Black-owned businesses in the UK: The stats
One of the first challenges we faced was actually finding the data to show how business leadership breaks down by ethnicity in the UK.
Only limited information is available, and when it does exist, categories are often broad and all-encompassing of multiple ethnic groups, such as BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic).
This is problematic as not only do such terms group together entire cultures, heritages and communities, but it also doesn’t allow for detailed analysis of specific ethnic groups. Plus, there are increasing calls to reject the term BAME, as it’s thought to be outdated and not fully representative.
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Friendly, diverse, embracing; Canadians are generally proud of the values this country champions, and rightly so.
Pride is important. It’s part of our national ethos, but it should not come at the expense of scrutiny and the realization that, despite all our developments, we have considerable progress to make as a country.
For too long, businesses owned by women and members of minority groups have been subject to systemic disadvantages in Canada, shut out of the competitive supply chain hierarchy where partnerships and growth are secured. Now is the time to establish norms to ensure such companies are included in procurement policies and to provide them with opportunities to thrive in the post-COVID-19 economy.