Black Talent Charter

The Charter reflects the aspiration to create a world in which all talent can thrive equally in business and at every level across the financial and professional services sectors. It calls for meaningful action to redress the balance for Black professionals in the workplace after many decades of stagnation. This will be achieved through ambitious targets (not quotas) and measurable data for recruitment, career progression and promotion right up to the senior grades, with clear action plans devised and delivered by senior executive leadership with full accountability and transparency. The Charter aims to create an environment in which Black professionals can feel confident about progressing their careers and aspiring to lead and to be represented at the highest levels of top organisations by establishing: • measurable data against which firms can assess progress on improving Black representation and equality of opportunity in their UK businesses • clear action plans and ambitious targets to which firms can aspire • accountability for Charter delivery at the top level of each firm • transparency through public reporting on action taken, with data collection and independent monitoring of progress across the sectors. Unlike other such initiatives, the Charter is aimed at men and women of Black heritage in the target sectors, who are the most underrepresented ethnic group in these sectors and at senior levels. And action in relation to this most underrepresented group will enhance approaches to diversity and inclusion across the board.