Pentland Brands, the name behind global sports, outdoor and lifestyle brands such as Speedo, Berghaus and ellesse, has today announced its partnership with mission-led startup, The People, to help young people from underrepresented communities break into the world of work.
The Pentland Collective is a free mentoring programme, created by Pentland Brands and The People to help young people from Black, Asian, minority ethnic and underserved communities develop their skills, confidence and network. Mentoring is part of a broader project by Pentland Brands and The People, which aims to address career barriers for young people from underrepresented backgrounds.
The Pentland Collective was developed as a response to research from the Trade Union Congress that shows unemployment for ethnic minority groups rose twice as fast as white workers during the pandemic.
Pentland Brands is committed to building diverse teams which drive performance, innovation and growth. The programme is an opportunity to diversify the business’ search for fresh creative talent, as well as drive inclusion by supporting the careers of people from underrepresented groups.
The initiative forms part of the Pentland Brands 100-1-0 Positive Business strategy, which aims to deliver three major goals by its centenary year in 2032; helping 100 million consumers live positive, active, sustainable lifestyles, improving the lives of 1 million people in our communities and becoming a Net Zero business.
Rochelle Livingstone, Programme Manager at The People -
“We are proud to partner with Pentland Brands, a company that is engaged and willing to listen, learn and support a new generation of talent from underrepresented communities. I have had the privilege to be a mentee and mentor -and it has had a major impact on my personal and professional growth. The Pentland Collective expands on our mission to unleash the creative potential”
Caroline Nankinga, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Pentland Brands –
“As a business, we’re working hard to incorporate diversity and inclusion into everything we do, from our brand campaigns to our recruitment processes. Our partnership with The People will bring fresh thinking that helps us better understand, reflect and celebrate the diversity of the consumers who see, buy and love our products.”
About The People
The People is a creative company powered by a global community of 150+ young diverse changemakers working with the likes of Adidas, Dr. Martens, L’Oréal, Danone and the United Nations. Their mission is to amplify the voices of young people and help brands build a better world. The People are also well known for their success in creating The Mentoring Hotline mentoring over 200+ young people for free in partnership with Freestar. Featured in It’s Nice That and Creative review.
To find out more visit www.thepeople.work or follow @join_thepeople on Instagram
About Pentland Brands
Pentland Brands Limited is the name behind some of the world’s best sports, outdoor and lifestyle brands. It owns Speedo, Berghaus, Canterbury of New Zealand, Endura, ellesse, SeaVees, and Mitre. It is the UK licensee for Kickers and has a joint venture partnership for Lacoste footwear. Its products are available in over 190 countries and are sold either directly by Group companies or are represented by licensees and distributors.
To find out more visit http://www.pentlandbrands.com or follow @pentlandbrands on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter.
The Pentland Collective
The Pentland Collective is a free mentoring programme that will run for three months with 15 young people and 15 professionals from Pentland Brands connecting every
2 weeks.