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Championing potential

Supporting ethnic minority businesses

Collaborating for support

Growing businesses are an essential part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. And supporting these businesses in the right way is key to the recovery of the UK’s economy. That's why we're proud to collaborate with organisations supporting Ethnic Minority entrepreneurs and their businesses with wraparound support.

What’s happening?

In 2024, 35% of our support went to ethnic minority businesses. Read more about it in the NatWest Group sustainability report 2024 (PDF, 8.8MB). Now, we’re:

  • being active thought leaders through reports such as the Time to Change
  • reaching more communities through past and present partnerships with organisations such as Hatch Enterprise, Black Business Entrepreneurs Conference and Black Seed
  • supporting your business ambitions with our help and tools.

Tapping into the potential of ethnic minority owned businesses

We’re proud to have partnered with Aston University’s Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) to publish the Time to Change report. It sets out ten evidence-based recommendations to promote greater success and inclusion of Ethnic Minority Businesses (EMBs) in finance and business support in the UK.

Advancing the growth potential of UK’s Ethnic Minority businesses

Time to Change report – our progress so far

Collaborating with CREME

Sharniya Ferdinand, Enterprise Community Strategy Director at NatWest, speaks about the importance of working with the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME).

Hear more about our progress (via LinkedIn) on implementing the report’s recommendations from Sharniya Ferdinand, Enterprise Community Strategy Director.

"When the Time to Change report launched, we committed to playing an integral role in the change that is required. I'm proud to say that we have been doing just that."
- Julie Baker, Head of Strategic Partnerships

"Delivering the right message to the right people is important to us and this needs to be reflected in how we engage our communities."
- Blessing Mutamba, Business Inclusion Programme Manager

Online learning for your business

We're committed to providing business support and training. Whether you're just starting out in business or preparing to grow, our specialist programmes and library of articles, podcasts, videos and toolkits are available to help you take your next step.

Grow with confidence

Our tools, programmes and partnerships are designed to drive your entrepreneurial spirit and creativity, and we’ll support you to achieve your ambitions. Whether you’re starting-up, growing or scaling-up a business, we want to help. We’ve also collaborated with industry wide thought leaders to shift the dial on better supporting and interacting with ethnic minority business communities across the UK.

The Business Show

Our weekly podcast series aims to bring you inspiring stories and fresh knowledge to help you grow with confidence. We chat with successful entrepreneurs to discover how they’ve grabbed opportunities to grow their thriving businesses.

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Grow faster with our help

Find the coaching, community and mindset you need to take your business to the next level with our Entrepreneur Accelerator. It’s about helping you unlock your business’ unique potential and building a mindset of resilience and self-belief.

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Be part of a community

We run national events via Eventbrite, where you’ll get the chance to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, partners and mentors. These events are designed to break down barriers to enterprise for ethnic minority owned businesses.

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Help setting up

Have you got a great idea for a new business? Learn how to plan and set up your own business. Find out what resources and support we can offer to help your business succeed.

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What else could help your business?

Access to expertise at a time that suits you

NatWest is partnered with Digital Boost – a platform designed to help you reach the next stage in your business by connecting individuals with mentors via unlimited one-to-one conversations tailored to your needs, free of charge.

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Business incubation with Hatch Enterprise UK

We’re working with The Hatch Enterprise UK who support underrepresented entrepreneurs to develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to launch and grow a business.

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News and articles

Insights and analysis for your business, with up-to-date articles and video content on all sorts of subjects that might be useful, whatever stage your business is at. Browse our selection and see what you could learn today.