Responsible Business Brief - November

Welcome to the November edition of the ‘Responsible Business Brief’ – our roundup of essential updates curated by Business in the Community (BITC), the UK's leading responsible business network.

🔗 Don’t forget to subscribe to future updates for a concise digest of what you need to know.

📚 Top new BITC resources for your organisation

🌍 24% of CEOs now see biodiversity as essential for ESG. Our free factsheet simplifies nature concepts and their impact on business resilience. Discover key terms, real-life examples, and kickstart your nature strategy!

🌳 Climate action is imperative. At COP 29, we gathered insights to help our members as finance took centre stage in discussions on a just transition to net zero.  Begin your climate journey with our free toolkit packed with practical steps you can take.

📺 You can also watch our Climate Action Director, Gudrun Cartwright , in Azerbaijan. She reflects on COP 29, highlighting key discussions on the just transition to net zero, empowering individuals, and the importance of skills and financing.

😮 6 million unpaid carers in the UK are at risk of quitting. Without support, employers may lose valuable skills. Explore the latest blog from our Head of Community Programmes, Ellie Socha , for insights, access to a free toolkit, and learn about our caring programme with Simplyhealth that’s proving an invaluable help for many across the UK.

🚪 Phoenix Group is a champion of inclusive recruitment. Our latest case study reveals how the company is transforming talent acquisition through bespoke training and streamlined applications. Learn about their innovative approach.

📰 Latest news & views

⏰ Worryingly, 7 in 10 ethnically diverse 18-24-year-olds in Brent aren’t in employment. As part of our flagship Seeing Is Believing programme, business leaders visited the area to understand the barriers and help tackle social mobility. Read the full story.

📺 Our Job Coaching programme is truly changing lives. Watch this touching short video to see how volunteers like Sam Pennington from Lewis Silkin help jobseekers like William rebuild their confidence.

💳 The cost-of-living crisis is hitting ethnically diverse employees hardest. Our Race Director Sandra Kerr calls on employers to act now to ensure fair pay and equal opportunities for all. Read Sandra's powerful blog.

📚 Our Lifelong Learning Week blog highlighted the critical need to invest in employee skills across all backgrounds, especially with future challenges like net zero and AI. Uncover valuable upskilling insights from our Employment & Skills Officer Farhath Choudhury .

📅 Key upcoming BITC events

We have a plethora of events this month covering a wide variety of responsible business issues. You'll find our full calendar here. Below are some featured events that are open to all.

📅 Opening Doors Forum: Careers Education (28 November). Join other Opening Doors signatories to share challenges, learnings, experiences, and best practice on opening doors to diverse talent.

📅 Workwell Self-Assessment Tool: Celebrating One Year of Impact (29 November). Join us to celebrate one year since we launched our Self-Assessment Tool! Learn how it can support your organisation’s wellbeing practices with talks from industry leaders plus a panel discussion on the future of workforce wellbeing in the UK.

📅 Race Charter and Diverse & Inclusive Supply Chain Surgery (3 December). Join this event to learn more about the Race at Work Charter and the Diverse & Inclusive Supply Chain Insights Report.

📅 The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality 2025 Launch (12 December). Join us to launch The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality 2025 and hear new findings on the commercial case for gender equity.

📢  Members - don’t forget to register for our members-only conference, ‘Shaping Solutions for Responsible Business’ in London on 28 January. The event features six interactive, peer-led workshops focused on key themes, giving BITC members the opportunity to exchange ideas with like-minded organisations and discuss best practice for today’s business challenges.

⭐That's it, you're up to speed! Thanks for reading.

If you enjoyed this content, please consider sharing this newsletter with your network by hitting the 'share' button!

About Business in the Community

We bring together business leaders committed to changing business, transforming lives and helping the planet and communities thrive. We work with thousands of business leaders, and our network represents over 7 million people — more than 20% of the UK workforce. Over the last few years, we have benefitted nearly 10 million people - a we are transforming lives in nine of the most deprived places in the country.

🌍 Tired of business as usual? Join a movement where profit and purpose go hand in hand. Explore the many benefits of joining BITC, and reach out to us to learn how we can build a fairer and greener world together.

Want more...?

🔗 Subscribe here to ensure you don't miss a future update.

You can also sign up for our monthly newsletter for updates delivered straight to your inbox.

🎧 Enjoy your content in audio format? Check out our Responsible Business podcast ‘The Lens’.