statement to change the narrative to now bridging the gap between black boys and men in the community and the working world.
“It will address entry, as well as culture and inclusion.”
Sourcing talent
Columbia Threadneedle first collaborated with Williams to mark Black History Month in October 2019, hosting an exhibition from the 56 Black Men campaign in the company’s head office in London.
The event was hosted by Columbia Threadneedle’s black employee network (Ben), a community of black professionals offering its members resources and strategies to promote personal and professional growth.
Ben offers initiatives and events designed to deliver employee engagement, professional development, business support, community involvement and cultural awareness.
Nicolas Janvier, fund manager and Ben member at Columbia Threadneedle, said: “We know that talent is equally distributed but selectively developed and we want to change that dynamic.
“Where and how we source talent is of strategic importance. As active fund managers, we need people in our teams who think differently and bring different experiences of the world to add to the debate and enrich our ability to outperform.
“It’s the right thing to do and it’s a business imperative.”
