Employees from London Business School, Tobias Ajudua, Georgia Green, Monique Cordwell, Festus Akinsulire, Monet Lawes and Elizabeth Taiwo, share their insights and reflections on being a part of the Black Employee Network here at LBS. Read below to find out more of their insightful feedback.
What motivated you to join the Black Employee Network and what does being part of this community mean to you personally?
Monique Cordwell (MC): I was motivated to be a part of BEN to foster community, no matter how big or small the group was. In the past I was part of a group of black colleagues who socialised together. This was on a personal level and I wanted to be a part of something bigger and to share these kind of moments with the wider community. A solid unit was what I was looking for. As well as socialising, I thought it was important for us to come together to learn from one another, celebrate our shared experiences and differences and support one another. This means a lot to me personally as I recognise that in spite of the challenges our communities have faced, we’ve risen and continue to do so together. I believe it’s important to honour these achievements whilst we support each other as we progress moving forward.
From your perspective, what are some of the key areas BEN is currently focusing on, and why are these priorities important?
Festus Akinsulire (FA): Community is such a big thing for us. And flowing from that, it’s about building, educating, and celebrating our black employees along with all allies.
Building has been about creating a culture that’s connected and strong, and making black employees know that LBS can be a place they belong to. With educating it starts to look at how we can teach and explore each other’s ways of life while also making sure we acknowledge some of the biggest moments in black history, present and future opportunities/challenges. And then of course celebrating, we have to honour the truly great work people do at all levels and shine a light on those who usually don’t get the credit too.
They’re important to us because we all have a personal journey with LBS and coming together to do more. We only started last year – but we knew first thing coming in was to re-establish BEN as a space where we can talk about issues that affect the black community, while also have fun. laughter and banter! By being active and participating examples and making that a goal – it will hopefully encourage other staff to get involved too, and I believe we’ve seen some of that come to fruition already which has been amazing.
How do you see BEN helping to drive greater inclusion and equity across LBS?
Georgia Green (GG): BEN have already helped drive greater inclusion and equity across LBS. First and foremost, the network creates a community where Black employees and allies can connect, share experiences, and amplify their voices within the School. For example, our Let’s Talk series provided a space to discuss current events and important issues around DEI in the USA, fostering open dialogue and understanding. Additionally, BEN supports professional development and mentoring opportunities. When I first joined the network, I participated in the Self-Development and Leadership Programme, which included online coaching modules and the chance to be mentored by a colleague within LBS. We hope to continue creating opportunities like these, ensuring that everyone feels part of a supportive and inclusive community within the School.
What have been some of BEN’s biggest highlights?
GG: Over the past year, we have come together to host a range of events that fit into our pillars of building, educating and celebrating- as Festus went into detail about earlier.
If I had to choose one standout moment, it would be our Windrush Day celebration, led by our amazing colleague and BEN committee member- Monique. The event brought together inspiring external speakers who shared art, poetry and personal stories that were both moving and uplifting. It created a powerful sense of community and pride and reminded me why spaces like this network matter so deeply.
How do you think BEN can best showcase its ambitions, achievements and values to the broader LBS community and beyond?
Elizabeth Taiwo (ET): We’re proud of the engagement we saw in the new Committee’s first year – colleagues across the School joined us in the fun (Black culture quiz), the challenging conversations (Let’s Talk series) and the educational (Windrush celebration). We plan our activities to unite staff from different teams and departments, creating cohesion and belonging while allowing for learning and development. As a Committee, we’ll continue to share our strategy and activities for anyone and everyone to be involved in. BEN is a community, and community is what we make of it. We recognise each member has the power share their experiences within the network to amplify its reach.
For those who are interested in learning more or getting involved, what’s the best way to connect with BEN and become part of the community?
Monet Lawes (ML): We’re always so excited to welcome new members to the BEN community! If you haven’t connected with us yet, don’t be shy, reach out to any of the committee members with your questions. Our BEN Teams channel is super active and the best place to stay up to date. We share monthly updates, upcoming events, and all the latest news there. You can also drop any of us a quick message on Teams or send an email if you’d like to learn more before joining. If you prefer a face-to-face chat, we love those too! You can book a coffee catch-up with any of the committee members. It’s a great way to hear more about what we do.
And just to stress BEN is open to everyone! It’s for colleagues of Black and mixed Black heritage and allies. We’re all about learning from one another, building meaningful connections, and having fun while doing it. We also make sure to offer a variety of events, at different times and in different formats, so everyone has the chance to get involved, no matter their schedule. We can’t wait to see the network continue to grow!
Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of BEN and the role it can play within the wider LBS community?
Tobias Ajudua (TA): The hope for B.E.N going forward is for it to be a pillar of the LBS Community – wholly embodying the LBS behaviours (Living Our Purpose, Delivering Excellence, Learning Continuously & Collaborating Effectively) whilst carving out a unique lane. We are committed to making a space that uplifts all our members, giving them a chance to be represented and see the power in their story.
Looking ahead, the hope for BEN is that it should have a tangible effect on the wider community around it. Over the past year, we’ve had the great pleasure of working with other amazing communities and engaging in topics including Neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, mental health among many others – and we plan to expand this work even further. Identity isn’t comprised of just 1 or 2 characteristics; it is all the different aspects of a person intertwining to create something bigger than the sum of its parts so similarly we hope BEN continues to build bridges within and outside of LBS to form something greater than a single group could achieve alone.