University News Last updated 06 January 2023
A leading figure in business and charity has called for graduates to be advocates for change and create a world of ‘togetherness and collective good’ after receiving a prestigious university award.
Shaherazad Umbreen, who currently works as a director at The National Trust, has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University (BCU) for her services to business and philanthropy, joining hundreds of graduating students at a ceremony at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.
During her ceremony speech, Umbreen expressed her gratitude for receiving such an honour – and encouraged the graduating business, law and social science students to be courageous and become ‘change-makers’ as they begin their careers.
“At university, I learned how to learn, I picked up the skills to run a business or two. But the most precious thing I learned and have held on to my whole life was how to see the world, solve problems and be a good human.”
Umbreen has worked in senior positions for some of the country’s best-known retail brands and has set up several purposeful and charitable businesses designed to benefit others.
After working in the retail industry, Umbreen founded ‘Shoes by Shaherazad’ – a social enterprise combining her love for intricate designs, the empowerment of women and the alleviation of poverty. Each shoe purchased provided a woman or girl living in poverty with access to education.
Speaking after the ceremony Umbreen said: “It took me many years to discover that retail thrives on encouraging overconsumption, which is destroying our world. Even products labelled as ‘fairtrade’ aren’t fair when mass-produced and shipped across the world, profiting from low-paid workers.
“It’s why I finally decided to close Shoes by Shaherazad – albeit all the profits went to good causes and the shoes were sustainably produced, consumption is still consumption, and we need to roll back on this to save our planet from long-term harm.
“I believe that our individual and collective responsibility in life is bigger than ourselves and that social justice is the most important thing any of us can and should fight for. I firmly believe that everyone in the world should have enough to eat, drink and have a safe place to live.”
As Brand and Marketing Director for the National Trust, Umbreen is using her platform to work on two things dear to her: social justice and climate action, as well opening up the Trust to new audiences.
Receiving an honorary doctorate from BCU was particularly poignant for this proud alumna whom herself graduated from the university in 1998 after fate intervened during her enrolment.
“I took a place at BCU through clearing after I supposedly failed one of my A-levels, but it actually turned out I hadn’t failed after my work was re-marked,” she said.
“A simple admin error led me to join BCU, and thankfully I could get a place through clearing as at the time other unis didn’t offer that. I loved my time at BCU so it is even more romantic that I have been awarded an honorary doctorate after the university took a chance on me.”
As a non-executive director at the GlobalGiving foundation, Umbreen continues to support philanthropic projects in Pakistan, Kenya, Palestine, Peru, Yemen, Jordan and the UK.
This January hundreds of BCU students have proudly walked across the stage at Symphony Hall and joined a connected network of successful Birmingham City University graduates and alumni.