Browne Jacobson joins BITC regional leadership boards to steer positive change in local businesses

Law firm Browne Jacobson has become a strategic partner to business-led membership organisation, Business in the Community (BITC). The firm will help support the drive for significant change on critical issues that affect local business communities.

Five employees from the firm’s Large Corporates group have been appointed as commercial ambassadors on to five of BITC’s eleven UK regional leadership boards. Browne Jacobson is the only organisation in the partnering to have secured that many regional board member spaces.

The Browne Jacobson board members are:

• West Midlands: Selina Hinchliffe, Partner
• South West: Claire Cornish, Partner
• London: Sophie Ashcroft, Partner
• Manchester: Helen Simm, Partner
• East Midlands: Kay Chand, Partner

BITC is the oldest and largest business-led membership organisation that is dedicated to responsible business. The aim of the boards is to reflect the diversity of each region and each one is chaired by an HRH The Prince Of Wales regional ambassador. The board’s main objectives will include ways to:

• tackle inequality in education, employment and communities
• speed up activity around diversity & inclusion
• increase efforts towards net zero & climate resilience
• put well-being at the heart of business planning.

Each regional board will collaborate in devising a shared strategy underpinned by a programme of inspiring and thought-provoking activities and events. The commercial ambassadors will share their thoughts and insights on regional issues at BITC hosted events, provide pro-bono support to regional board campaigns and develop / nurture connections with key individuals from the corporate business community to help influence change.

This is the second time Browne Jacobson has collaborated with BITC in recent months after becoming a signatory to the Business in the Community (BITC) Race at Work Charter in May. The firm’s pledge will help to drive positive change around equality, diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.

Declan Cushley, Partner and Head of Browne Jacobson’s Large Corporate Group and London office commented: “I am delighted that Browne Jacobson are part of helping to steer this important movement, helping to shape the future of UK’s regional business sector.

“Addressing and improving inequality, diversity & inclusion, the green economy and digital transformation are key focus areas for Browne Jacobson and BITC which is why we wanted to partner with them. Our corporate practice is truly committed to encouraging our people, our clients and our extended networks to keep these important items at the forefront of their agenda too.

“We want to be able to help the local communities we operate in to thrive and we want to be able to connect with other like-minded responsible businesses to reinforce key messages around those burning issues and help lead the way in implementing meaningful business change that will help transform the makeup of the UK’s business workforce.”

Tracy Rees, Head of Community Impact at BITC added:

“It’s imperative that the UK’s regional business communities unite to help tackle these universal issues. It can’t rest on the shoulders of one business which is why we’re glad to have the support from some of the local region’s finest businesses like Browne Jacobson who want to be with us on this exciting journey.

“We look forward to welcoming Browne Jacobson’s commercial ambassadors to the Business in the Community team.”