LQ BID Appointed Belfast Business Promise ‘Ambassador’

The Belfast Business Promise is designed to cultivate an ethos of responsible and inclusive business practices: fair pay, good jobs, and secure contracts. It also aims to create a community of businesses and organisations who want to hold themselves to high standards by adopting business practices which deliver added value to society through employment, procurement and working in partnership with communities.

There are three membership tiers: Supporters, Members and Ambassadors.

The High Sheriff Cllr Fiona McAteer explains: “The Belfast Business Promise is a key part of Belfast City Council’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable economic growth which is at the core of the Belfast Agenda, the city’s community plan. Organisationally, we’ve achieved Member status and are well on our way to achieve Ambassador status by summer 2025.

Communications & Engagement Manager, Stevie Maginn, welcomed LQ BID’s appointment as a Belfast Business Promise Ambassador;

“Linen Quarter Business Improvement District is pleased to be awarded Ambassador Status, having been one of the first three organisations awarded Belfast Business Promise Membership in April 2024. This accreditation recognises our commitment to sustainable business practices. As Ambassadors we will endeavour to set an example for the hundreds of Linen Quarter based organisations helping to support an inclusive and sustainable local economy and a healthier city for everyone.”

Key city partners Diversity Mark, Equality Commission NI, Labour Relations Agency, Social Enterprise NI, Translink and NOW Group provide specialist technical support to the Belfast Business Promise Community of organisations. Advice NI has recently joined and will help shape the approach to the core pledge to ‘Pay fair wages & contracts.’

If your organisation would like to make the ‘promise,’ LQ BID can support you in a number of ways, including by funding 50% of the cost of the Living Wage Accreditation, which is one of the 8 pledges of the Business Promise. Email Lawrence@linenquarter.org to discuss this and all aspects of the Business Promise, and learn more about the scheme at www.belfastcity.gov.uk/businesspromise

The Belfast Business Promise has eight pledges for employers:

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