Keynote speaker, Andy Street CBE, highlighted the fact that the “fight against inequality was at the top of the agenda; with 1/3 of Birmingham’s population coming from a Black and/or Ethnic background is a huge strength,” he said, “but we are not taking full advantage of that huge strength.”

He was speaking at the NatWest/RBS ‘Serving Birmingham – A Diverse Community’ special breakfast meeting where the procurement of driving the city’s economical will be all inclusive, regardless of sexual orientation, race, or religion.

Speaking at the Hotel Du Vin, in the city’s ever-developing and thriving Colmore Business District, West Midlands Metro Mayor, Street, continued; “We are the ‘soul of the Commonwealth’ and with Channel 4, for one, heading this way, it shows our strength as a business powerhouse.

Further to that, Birmingham City University - one of the regions many leading further education institutes – is a leading example of the diversity and aspiration of our communities.

Birmingham has got its ‘mojo’ back. Economic growth in the West Midlands is far outpacing UK figures and I am determined to maintain that – for everybody’s benefit – from every community. But that’s not enough!”

Mayor Street’s speech came after RBS Group chief executive Ross McEwan said: “We at RBS aim to be at the forefront of innovation and change, with trust and advocacy at the top of the agenda.

"Inclusion helps us connect with diverse communities with flattest figures showing that 47% of our management are women, with 14% of our workforce here in the UK coming from a BME background – and that figure is rising.

"But, however, only 4% of our leadership, here in the UK, are BAME. We are looking for that figure to rise to 20% by 2025.

"We have set-up programmes to bring back mothers into our workforce and also people from the LGBT community."

In the Q+A which followed, TPN Media’s own Chair, Dr. Neslyn Watson Druie, was one of a chosen few who were able to question the breakfast meeting panel, asking; “What can be done differently for people from a BAME background be part of the NatWest/RBS workforce?”

“Unless we get diversity how do we make change?” McKewan responded. “We have to bring people from all of the UKs diverse communities and nurture and develop the skills they have.”