Changing perceptions over the decades

The Develop Croydon Forum is a not-for-profit social enterprise which works collaboratively to change perceptions and positively promote Croydon for the benefit of its residents and businesses. 

It was founded by White Label co-founders Katharine Glass and Jo Gumb shortly after the 2007 ‘Great Recession’ which hit Croydon hard as the global economic recession compounded the town’s existing challenges around its perception.

As a newly-founded business in the town, whose founders had a shared history of backing Croydon for its city bid status at the start of the millennium, Jo and Katharine stepped up with a placemaking strategy that brought the town’s communities together to work collaboratively on rebuilding its image.

Driven by a shared sense of purpose with the town’s key stakeholders to challenge perceptions and drive change, Katharine and Jo’s first step was to organise the inaugural Develop Croydon Conference which brought private and public sectors together to discuss how best to take the town forward.

That initiative grew into a series of marketing and promotional interventions, which grew into the Develop Croydon Forum, a social enterprise which continues to represent key stakeholders across the private, public and third sectors, who want to contribute to the regeneration of Croydon.

Since its inception, the Forum’s membership has grown from the eight partners who supported the first Develop Croydon Conference to a total of 155 members involved over the years, including international companies like AECOM, Greystar, Prologis, Schroders and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. 

The Forum, facilitated by White Label, continues to deliver an annual programme of targeted communication, innovative marketing and high-profile events, including Investor Tours, Round Table debates and delegations to national investment conferences.