Sandra Kerr

Sandra is the Director for Business in the Community’s Race for Opportunity business led network of organisations from the private and public sector working and committed to race equality as part of their good business practice. Sandra works together with the Race for Opportunity board to set the agenda for race diversity in the UK as a business imperative.

Sandra strongly believes there is a need for wider business engagement to promote best practice for recruiting and developing ethnic minority individuals, marketing to ethnic minority people as profitable consumers, including diverse communities within Responsible Business action and including ethnic minority businesses and entrepreneurs in supply chains and networks. Sandra is particularly passionate about inclusive leaders and raising the profile of senior role models from diverse backgrounds to inspire the next generation and creating an inclusive environment through mentoring and sponsorship.

Before joining Race for Opportunity Sandra worked in the Cabinet Office advising on diversity and policies on race, disability, gender, and work life balance across Whitehall. Sandra has also managed very large teams in a frontline delivery role and also spent some years as a personal development and IT skills trainer.

In January 2012, Sandra was awarded an OBE in the Queens New Year’s honours list for services to Black and Minority Ethnic People.

In July 2012, Sandra was shortlisted for the European Diversity Awards in the Campaigner of the Year category.

In October 2012, Sandra was appointed Chair of the Ethnic Minority Employment Stakeholder Group (EMESG) sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Ethnic Minority Employment Stakeholder Group (EMESG) provides advice to Government on issues related to the disadvantages individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds face in relation to the labour market.