Source – Pixabay CC0

As the new tax year approaches, businesses across the country are currently thinking about how to invest their capital in 2025-26. Frankly, investments into eco-friendly initiatives should be at the top of the agenda. Aside from helping the planet and strengthening your brand image, many of the upgrades will pay for themselves in the long run.

The next question, then, is how can you make your business go green over the coming months? Here’s all you need to know.

Invest In Renewable Energy Equipment

If you want your business to become greener, you need to implement upgrades in the workplace. Eco trade supplies like solar panels, batteries, and inverters help you tap into renewable energy. Meanwhile, you should switch to LED lights and use tools with automatic shut off features. Even ideas like using low-flush toilets for staff and customer WCs can make a difference. This can be further supported by the use of electric vehicles.

When supported by the use of predictive analytics to maintain efficiency, emissions will fall.

Change Packaging Products

In addition to making internal improvements, you should consider customer-facing upgrades. Greener packaging supplies are arguably the most effective solution. After all, it is the first thing that a consumer interacts with after receiving their goods. So, it becomes impossible for them to ignore the efforts you have made to go green. Greener packaging supplies also reduce material waste, which makes packages smaller and lighter. This can save money on delivery.

Better still, the carbon emissions within the delivery process are reduced. Perfect. 

Go Paperless Where Possible

While modern tech is often seen as the enemy, it can be the key to becoming greener. Embracing digital communication can help reduce the need for printed materials, saving paper and ink. Digital invoicing equipment can be integrated into B2B and B2C interactions. Meanwhile, emails and SMS communication can remove the need for mail correspondence. On a side note, digital communication can also remove the need for business travel.

Similarly, digital marketing will deliver better results while also reducing printing needs.

Support CSR Initiatives

As a modern business, you need to understand why CSR matters. It should cover a range of ethical practices and in-house sustainability efforts like those mentioned above. However, it can extend to actively supporting CSR initiatives and causes. Doing this allows you to benefit from gaining increased visibility within the community. Crucially, it also encourages other companies to follow suit. In turn, the overall impact on commercial carbon emissions is far greater.

The fact it can also bring employees together is another reason to get this right in 2025-26. 

Reduce Waste Stock

Material waste can heavily contribute to carbon emissions. Therefore, one of the ebay ways to go green in 2025-26 is to become more efficient. Automated manufacturing can reduce the rate of defects and optimize material usage. Meanwhile, you should use predictive analytics to forecast which products will sell. This helps you avoid overstock, which takes up space and requires energy to store. Any surplus stock can be discounted or donated.

It can improve your brand image, strengthen client connections, and reduce waste.

 Lyrici Arts, Medway’s only Black heritage theatre company, proudly launches the tour of Soul Food Solo Stories this March. This vibrant theatrical experience, featuring four compelling solo performances, explores Black heritage, cherished traditions, and the universal journey of belonging. The tour kicks off with a special homecoming performance at GlassBox Theatre, Gillingham, on 27th March 2025.

Following its acclaimed 2022 debut, Soul Food Solo Stories brings together four unique voices – Aduke Aladekomo, Monique Day, Chika Jones, and Lizzy Partridge – who were all cohort members of Lyrici Arts’ HOMEWARD Artist Academy, a programme devised by Lyrici Arts and previously co-commissioned by Creative Estuary which nurtures diverse talent through mentorship and training. This rare performance unites all four stories, showcasing theatrical storytelling at its finest.

 To add to the festivities,  Lyrici Arts are hosting a post-show celebration with live music and complimentary Caribbean & African canapés making it the perfect opportunity to engage with the artists, production team, and connect with fellow audience members.

Lyrici Arts are passionate about representation, and showcasing Black and diverse voices in Medway’s creative scene. Soul Food Solo Stories  shines a spotlight on homegrown talent, sharing deeply personal yet universal stories.

Lyrici Arts has engaged over 10,000 people through 150+ events, championing Black narratives and amplifying underrepresented voices in theatre, as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. 

Co-Artistic Director Keely Augustus shares, “Soul Food Solo Stories is more than a performance; it’s a celebration of shared humanity. Our artists have been developing these stories since 2022, and it’s been incredible to witness their evolution.”

Co-Artistic Director Clara Augustus adds, “Our HOMEWARD Artist Academy was founded to elevate Black heritage voices in Medway. This production represents the richness of culture, family, and joy at the heart of our mission.”

If there is one thing that most employers could agree with, it’s that the influx of AI into the workplace is quite the phenomenon. The algorithms and tools are super helpful for employment and hiring, and yet the bias that comes in algorithms is an oversight that could cost companies a lot of money. This bias can be costly due to the impact on those who apply for jobs that come from marginalised or underrepresented communities.

There is a lot in the news currently about DEI and the cancellation of all-important policies. The thing is, DEI affects every single person who comes from a marginal background, gender or who has a disability. Without DEI, there would be no adjustments in workplaces or ramps on buildings. Without DEI, women would be fighting even harder than they already do for leadership positions. Being able to implement AI in the right way to your DEI policies can and will make your business more successful. You don’t want a system that is riddled with unconscious bias, as this will do so much more harm than good.

AI experts and ethicists will often talk about the accountability and transparency required for AI tools, but it’s often the introduction of an AI consultancy into your business that can truly lay it out for you. You want to ensure that your AI implementation is as inclusive to your business as possible and we’ve put together some ways that AI can support your current and new DEI policies.

Image source: Pexels

1. A full mindset shift. If you want to improve diversity with the help of AI, then you need to shift your mindset throughout the AI lifecycle. From ideation and design to development and deployment, AI tools need to be continuously monitored to avoid any bias that can creep in. An AI consultancy would be able to help you to plan this properly and ensure that you are able to follow the implementation to post-launch monitoring and beyond.
2. It can be more transparent. With the help of AI implementation, you can ensure transparency by being open about what’s being designed, who it’s for and how it impacts your new and existing technologies. Transparency with AI in DEI policies goes way beyond the ideation and design phases, as it also interacts with choosing the right investments and capital for your projects.
3. You can use it for education. When it comes to teaching your employees and equipping underrepresented communities with the right tools and skills to work in the AI space, you can use AI to show how representation matters. After all, if your people can’t see it, they won’t be it, and introducing AI to your DEI policies ensures you eliminate as much bias as possible and educate where you can.
4. You can be a better advocate. Supporting and following the work of people and organisations in AI and breaking down barriers in different areas of the workplace are both important topics of discussion. AI can help to do this for your business.

The African Gaze  

V&A Europe 1600 – 1815 Galleries

Nadia Denton’s 2025 Tour Dates
Saturday 8 March, 3.30pm
Saturday  5 April, 3.30pm
Saturday 13  September, 3.30pm

Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL

Nadia Denton’s specially researched official V&A tours give an overview of the African presence in 17th and 18th Century Europe as represented in a number of high-quality works of art. Europe during this period was on the cusp of massive change with much social, religious and economic upheaval. The period saw the Scientific Revolution and Age of Enlightenment.

Nadia leads the tour speculating on the viewpoint of the African individuals portrayed; their stories and backgrounds. As part of the tour attendees will be looking at a number of known and unknown figures as well as the achievements of individuals of African descent in European history at a time when the African body would become symbolic of degradation.

From the Baroque to the Rococo and Neoclassical, the Europe 1600-1815 Galleries present an unrivalled collection of 17th and 18th century art and design in a period that was influential in forging the identity of the European lifestyle today.

The tour is free and drop-in. There is no booking procedure. Meet Nadia Denton at the meeting point in the grand entrance of the Victoria & Albert Museum for a sharp 3.30pm start.

The groundbreaking event  is supported by the British Film Institute (BFI), the Canada Media Fund (CMF), and Invest Barbados.

CaribbeanTales Media Group is proud to announce that acclaimed actor and activist CCH Pounder has joined the leadership of its Cross Continental Forum (CCF), bringing her visionary direction  to this successful global initiative.

“I had been talking about turning my eye towards the Caribbean, then I took on films with that theme or origin story,” explains Guyanese-born CCH Pounder, known for her roles in Hollywood blockbuster Avatar, and acclaimed TV series, NCIS: New Orleans and The Shield.“Then CCF asked me to join them. It seemed like a natural fit. We all want to see more of our stories.”

Under the theme, “Decolonzing Coproduction”,  the second Cross Continental Forum is set to take place from June 14–18, 2025, in the breathtaking island of Barbados.   CCF  2025  aims to stimulate co-productions between Black and global majority producers from Canada, the Caribbean, the UK, the EU,  and Africa, and is poised to become an unmissable annual event for industry leaders, storytellers, and change-makers from around the world. This CCF is a partnership between CaribbeanTales Media Group, based in Toronto, and the Department of Creative and Performing Arts – UWI Cave Hill, and is supported by the Canada Media Fund (CMF) the British Film Institute using funds from the National Lottery. (BFI), and Invest Barbados.

Agnieszka Moody, BFI Head of International Relations, says, “We are delighted to be supporting the second edition of the Cross Continental Forum in Barbados following last year’s inspirational event.   The participating producers and filmmakers experienced a focused and stimulating exchange enabling exciting connections between potential co-production partners.  We saw how quickly a number of projects between Caribbean, UK and Canadian producers started to be developed offering diverse and new perspectives and are excited to see the forum’s energy opening the door to a whole range of new opportunities for this year’s participants.”

“The Cross Continental Forum is more than just a film industry gathering—it’s a strategic initiative to trigger co-ventures, and stimulate trade and economic opportunities that amplify historically underrepresented voices in the global film and television landscape, ” says Frances-Anne Solomon, CEO of CTMG. “By fostering cross continental co-productions, the forum sets the stage for global partnerships that will  generate quality content for international distribution.”

Building on the success of its inaugural 2024 event that featured luminaries like CCH Pounder  and producer Paul Garnes (Ava DuVernay’s Origin), attendees of the 2025 forum will enjoy an immersive and insightful experience.

CCF 2025 is now accepting submissions from experienced producers , including Documentary, Feature Film, and TV Series producers from the UK, Canada, Africa, EU, and the Caribbean eager to participate in this transformative experience,  with activities including:

Co-Production Lab (May 2025) : A four-week online program covering:

• Incentives and rebates across territories
• Legal frameworks for multi-territory co-productions
• Combined funding from UK, Canada, Africa, EU and the Caribbean
• Co-production and distribution strategies
• Co-producing storytelling

De-Colonising Co-Production Forum (Barbados, June 14-18, 2025): A Market Access event in Barbados with:

• Matchmaking for UK, Canadian, African, EU and Caribbean producers
• Access to buyers, distributors, and financiers
• Focus on sustainable partnerships

The Big Pitch (Toronto, Sept 2025)

• Selected Producers present their co-production-ready projects to Film and TV financiers and experts.

Who Should Apply?

The CCF is calling Documentary, Feature Film, and TV Series producers from the UK, Canada, Africa, EU and the Caribbean who meet the following criteria:

• Applicants must be of Black/Caribbean/African diaspora/heritage, or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour)/Global Majority descent.
• Have successfully produced at least one full-length project domestically and are ready to “level up” into international co-production.
• Hold at least 51% ownership in a functional production company.
• Have a project in development with international co-production potential.

How to Apply?

Submit your application at HERE

Applications close on March 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST.

For inquiries and additional information, please contact: [email protected]

As an advocate for equity, Barnaby makes a powerful case for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. The stakes have never been higher.

When it comes to DEI , the events across the pond have been unsettling.

In truth, there has never been a better time to do what is right and good for social harmony in the face of a political arena which seems set on polarisation.

What Trump does recognise is that talk is cheap. Taking action is key to change but where no action is in place any action is not necessarily better than none. 

The essence of humanity

Polarisation causes (re)action and the objective becomes mired in argument, disagreement and negativity leading to a limit on progress.

We simply cannot allow this to happen to humanity as we face increasing pressure from food shortage, national resource shortage, climate change and the toxicity of wealth moving to the few who wield it as power over everyone except themselves.

The essence of humanity rests in us all in equal measure. Placing this at the heart of who we are has to be at the forefront of what is right. 

Right for you and right for me.

Yet with so many daunting things to tackle, it is probably easier to do nothing  rather than bring us all together as one and find harmony on this little lump of rock we call the Earth.
If however you subscribe to the ‘Butterfly Effect’, where you flap your wings and cause a tornado effect elsewhere in the world, then do something you must. In fact, do anything, especially when it is for good.

It may just be a smile at someone who’s treated you well or indeed, a simple appreciation of their existence would lift their spirits for a moment.

Extending privilege

Alternatively you can be more active and find a cause and make it your purpose to extend any privilege you might have to that cause thereby making a difference for others.

By privilege I mean the fact that you are alive and an active part of the environment. 

Sure things are tough for too many but the gift of a smile or lightness of touch is free to us all if we are alive. A ‘good morning’ goes a long way to shaping someone else’s day.

Privilege is of course not that simple. But the privilege of being alive affords something that makes us all totally equal. Our experiences. 

No matter who you are, the pursuit of growing up, becoming an adult and eking out a fulfilling life, however long, will bank experience in your brain.

The way we think and the way we respond to situations is, in the main, dependent on how our brains become programmed through our experiences. 

The Journey from birth to death

Now life is tough and no one lives forever. The journey from birth to death is certain. How you navigate that depends on accepting who you are and always looking to make the best of that whatever your situation. 

The best way to accept who you are is to accept others as who they are. 

If you can do that, then you’ll find you can live and work together in harmony. Different instruments all contribute to a beautiful piece of music.

So, if we are defined by our experiences and the privilege of being alive, then everyone has an equal part to play in meeting life’s challenges. It is our unique experiences that define our value and it is this equity within each individual that defines us.

For me this is at the core of achieving equality. It is impossible for people to be equal, we are not in George Orwell’s 1984. 

But it is an imperative that we are all valued equally at all times. 

Equity in every individual

So if we recognise that equity in every individual is unique and of equal value then it has to make sense that the wider range of experiences you have around the table facing a shared problem or challenge will lead to better solutions and better outcomes.

It is no wonder then that organisations that embrace diversity are more creative, more innovative, more productive and more profitable. If everyone around the table looks and sounds the same then the combined equity is surely limited and any solution will be just the same or worse still, work only for the few as represented around that table.

Western society was born of this. White men constructed a world in which they were comfortable. It was a successful formula but relies on systems and processes that work best for those that created them. 

But societies have moved well beyond this white male patriarchy that has shaped much of how we live. So we have to change, we have to modernise , we have to adapt, we have to evolve into a society where individual equity is held in equal value no matter who or what you are.

We must be a part of a cultural shift  and this means changing the system so it works for a whole new generation of humanity. One where everyone feels they have an equal role in bringing to the table their unique viewpoints and experiences. 

Individually valuable, together invaluable.

This should never be seen as giving things up, it should be seen as a new dawn for an era of togetherness. Nurture a way of life where everyone can thrive.

My experience is that new ideas, innovations and positive change are far more life enhancing than fighting to hold on to things that worked well back then but not for everyone. 

We have the opportunity to help construct a new society, new ways to do things and to live a fulfilled life.

Let’s not waste it.

Barnaby Wynter
Founder of The White Allyship Collective – a new complexion on equality.
[email protected]

The White Allyship Collective is working to provide the research backed 10 Habits of Effective White Allies  to leaders who recognise the benefits of having a multicultural workforce and want to be better leaders in this field.

The tragic murder of George Floyd in 2020 sparked a global reckoning on racial injustice. Here In the UK, this led to the creation of the Black Minds Matter UK fund, which raised an astounding £1.5 million to provide therapeutic services for Black individuals grappling with the trauma of racism and discrimination. Since gaining charity status in 2021, we have been tirelessly working to address the urgent need for culturally appropriate mental health care in Black communities.

The Mental Health Disparity

The Black Lives Matter movement brought to light alarming statistics: Black people are four times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than white people, and they are also less likely to receive treatment for mental health issues. This disparity is fueled by various factors, including internalised and external stigma, as well as a deep-rooted mistrust of services with a history of discrimination.

BMMUK’s Three Pillars of Work

Our team is committed to breaking down barriers and providing essential support through three core areas:

Talking Therapy: Our main service matches Black individuals and families with Black therapists for up to 10 sessions of fully funded, one-on-one talking therapy. This service recognises the importance of representation and addresses the challenges Black communities face in accessing therapy.

Our 2023 evaluation statistics highlight the profound impact of BMMUK on the Black community’s mental health. Over the 12 months, 198 clients accessed the charity’s therapy services. Most participants were women (70.4%), with men making up 24.4%. A notable proportion of clients were young adults aged 18-25 (33.3%), followed by those aged 25-60 (54.9%), demonstrating the charity’s appeal across a wide age range. The impact of these sessions is clear, with 95% reporting improved mental health and 98% experiencing a better quality of life. Importantly, every single client said they would recommend the service to friends and family, showcasing its effectiveness and reliability.

Awareness and Education: We work to combat the stigma surrounding mental health within Black communities through education and awareness initiatives. By empowering individuals to seek help, we aim to break down the barriers that prevent people from receiving the support they need.

In addition to campaigns and social media engagement, we have developed impactful educational programs, such as the “Mental Health Through a Black Lens” workshops. These workshops provide valuable insights into the unique mental health experiences of the Black community, addressing specific challenges and offering culturally sensitive coping strategies. By partnering with corporate organisations to facilitate these workshops, BMMUK extends its reach and impact, promoting mental health awareness in diverse settings. We also run educational campaigns via social media, such as our very interactive and appealing ‘Untold Stories Campaign’ in 2024 which was about centering the experiences of the older generation.  

Advocacy: Our robust monitoring and evaluation framework  is designed to gather evidence of the impact of our work and this data is then used to advocate for policy changes that will improve mental health outcomes for Black communities.

The Need for Continued Support

The demand for our services is higher than ever, and we often have to close our service due to overcapacity. This highlights the urgent need for continued support and investment in culturally appropriate mental health services for Black communities. While we advocate for these services to be available to all in mainstream settings, we rely on community support to continue our vital work.

Donations and Support

We work with individuals, corporate and community organisations who donate to our cause, and we couldn’t do our work without it.

Thank you to each and every one of you for your support. 

Find Out More

To learn more about BMMUK and their work, visit the website: www.blackmindsmatteruk.com

It’s a nice idea to choose to lose weight for the year, to get fit and to look after your health, but it’s not the cheapest resolution to have! Expensive gym equipment, fitness subscriptions, wearable tech – it all costs money and you might not have the money right there and then. You can invest quite a lot of cash into your health, but if you don’t have that kind of money, you need to think about how you can continue on your health journey with a budget.

The good news is that you can easily continue to work out without spending too much cash. You can buy a refurbished Apple Watch Ultra instead of a brand new one. You can choose to forgo the gym and instead, go for a run – the street is free! You can’t use money as an excuse for not getting your health on track when there is plenty that you can do on a budget. If you still need inspiration, take a look at the list below.

1. Go for a walk. Among the list of exercises that you could be doing, walking is the most popular physical activity for a good reason. It’s not just because it’s free, but walking doesn’t require you to buy any special equipment or have any specialist training. You can start with a walk down the street and build your way up to a proper hike. Walking improves everything from your mood to your heart health and even improves how well you sleep at night. Aiming to enjoy a walk around your local neighbourhood is one thing, but if you want that true energy boost, go for at least 30 minutes every day of the week.

2. Incidental exercise. This is the type of exercise that you do without realising you’re doing it. Jogging for the bus, using the stairs at work rather than taking the lift, taking regular breaks to stand up, stretch and move if you’re studying, and even going for a jog down the road to be able to pick up your food from the take out shop. All of these things are known as incidental exercise and you can include things like sex into that mix.

3. Join a local park run. These are free weekly community events and they take place everywhere. Park runs happen most Saturday mornings very early and a group of people get together for a 5km walk or run in a specified location. If you’re not confident about running or walking the streets by yourself, this is a great way to add a sense of community and build some friendships along the way. To find an event that’s close to you, just Google it to see if there are any park runs nearby

4. Use your own body weight. A great way to exercise on a budget is to use your own body weight rather than buying into expensive fitness equipment. Push-ups, squats, lunges and wall sits at home or in an open space can help you to feel more confident and comfortable, and there are local parks that even offer free exercise machine stations that the community can use. It’s a great way to work out without having to go to the gym.