Dr Buki Adeyemo, Chief Executive, and Sharon Jean Parke, Service Manager, Learning Disability Services (All Age), North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, have been featured on influential global lists that celebrate role models in business who are driving inclusion for people of colour.
Dr Adeyemo has been announced on the 2024 Empower Executives Role Model List, and Sharon on the 2024 Empower Future Leaders Role Model List, which are part of the 2024 Empower Role Model Lists supported by YouTube, launched today (22 May 2024). The lists are run by Involve, a consultancy and global network that enables leaders and change makers to build more successful and empowering organisations where everyone can thrive.
“I am deeply honoured to have been recognised by the Empower Executives Role Model List for 2024,” Dr Buki Adeyemo said: “As Chief Executive of North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, I lead the Executive Team, Board and Trust in its positive actions, work and further improvements for global majority heritage colleagues, and diversity and inclusion overall. I ensure the Trust continues to place opportunities and improvements for our global majority heritage colleagues at the heart of our people approach.
“It has also been an honour to lead the Trust’s Inclusion Council over the past two years, where we have embedded systems and processes to further support global majority heritage colleagues including the Patient Safety Group’s work on ensuring our staff are not racially, or in any way, discriminated upon. I have used my personal lived experience to inform race policy nationally by participating in the Medical Advisory Group of the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), amongst many other initiatives.”
“I am ecstatic and honoured to have joined the Empower Future Leaders Role Model List 2024,” Sharon Jean Parke added: “This was achieved through my work implementing the Inclusion Trailblazer project that I began last year to further remove bias from systems and processes. This recognition celebrates progression of an environment where global majority heritage colleagues can thrive in the workplace and achieve promotion. Watch this space – there is more to come.”
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust’s Non-Executive Director – Diversity and Inclusion, Jennie Koo, also features on the Empower Future Leaders Role Model List 2024 in her role as Head of Operational Risk Oversight & Assurance at Paragon Banking Group.
Founder & CEO of INvolve, Suki Sandhu OBE, said, “I’m so thrilled to be celebrating this global group of trailblazing Executives, Future Leaders and Advocates for people of color in business. All the individuals within these lists are championing inclusion and leveraging their expertise and knowledge to drive impactful initiatives and strategic change within their organizations. It’s vital that people of color across global organizations can succeed and achieve career success, and these Role Models are essential drivers of change who are smashing barriers to progress. We could not effect change without them leading the way.”
For the full Empower Role Models Lists supported by YouTube and more information, please visit https://empower.involverolemodels.org/