Founder and chief executive of Audeliss and INvolve

BUSINESS PROFILE

Words Owen Myers Photography Leon Csernohlavek

In the early Noughties, Suki Sandhu noticed that LGBT+ people in the business world weren’t getting the credit they were due. “I’d seen, and been featured in, The Independent’s Rainbow List,” the Derby-born entrepreneur explains. “But I was puzzled by why LGBT+ role models in the business world weren’t celebrated in the same way as in other occupations. Most people think we’re all entertainers and fashion designers, but we’re also chief executives in banking, doctors, partners in law firms, and engineers.”

Sandhu decided to do something about it, and in 2013 founded OUTstanding’s role model list, to recognise LGBT+ people making waves in business. Since then, he’s worked with firms to diversify the boardroom, collecting his specifically targeted organisations to help women, LGBT+ people and ethnic minorities under the umbrella of INvolve. His goal? To make the traditionally white, straight and male-dominated world of business inclusive of everyone.

How is INvolve funded?

INvolve is run as a social enterprise, so I don’t take a salary or dividend from the organisation. My other business, Audeliss, is where I pay myself. INvolve is funded by our member firms, who pay an annual subscription fee to take advantage of our benefits. When I started INvolve — originally OUTstanding — I used the profits from Audeliss to fund it. There are no other shareholders or owners.

Tell us about Audeliss.

It’s an executive-search firm. We work with companies to help them find diverse talent for the boardroom and leadership teams. We’re in our eighth year of trading and 65 per cent of our appointments have been diverse candidates which is something we’re really proud of because we are genuinely making a difference. We want more LGBT+, female and ethnic minority talent at the top.