Organisations across Oxfordshire are signing up to a new Charter to make the county’s economy fairer for everyone.
The Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Charter has been developed by the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership and was launched at an event at Oxford’s Old Fire Station on Tuesday 24 January 2023.
There are a number of pledges contained with the Charter that signatories may commit to making. For example, the Charter asks organisations to demonstrate commitment to social issues by signing up to actions they will take make workplaces fairer and give something back to local communities. This could be by recruiting from a more diverse talent pool, employing more local people, using more local suppliers and a fair local wage.
Oxfordshire is one of only three regions that contributes a surplus to the UK economy (Cambridgeshire and London being the others), but despite its global position and perceived affluence, its wealth and opportunities are not evenly distributed.
According to the 2019 English Indices of Deprivation, 17 of 121 wards in Oxfordshire are amongst the most deprived areas in England. These are mostly contained within 10 wards – one in Abingdon, three in Banbury and six in Oxford.
The city of Oxford is the second most unequal place in the UK (source: Cities Outlook 2022 | Centre for Cities) in terms of income, housing affordability and life expectancy. Education attainment is below average, affecting all generations.
Delegates to the Charter launch event were able to learn more about the Inclusive Economy Charter and find out how they can get involved. Keynote speakers were Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of University of Oxford and Darren Burns, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Timpson Group and Head of Timpson Foundation.
Other speakers included Mark Beard, Chairman at Beard Construction, and representatives from Thames Water and local organisations SOFEA, ARCh – Assisted Reading for Children, Aspire and RAW Workshop.
Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership
Oxfordshire’s local authorities are key stakeholders in the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership, a coalition of over 100 organisations county-wide – employers, business, education, community groups and local government – working to share knowledge, expertise and resources to address some of the county’s greatest challenges.
The work of the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership is overseen by a steering group, which is co-chaired by Baroness Jan Royall, Principal of Somerville College and Chair of the Conference of Colleges, and Jeremy Long, Chair of Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP).
Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Charter
Positive actions to support an inclusive economy an organisation could take include:
- Inclusive recruitment – making jobs accessible to all and actively hiring people from different communities
- Offering opportunities for people to get back into the workplace or start their first job
- Using collective buying power to support the local economy and maximise ‘social value’ (the positive ways organisations can ‘give back’ to society)
- Provide fair wages – ensuring staff are properly rewarded for the work they do
- Encouraging staff to undertake life-long learning and improve their education
- Supporting children’s education programmes
“Everyone has a part to play in creating a thriving inclusive economy in Oxfordshire. Actively supporting inclusivity generates real benefits for organisations, as Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors have become increasingly important in the business landscape.
“Signing the Charter demonstrates commitment to social issues and accessing a wider and more diverse talent pool makes employers more attractive to staff and customers, which in turn supports greater growth and efficiency.
“Purchasing from local suppliers, encouraging staff to volunteer in the community and support their own and other’s life-long learning all maximises social value and gives back to the local community.”
Jeremy Long, Joint Chair of the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership
“We have been pleased to see how much enthusiasm and goodwill there is for this vital work. At this early stage of the Partnership, it is fantastic to see so many organisations and individuals coming forward to work together to make Oxfordshire a more inclusive and equal place.
“One of the benefits of getting involved is that the Partnership represents a broad spectrum of organisations and provides great opportunities for sharing knowledge and experience.
“There is so much to build on, so much to do, and so many people who want to co-operate. I feel very optimistic about the potential to bring about change.”
Baroness Jan Royall, Joint Chair of the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership
For more information, visit the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership website.
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