19 March

Power of Inclusion: Building Powerful Partnerships event recap

This March, we brought together organisations from across the City of London for a Power of Inclusion workshop on how partnerships can drive social mobility. Hosted by Standard Chartered Bank and chaired by Hind Naciri, Regional Head of Community Impact & Engagement, Europe, the session focused on turning shared ambition into action.

Darren Ellis, CFO across multiple regions and Executive Sponsor for Socio-Economic Mobility, opened with a clear message: creating equal opportunity is a collective responsibility—and progress depends on it.

Hind set the tone with a personal reflection on a teacher who helped her overcome barriers and realise her potential, underlining the transformative power of support and collaboration.

A panel followed, featuring Jonathan Tait (Linklaters), Kyle Fraser-Allen (Payden & Rygel), and Joseph Lyons (West Ham United Foundation), each offering a distinct perspective on partnership in practice.

Joseph shared how corporate partnerships have helped scale the foundation’s work—including support that strengthened a key programme and contributed to securing a £1m NHS grant.

Kyle highlighted Payden & Rygel’s work with Barking Abbey School, from ESG essay competitions to investment team insight days—opening doors and demystifying the “unwritten rules” of finance. Reflecting on his own journey from professional football to finance, he emphasised the importance of “sending the lift back down.”

Jonathan focused on the role of charity partners in providing “context, capacity and capability,” helping organisations better understand and support young people—not just into law, but into the wider world of work. Hind reinforced this, noting the unique insight partners bring through their close ties to communities.

The session closed with roundtable discussions, where organisations shared what’s working—and what’s not. Common challenges included measuring impact, securing senior buy-in, and balancing time commitments, especially for colleagues involved through employee networks.

Hind wrapped up with a simple reminder: recognise the value of your partnerships—and build on them.

Learn more about Power of Inclusion here