Business network shows 'inclusivity review will lead to real changes'
Business network established as first response to inclusivity review
Last updated 4th Oct 2022
Plans have been unveiled to support the Torbay ethnic minority business community following a ground-breaking inclusivity review
The Torbay Development Agency, on behalf of Torbay Council, say a 'dedicated network group for the ethnic minority business community will be established, enabling businesses to come together to network, discuss issues and solutions to support business growth'.
It followed the Torbay Racism Review |newtab), launched in September 2020. which aimed to discover what could be done locally in the wake of the global Black Lives Matter movement.
The review spent two years of engaging with local public, private and voluntary sector groups and hearing personal testimonies |newtab) - with more community initiatives expected to follow.
The development agency added: "The newly formed network will bring together business owners from these communities to benefit from peer support and provide a platform to explore business opportunities, such as skills development, business investment, resource sharing and supply chain improvements.
"The initiative is one of the key recommendations outlined in a recent report carried out by Diversity Business Incubator (on behalf of Torbay Council. The main aim of the research was to gain a better understanding of the challenges facing ethnic minority-owned businesses and people from those communities who aspire to grow or start their own businesses in Torbay.
"The research highlighted various challenges facing businesses such as staff and skills shortages and the impact of economic uncertainty, but many ethnic minority-led businesses stated that they want to grow and would welcome support to develop.
Councillor Swithin Long, Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Tourism and Housing, said: “We are committed to supporting the diverse communities here in Torbay so that we can ensure a strong, inclusive, and more prosperous area.’’
Councillor Darren Cowell, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, added: ‘‘The recommendations from the report will be a fantastic opportunity for the Council and TDA to support local businesses and improve on how we work, engage and build trust and confidence with ethnic minority-led businesses.”
Councillor Jermaine Atiya-Alla, Chair of Torbay Racism Review, said: “The findings and recommendations of the report provides a great opportunity to support the diverse business community in Torbay and help those thinking of launching their own business.”