Trustees Unlimited (TU) has placed its 400th trustee through Step on Board – its pioneering board level volunteering programme. That is equivalent to one charity trustee appointed nearly every week since the programme began.
The 400th trustee, Shamik Chakraborty, Finance Director at Barclays, will be joining the board of charity A New Direction; an award-winning non-profit organisation working to enhance the capacity and agency of children and young people in London to own their creativity, shape culture, and achieve their creative potential.
The Step on Board programme is run by Trustees Unlimited, which was created on the belief that good governance and diverse boards are essential requirements for a strong civil society. A social purpose business and a founding UK BCorp, the aim of the Step on Board programme is to introduce new and fresh talent to not-for-profit organisations, to support businesses with their talent development objectives, and to help businesses deliver against their social impact goals.
“We enable businesses to authentically give back to communities through innovative HR strategies”
This milestone also doubles the number of trustees placed through Step on Board since 2017 and highlights the increased investment into, and value of board-level volunteering programmes in many UK companies.
Barclays was the first participant in the Step on Board programme and has seen over 110 employees appointed onto charity boards since the programme began, so it is fitting they also mark this milestone.
Steve Moffitt, Chief Executive Officer of charity, A New Direction, who is responsible for the strategic leadership and overall financial viability of the charity says “We are very pleased and excited to be welcoming Shamik on to the A New Direction board. His knowledge, skills and expertise will be a huge addition to the Trustees. I was deeply impressed with his insight and commitment to the values of the organisation – alongside his understanding of the challenges young people face in navigating their lives in the capital and how they access arts and culture and develop their creativity. I very much look forward to working with him.”
Trustees Unlimited offer an innovative and effective solution to improve leadership skills, drive employee engagement and attract more diverse talent.
“Our aim is simple: to mirror the diversity seen amongst volunteers at the board level.”
TU has spearheaded leadership development and volunteering through the Step on Board programme, connecting professionals with charities and organisations that need their skillsets. For employers, the programme offers a fresh addition to leadership development, enabling senior talent to gain new skills and board level experience and contribute to society at the same time.
Credit Suisse, Deloitte, EY, Google, and Farfetch are amongst the companies that have also adopted Step on Board. TU is also in dialogue with new partners about expanding the offer into international markets.
Discussing his motivations for becoming a trustee, Shamik Chakraborty said, “My objective is to support the not-for-profit sector longer term, with my most valuable assets – time and skills. Step on Board has been a great enabler for this, providing excellent placement guidance on the Trustee Board role opportunity at A New Direction. This has allowed me, alongside my professional career, to get involved in a cause I am passionate about, that leverages my skills and diversifies my interactions with people outside of my usual circle. I am really looking forward to this journey and cannot wait to get started at A New Direction!” “
Ian Joseph, Managing Director at Trustees Unlimited says, “The impact the Step on Board programme has had on civil society, the participants on the programme, and the businesses that we have worked with, has exceeded our expectations. We are so proud of everyone that has stepped up to become a trustee and we celebrate this momentous milestone. We look forward to working with many more organisations as the programme becomes embedded in the talent and social strategies of these businesses.”
This 400th placement coincides with the month we celebrated Volunteers Week 2021 and the launch of Trustees Unlimited’s new Step on Board website.”
For more information about the programme, visit www.steponboard.co.uk.
