Kate means business in chic suit as she hosts meeting with City high-flyers
The Princess of Wales swapped the palace for the boardroom by hosting a high-flying City meeting with global companies to gain support for her early years project.
It has been confirmed that Kate is launching a business taskforce on early childhood, with firms such as Unilever, Ikea, Deloitte and Lego on board.
And today she hosted an inaugural meeting of the taskforce at NatWest’s headquarters in the City of London, with Aviva, Co-op and Iceland among the other major companies joining her.
Kate arrived for the meeting in a recycled crisp white Alexander McQueen blazer, black trousers and heels, and clutched her file of notes.
Kate addresses the inaugural meeting of her new business taskforce for Early Childhood. (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)She was then greeted by NatWest chief executive Dame Alison Rose before joining other business leaders and giving a speech about the importance of early years.
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Kate told them: "I’m standing here in front of you, to ask you, some of Britain’s most influential business leaders, for your support in helping create the societal change that is needed.
"I have spoken before about the need to make early childhood the societal equivalent of climate change. In the way that the business world has embraced the net zero target to protect our environmental ecosystems, you also have an important role to play in ensuring that our social ecosystems are protected too.
Kate gave the speech at NatWest's headquarters in the City of London (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)"Your business organisations are living examples of these social ecosystems, so building healthy environments both in and out of the workplace is fundamental.
"I know many of you are already doing incredible work in this area, not only through supporting parents in the workplace but also prioritising diversity and inclusion, as well as the general well-being of your staff, customers, and communities.
"It is and will remain, important to find new ways of adapting to your workforces. Especially given that many are parents, carers, and extended family members, and we know that the well-being of the adults in a child’s life is the single most important factor in the healthy development of children."
She also asked those at the meeting to "think more radically" and said "we need two things to really transform society for generations to come".
Kate is greeted by NatWest chief executive officer Alison Rose (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Kate explained: "The first is to prioritise creating working environments that provide the support and training your workforce needs to cultivate and maintain its own social and emotional well-being.
"This will benefit them personally and professionally as well as creating a better working culture within your organisations. Given most of your workforce has a role to play in raising the next generation at home, it will also transform the experience of the very youngest in society too.
"The second is a more concentrated effort in supporting the social and emotional development of our youngest children. Because as with most human development, the key time to build these social and emotional skills in the first place is in the first five years."
Kate met with firms such as Unilever, Ikea, Deloitte and Lego (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)The gathering also discussed how the business community can build a supportive and nurturing world around children and those who care for them.
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Kensington Palace said the taskforce will play an “essential role” in the princess’s focus on transforming the way society prioritises youngsters in the first few years of their lives.
Amanda Berry, chief executive of the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, said: “We all have a role to play in building a supportive and nurturing world around children and those who care for them, and it is fantastic to see business leaders placing the subject of early childhood at the heart of their organisations.
Kate clutched her notes as she arrived at the meeting (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Kate looked chic in her Alexander McQueen blazer (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)“Businesses play a key role within society and with their huge reach to their employees, consumers and the wider community, their involvement can have a transformative impact on the health and happiness of generations to come.”
While NatWests Dame Alison said: “This is a critical issue for the future growth and success of our businesses, our economy and our society.
“As business leaders, we have an important responsibility to the colleagues, customers and communities we serve.
“This taskforce can deliver positive change by bringing together a wealth of experience across the private sector to help provide the support and resources that young children and their carers need to thrive.”
The Business Taskforce for Early Childhood will be “run by business, for business”, the Palace said.
It follows the launch of Shaping Us, a campaign spearheaded by Kate and described as her “life’s work”, aimed at raising the profile of youngsters’ early years development.
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