This Black History Month, I’m taking a moment to reflect, not just on history, but on action. At GatenbySanderson, inclusive recruitment isn’t a seasonal campaign. It’s a strategic priority. And for me, the LeadershipNOW! programme is one of the most powerful ways we’re driving change.

LeadershipNOW! is a skills and leadership development programme created by GatenbySanderson’s Housing practice in partnership with UNIFY, and is CPD certified. The aim of the programme is to support and build diversity of leaders and aspiring leaders within the social housing sector.

Nearly 100 ethnically diverse leaders have taken part in LeadershipNOW!, and the impact has been transformative. Almost 60% have reported promotions or pay rises during or shortly after completing the programme. But this isn’t just about statistics, it’s about representation, equity, and systemic change.

Why Representation in Leadership Matters

Leadership should reflect the communities it serves. In the housing sector, where I work as a Principal Consultant, I see daily how diverse leadership drives better outcomes, especially in organisations facing disruption or transformation.

LeadershipNOW! is more than a development programme. It’s a movement. It’s about challenging assumptions, shifting systems, and making space for lived experience to shape the future of leadership.

How LeadershipNOW! Began

What makes LeadershipNOW! so personal to me is how it started. It came from real, honest feedback from ethnically diverse leaders in housing. They spoke about the barriers they faced, not just in recruitment, but in achieving their career aspirations.

One uncomfortable truth emerged: recruiters were part of the problem.

That didn’t sit right with me. It didn’t align with my values, or with the values of GatenbySanderson. So we did something about it. We partnered with UNIFY, a network committed to racial equity in housing, and together we built something that could make a real difference.

“LeadershipNOW! is a testament to the sector working together.
I’m so proud to see a programme co-created by UNIFY members and GatenbySanderson have a significant impact on so many people. We understand there is more to do to create an inclusive culture for our alumni to thrive. I’m excited to see both the programme and inclusive leadership sessions continue and improve networks, as well as providing lots of practical tips and guidance for both our ethnically diverse and sector leaders to be the change we want to see. ”
– Anthony Were, Development Manager, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing

A Promise to Do Better

LeadershipNOW! is more than a programme. It’s a promise to listen, to act, and to do better. It’s about creating pathways for ethnically diverse leaders to rise, thrive, and lead with confidence.

This Black History Month, I’m proud to amplify voices, share insights, and challenge myself, and our clients, to keep representation front and centre, especially in times of change. This work matters deeply to me because I believe leadership should be a reflection of society at its best: fair, inclusive, and courageous.

Feedback from participants:

“I found the programme truly enjoyable and enriching.
I had 3 sessions I particularly enjoyed; one was understanding the importance of having a really good online presence especially in professional profiles liked Linkedin. I also really enjoyed the coaching one to one sessions we had. Lastly the leadership profiling session which was helping to understand what your leadership style was was really really useful.”
– Ijay Onyechi, Director of New Homes & Customer Care, Peabody

“The programme started with a career evaluation discussion which was very enlightening, as was the leadership profiling development session with a Work Psychologist.
These two sessions really helped me to understand my career goal and what I wanted. The whole recruitment process was demystified over a number of workshops and I learned something new at every session.”
– Nasreen Hussain, Director of Finance and Resources, Soha Housing

Author:
Rosie Gunn,
Principal Consultant
Housing Practice
GatenbySanderson