Blackburn with Darwen businesses benefit from diversity programme at Blackburn University Centre

By Blackburn College

21 Dec 2021

workforce-integration-programme-1.jpg

Businesses within Blackburn with Darwen have completed a collaborative training programme in order to support the drive towards a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

Fifteen businesses took part in the Workforce Integration Ambassador programme run at Blackburn University Centre, as part of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Social Integration Programme ‘Our Community, Our Future’.

The programme brought together companies based in Blackburn with Darwen that are committed to ensuring an inclusive and diverse workplace to share best practice. 

The purpose was to support local employers to develop diverse workforces, to review their practice, policies and procedures to break down barriers that might prevent them recruiting people from different cultural backgrounds.

Each participating company identified a member of staff who trained as a Workforce Integration Ambassador.

Ambassadors participated in four training sessions focused on recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce, covering topics including research into prejudice and biases, and knowledge and ideas about how to improve organisational culture to achieve the highest standards of inclusion. The interactive workshops included sessions with external agencies and experts.

Ambassadors were supported to develop action plans and companies who successfully completed the programme have been given access to a grant of £300 to support implementation of these action plans.

Businesses that took part in the programme came from a range of sectors. They included: Together Housing, Forbes Solicitors, Anord Mardix, Ritherdon & Co Ltd and Blackburn Rovers Community Trust.

Ben Ritherdon, managing director of Ritherdon Ltd, a manufacturing business based in Darwen, said: “It has been good to meet people from different types and sizes of organisation during the Workforce Ambassador Programme. The training delivered by the Blackburn University Centre team has given me new ideas to try out at Ritherdon.

“Several of these improvement ideas are now on the action plan that I have been building throughout the course; the main ones being based around improving our recruitment strategies to try and attract talented people into manufacturing from a broader range of our society.”

Councillor Mohammed Khan CBE, leader for Blackburn with Darwen Council and chair of the Our Community, Our Future board, said: “It is vital that we give local residents from different backgrounds the chance to mix in the workplace. Working side by side and supporting one another at work is such an easy way to foster an understanding of other cultures and religions – and to establish real friendships.”

Find out more about Blackburn with Darwen’s Our Community, Our Future programme at www.blackburn.gov.uk/social-integration.

Latest news

1

Bellway to build 183 high quality new homes Royal Bowland Park street scene NEW.jpg.jpg

Bellway to build 183 high quality new homes

29 Oct 2025

2

University of Lancashire recognised for entrepreneurship and supporting business growth - Representatives from the University's Business School, local SMEs and the IOEE

University of Lancashire recognised for entrepreneurship and supporting business growth

29 Oct 2025

3

£8bn Typhoon order is great news for Lancashire BAE Typhoon ECRS Mk2 Radar

£8bn Typhoon order is great news for Lancashire

28 Oct 2025

4

Award-winning Lancashire wedding venue and hotel is sold The Mill at Conder Green

Award-winning Lancashire wedding venue and hotel is sold

28 Oct 2025

5

PM+M announces another 19 promotions across the firm PM+M promotions

PM+M announces another 19 promotions across the firm

27 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
November / December 2025 Magazine Launch Event
Holiday Inn Hotel
Networking
19 Nov 2025

November / December 2025 Magazine Launch Event

Holiday Inn, Blackpool

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
06 Nov 2025 - 06 Nov 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November

Porsche Centre South Lakes, Carnforth, LA6 1FW

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Roundtables
10 Nov 2025 - 10 Nov 2025

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner

Lancaster Castle, Lancaster, LA1 1YN

14:00 - 16:00

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human
2.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity
1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

The Business Network Central and East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
13 Nov 2025 - 13 Nov 2025

The Business Network Central and East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

The AI Lab: E-commerce
Ai Lab ecommerce (1).png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
14 Nov 2025 - 14 Nov 2025

The AI Lab: E-commerce

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin