Black History Month

Stephen George + Partners (SGP) stands for Diversity, Inclusion and Equality. With the month of October embracing the rich culture and achievements of Black History, we continue to celebrate the success of our fellow Black People within the Architectural community. Notably, Nigerian-born, Muyiwa Oki, is making history, not just as the first black president of the RIBA but also, at 31, as the youngest. Other prominent Black Architects, such as Ghanaian-British Sir David Frank Adeyeye OBE RA, echo this year’s theme of Black History Month 2022 which is:

‘Time for Change: Action not Words.’

Recognising that the Black History experience is not and should not be limited to one month each year, there is a lot that can be done to address the issue of lack of diversity and inclusion within the construction industry, particularly Architecture.

We at SGP have created a platform where members of staff can come together to openly discuss, improve and enlighten others of an equal future for everyone. This is achieved by facilitating spaces, articles and thought leadership that allow for engagement and solution-focused discussions of many issues in the industry. In a recent article, Zainab Remi-Omosowon, Architect at SGP, undertakes her own research on ‘How has Africa influenced British architecture? SGP has also made a commitment to join the RIBA Inclusion Charter to break down barriers and make architecture more inclusive.

However, there is the stark reality that our industry falls short when it comes to representation and diversity. We must ask ourselves the difficult question of why? and what can be done to improve this situation and then implement the changes needed to fulfill the Black History Month theme.

SGP will continue to care, challenge and deliver on Diversity, Inclusion and Equality