Sky appoints two new experts to its Diversity Advisory Council to amplify diversity and inclusion expertise

- Phyll Opoku-Gyimah and Tunde Banjoko join Sky’s Diversity Advisory Council

-The Council provides independent, expert advice to help Sky maintain progress on diversity and inclusion

Sky today announces the appointment of two new leaders to its independent diversity and inclusion (D&I) advisory council, who will support the business as it continues to broaden its focus across wider intersections of D&I including LGBTQ+ inclusion and social mobility.

Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Co-founder of UK Black Pride, and Tunde Banjoko founder of Making The Leap and the UK Social Mobility Awards, have joined Sky’s Diversity Advisory Council and will be using their expertise to guide and advise the business throughout the next stage of its diversity and inclusion journey.

Announced in January 2021, Sky’s Diversity Advisory Council consists of nationally recognised diversity and inclusion leaders who advise Sky’s leadership on the development and implementation of inclusion initiatives impacting corporate governance, workforce, and supplier diversity.

Stephen van Rooyen, Chief Executive Officer, Sky UK & Ireland and Chief Commercial Officer, Sky Group, said: “Phyll and Tunde are true leaders in their fields, and their expertise and guidance will be invaluable to helping Sky build on the progress we’ve already made. We know that there’s always more we can do to ensure all our colleagues can thrive and succeed at Sky. Together, alongside our wider network of internal experts and external partners, we can continue to drive real and lasting change both within Sky and across our wider community.”

Tunde Banjoko, Sky Diversity Advisory Council member and Founder of Making the Leap and the UK Social Mobility Awards, said: “Sky is such an important business, that it is an honour to be able to support its efforts. It’s also a privilege to work alongside the other members of the Diversity Advisory Council.”

Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Sky Diversity Advisory Council member and Co-Founder of UK Black Pride, said: “I am beyond excited to join the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) for Sky, I hope that I can share knowledge, experience and expertise on subject matters relating to equity, equality, diversity, inclusion, positive representation, intersectionality and much more that amplifies oppressed, marginalised and under-represented voices and people. I’m honoured to be working with a committee and staff who are all so passionate and intentional about the work they do.”

In 2020, Sky made a £30 million commitment to tackle structural inequality, support diversity and inclusion, and use its voice to make a difference in communities impacted by racism.

NOTES 

The other members of Sky’s Diversity Advisory Council are:

• Caroline Casey – Founder, The Valuable 500
• Kanya King – Founder & CEO, MOBO Organisation
• Piers Linney – Entrepreneur
• Ndidi Okezie – CEO, UK Youth

• Baroness Usha Prashar – Crossbench Member, House of Lords

Tunde Banjoko and Phyll Opoku-Gyimah replace Roland White and Leon Mann, who recently completed their tenure on the Diversity Advisory Council.

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About Sky

Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies and is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that connects people to moments and experiences that matter. At Sky we Believe in Better. It’s in our DNA. 

We’re famous for innovation. We offer streaming services NOW and WOW; the world’s smartest TV, Sky Glass; and the best aggregation platform, Sky Q. We provide connectivity you can count on in mobile, and fast, secure, reliable residential and business broadband.

We’re Europe’s premium content producer. We create award-winning original content, produce the biggest live sporting events, and we provide free access to news and the arts.

We believe that we can have a positive impact on society, by supporting and creating tens of thousands of jobs, addressing digital inequality, being a diverse and inclusive employer, and becoming net zero carbon by 2030.

About Tunde Banjoko OBE

Tunde Banjoko is a societal change advocate, and the founder of multiple initiatives that are trying to help make the world a fairer place, initiatives like the social mobility charity Making The Leap and the UK Social Mobility Awards. He has almost 30 years’ experience of running a grassroots organisation and is known as an inspiring and convincing public speaker, who has given presentations at leadership programmes, seminars and conferences. Tunde has developed interventions that have transformed the life chances of thousands of young people from less-advantaged backgrounds, has encouraged hundreds of leading organisations to participate in social change, and engaged with a number of senior business leaders to proudly talk about diversity. His latest initiative is to support the career development of charity professionals from racialised minority backgrounds.

Tunde is qualified as an Executive Coach, is a podcast host and presenter, and provides consultancy to businesses who wish to make advances on race equity within their walls. He has an MSc in Urban Regeneration from UCL and was awarded an OBE in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

About Phyll Opoku-Gyimah

Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is the nucleus of the award-winning celebration and protest that is UK Black Pride. Widely known as Lady Phyll – partly due to her decision to reject an MBE in the New Year’s Honours’ list to protest Britain’s role in formulating anti-LGBTQI+ penal codes across its empire – she is also the executive director of Kaleidoscope Trust, an organisation working to uphold the human rights of LGBTQI+ people around the world; a community builder and organiser; an Albert Kennedy Trust patron, and a public speaker focusing on race, gender, sexuality and class.

She’s regularly called upon to advise nascent LGBTQI+ organisations around the world to help leaders create cogent organising strategies, establish robust partnership networks and work effectively in service of the LGBTQI+ community.