September 8, 2015
Black Business Leaders Travel to London to Discuss the Need for Greater Corporate Diversity
In June, members of The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) were invited by Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity to co-host a series of events on leadership development in London to commemorate the Alpha Boulé. Providing a unique opportunity for ELC members to network with leading black executives from the United Kingdom, Africa and other countries, the event served as one of the largest gatherings of corporate dignitaries from the African diaspora ever held in London.
Known as the pre-eminent organization committed to increasing the number of black executives globally, ELC is comprised of more than 500 current and former black CEOs, board members and senior executives of Fortune 500 companies. Since its inception in 1986, the nonprofit organization has dedicated its efforts to building an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers black leaders across the world to make an impactful contribution to the communities they serve.
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“The ELC partnered with The Boulé on this unique series of events to ensure that senior black executives are well represented and the focus remains on the importance of black executive leadership in driving the global business community,†said ELC’s CEO Ronald C. Parker. “This was an opportunity for The ELC to gain access to key business leaders and corporations based in the UK, Africa and abroad to assist in growing our global membership, as well as explore global board of director opportunities for our members.”
The five-day event consisted of a series of panel discussions with major African, Caribbean and African American executives to address the need for diversification in director positions. ELC members were afforded the opportunity to discuss business initiatives focused on board opportunities with royal leaders in the UK, while The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, offered welcoming remarks.
With Black Enterprise’s latest report of African Americans sitting on corporate boards showing a decrease from 182 to 176 black board directors at 171 companies, it’s clear that the conversation around corporate diversity is needed. ELC’s latest visit to London will be one of many international trips the organization takes as it works to globally expand its fight for more blacks in executive corporate positions.