Robert Curley talks about Irish Black Owned (IBO), a non-profit organisation which strives to enrich and support Black-owned businesses in Ireland.
Irish Black Owned (IBO), a volunteer-run group, has endeavoured to boost Black businesses in Ireland since its first post on 6th June 2020. They have created an outstanding platform to promote ‘Black owned’ companies through a directory on their website.
The directory is growing progressively and currently consists of 482 businesses in sectors such as food, hair & beauty, events, fitness & wellbeing, fashion, and technology. Additionally, the organisation offers game-changing financial and training support for entrepreneurs from the Black community in Ireland. Currently sitting at over 8,000 followers on Instagram, IBO has a streamlined page on which all the information and links associated with the organisation can be found.
Historically a highly marginalised ethnic group in the corporate world, IBO strives to unleash the full potential of Black entrepreneurs to achieve both their own personal success in business, and to become significant contributors to the Irish economy. The group’s incremental growth can be recognized for foundationally stamping out inequalities in today’s corporate climate. Their first post came at a crucial turning point for Black communities in Ireland and beyond. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement brought much needed attention to the difficulties facing minority groups when starting up and developing their enterprises.
Owing to decades of unjustifiable discrimination, Black run businesses are still campaigning for equality of opportunity. IBO continues to successfully implement their tactical objectives, achieve their strategic goals, and are subsequently turning the corporate tides in favour of equality. Afro delight, a Nigerian food take-away restaurant located in the heart of Limerick city, Airbony, an African prints specialist situated in Dunboyne co. Meath, and Eno Media, a bespoke web design and promotions company based in Dublin, are but a few of the hundreds of thriving Black-owned companies on the directory.
As a non-profit organisation, IBO cannot continue alone. The company remains reliant on the time and efforts of volunteers and donors. UCD students can support the organisation by becoming volunteers through a form on the company website or by encouraging Black business owners they know to promote their business on the directory. IBO's mission is to raise awareness of Black businesses in Ireland and to educate the community. Students can contribute to this mission by sharing IBO's Instagram page @irishblackowned.