As we celebrate Black History Month, we are reminded of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and the importance of everyone contributing to the establishment of a fairer society. Triple Point share their experience of engaging with the 10,000 Black Interns programme which provide paid internships for black students and graduates in the UK. Their experience highlights the transformative impact that can be achieved when companies embrace diversity and inclusion, and we encourage other organisations within the industry to utilise this powerful resource.
ED&I at Triple Point
At Triple Point, the goal is to have a workforce that is truly representative of all sections of society and their customers. They are members of the Diversity Project, committing them to standards for measuring and monitoring employee diversity, having a diversity and inclusion strategy, as well as reviewing practices around recruitment, promotions, mentoring, and more to promote an inclusive culture.
The 10,000 Black Interns Initiative
The 10,000 Black Interns was founded in 2020 in response to global events at the time and a stark underrepresentation of Black talent in their industries. Founded by Wol Kolade, Dawid Konotey-Ahulu, Michael Barrington-Hibbert and Jonathan Sorrel, the group initiated a project offering 100 Black students and graduates paid internship positions within Investment Management.
In just two years the programme worked with over 600 companies and more than 2,000 interns gained insight and exposure into different industries. Now they’ve set their aim higher to offer 10,000 internships over the next 5 years, across more than 25 sectors. They have also expanded to provide 500 internship opportunities under the 10,000 Able Interns programmes to address the under-representation of disabled talent within UK industries.
Triple Point was one of those companies that chose to engage with the 10,000 Black Interns in 2022 and support their mission of creating opportunities for underrepresented talent across various sectors.
Sophie Bowden, HR Associate at Triple Point, comments:
“They believe in giving young talent a strong start to their careers, making this partnership a perfect fit.”
Over three years, Triple Point has hired a total of 7 interns through the 10,000 Black Interns initiative. These interns have completed their internships in a variety of teams for periods of 4-8 weeks, gaining exposure to the day-to-day operations and key projects.
During Summer 2022 one intern joined Triple Point’s Private Credit team. In addition to getting involved with the team’s day to day tasks, they also managed a submission to the Finance and Leasing Association ESG awards. As a direct result of their hard work and coordination, Triple Point were delighted to be presented with the award for ‘Exemplary Commitment to ESG in the B2B sector’.
The Benefits of the Partnership
Sophie Bowden, HR Associate at Triple Point, says:
“We would recommend 10,000 Black Interns to other organisations as they truly care about their candidates and finding them a suitable internship. All candidates are provided with interview and internship preparation training and as an organisation, they provide resources to help you organise your internship and recruitment process. My interactions with the team at 10,000 Black Interns have been extremely positive, I have attended their webinar sessions and their passion for helping candidates have a flying start at building their career is evident.”
Triple Point have gained significant benefits from this partnership, being introduced to candidates they may not have met otherwise.
Conclusion
As we celebrate Black History Month, we are reminded of the importance of diversity and inclusion in all sectors of society. Triple Point's engagement with the 10,000 Black Interns initiative is just one shining example of how companies can actively contribute to this cause. The Diverse Heat Network is proud to highlight impactful stories and resources, encouraging all members of our industry to take action in embracing diversity and inclusion.
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