Kwasi attended BP' "Global Community Event" in Sunbury. The event brings staff together to showcase and celebrate the breadth of the company's activities.
In an article for the Surrey Herald & News, Kwasi said:
Last week, I went to BP's "Global Community Day" in Sunbury.
BP first moved into the Borough in 1917. Since then, they have grown into one of the world's largest energy companies. They are also an important employer.
Over 5000 people now work at BP Sunbury in 55 different teams to support BP globally. There are scientific, technical, marketing and commercial teams.
The Community Day brings staff together to showcase the breadth of their activities.
Each team had a stand and handed out information explaining what they do.
The event was therefore a very useful way to better understand what BP does and how they do it. For instance, I learned more about how oil exploration in Angola is being planned, and how BP's tanker fleet is supported.
We can be proud that all this is happening in Spelthorne.
In the same way, we should be proud of British businesses – big companies and smaller ones – more generally and allow them to flourish. By doing this we can make Britain more economically competitive.
Equally, big companies have a responsibility to reach out and play a positive role in communities. With their knowledge and expertise, they can, for example, do a lot to help champion local enterprise.