Belfast Business Promise

Introducing the Belfast Business Promise

Belfast Business Promise is our new accreditation for employers working to improve Belfast. Working together to make Belfast a better city involves providing good jobs, whilst also supporting a sustainable local economy and building a healthier city for everyone. We want to create a community of organisations committed to improving how they do business together.

This scheme will set aspirations for excellence and its flexibility makes sure all employers can take part, regardless of size and sector.

Watch our information video

Check out this 1-minute 39-second video about the Belfast Business Promise.

Belfast Business Promise accreditation

We are inviting organisations to sign up to an accreditation scheme and agree to eight Promise Pledges. The pledges represent best practice standards in:

• providing good jobs
• prompt payment
• recruitment
• supporting the local and social economy, and
• environmental sustainability.

By joining, you'll get free tailored support from the Belfast Business Promise team and your peer community to work towards improving your organisation’s performance against the best practice pledge standards.

Eligibility for Belfast Business Promise membership and accreditation

To join the Belfast Business Promise, your organisation must be:

• an employer
• based in Belfast.

Businesses, public sector bodies, service providers, third sector organisations, voluntary and community organisations are eligible to join.

On your journey towards accreditation, you’ll be joining a network of organisations committed to making a better Belfast and shaping a brighter city for everyone.

Partners and Supporters

Supporters

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• Babcock
• Belfast City Council
• Belfast Harbour
• BT
• Change Over Technologies
• Department for Economy
• Diverse Talent
• Diversity Mark
• East Belfast Enterprise
• Exploristics
• Footprints Women’s Centre
• GEMS NI 
• Honeycomb Jobs
• Labour Relations Agency
• Lighthouse
• MCS Group
• NOW Group
• Orchardville
• People 1st
• Power NI 
• Queen’s University Belfast
• Social Enterprise NI
• Translink
• Ulster University

Partners

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The eight pledges

The Belfast Business Promise has eight pledges for employers. These are:

1. Provide fair wages and contracts: Ensuring your employees are paid the Real Living Wage (RLW) and have security around the hours they work.
2. Offer opportunities into work: Creating pathways into work by providing job and development opportunities, and removing barriers to employment.
3. Support the local and social economy: Using our purchasing power to support the local economy, increase competitiveness and add social value.
4. Recruit inclusively: Ensuring job accessibility for all citizens and hiring across diverse communities.
5. Improve training, engagement and well-being: Creating a workplace where employees feel valued and can thrive.
6. Pay promptly: Paying supplier invoices on time.
7. Work in partnership with our communities: Working in collaboration with local communities through meaningful engagement, to bring about positive impact.
8. Protect our environment: Working together to tackle the global challenge of climate change and protect our environment for future generations.

Find out more detailed information about the eight pledges

Levels of accreditation

Everyone starts as a Supporter and gains Supporter accreditation by committing to developing an action plan to work towards meeting six pledges  (including three core). Once you can successfully evidence having met your six chosen pledges you will gain Member accreditation. The highest tier of Ambassador is for members who have demonstrated they meet all eight pledges.

Watch our key partners video

In this 1-minute 40-second, we hear from some of the key partner organisations and businesses who are taking part in the Belfast Business Promise.

Register your interest

Interested in signing up?

Register your interest in the Belfast Business Promise (link opens in new window).