Sainsbury’s joins Tesco in showing support for Black British Network

Sainsbury’s is joining the Black British Network, which was founded by campaigner Cephas Williams and aims to bring together UK businesses to power systemic change for the black community.

The retailer will take part in several roundtable discussions with other British businesses and black colleagues, to “evolve and understand best practice, improve inclusivity and representation, and translate learnings into tangible solutions, behaviours and processes that can be implemented across every level of the business”.

We're proud to announce that Sainsbury's will be joining @CephasWilliams and the @BlackBritishNet to help tackle racial injustice and inequality and drive lasting systemic change for the Black community in the UK. For more info, see here: https://t.co/V7M8UFn1Xs pic.twitter.com/At6n8evPlV
— Sainsbury's News (@SainsburysNews) May 13, 2021

Supermarket rival Tesco also recently backed the initiative.

Also of interest: ‘Woke’ Sainsbury's under fire for Black History Month tweet

Simon Roberts, Sainsbury's CEO, says: “We all have a responsibility to help build an equal society, free from racial discrimination and there’s still a long way to go.”

“An issue of this scale can’t be solved by us alone, but by working with the Black British Network, together, we can be a positive force for change.”

Williams comments:: “My conversations with Simon have been meaningful, we both share the desire to build relationship, understanding that only through relationship can real change happen.”

“Systemic racism will not be solved overnight and will take a lot of work from leaders like Simon and leading organisations with influence like Sainsbury’s to stand with the black community and work with us to bring about the change we need to see.”