Clear Channel’s Compass Scheme Expands to Support Scaling Businesses with National Reach

Clear Channel UK is doubling down on its commitment to supporting Black-owned businesses with the return of the Compass scheme in 2025, in partnership with Jamii. This year, the initiative is expanding its impact with a £250,000 prize pot - providing five winners with national digital Out of Home advertising campaigns worth £50,000 each to help scale their businesses and increase their visibility.

Following previous successful editions, Clear Channel is evolving Compass to support more established businesses looking to scale up, ensuring that winning brands have a national presence - whether through e-commerce platforms or larger retail partnerships. This shift reflects the initiative’s goal to help businesses grow beyond their local footprint and reach customers across the UK.

An independent jury to select the winners

To further strengthen the selection process, Clear Channel is introducing an independent jury of industry leaders to select the winners from a shortlist. The panel - comprised of experts from across media, advertising, and business - will bring additional credibility and rigour to the judging process. The judging panel will include:

- Segun Akinwoleola, Founder, The Gym Kitchen

- Cheryl Crilley, Business Director – OOH, Wavemaker

- Khalia Ismain, Black Entrepreneurs Programme Manager, Lloyds Bank

- Shannie Mears, Co-Founder and Head of Talent, The Elephant Room

- Ally Owen, Founder, Brixton Finishing School

- Michelle Sarpong, Commercial Lead, the 7stars

- Curtis Weir, OOH Group Director, Publicis Media

More than just advertising space

Beyond free advertising space, Compass 2025 will offer winning businesses free design support to help craft impactful campaigns. Additionally, all applicants will have access to extra resources, including an educational webinar and a networking event later in the year, ensuring wider value beyond the final winners.

Caroline Forbes, head of sales – out of home agencies at Clear Channel, said, "While many businesses are scaling back their DEI efforts, we remain committed to supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs through Compass. Since launching, this initiative has continued to grow in scale and ambition, and in 2025, we’re focusing on delivering fewer, bigger, and better campaigns that provide real impact. We also want to ensure that even more business owners benefit from Compass, whether they win or not, by offering additional learning and networking opportunities throughout the year.”

Courtney Ismain, co-founder of Jamii, said, “Jamii is proud to collaborate with Clear Channel UK for another year of Compass. There are incredible Black-owned brands nationwide who have a product to sell and a story to tell, but statistically Black business owners struggle more with access to resources. With greater Out of Home investment than ever being put behind the winners, we’re making sure they get their opportunity in the spotlight.”

Compass is part of the Clear Channel’s wider Platform for Good commitment - using the power of Out of Home to support businesses, uplift communities, and champion diverse voices across the UK.

Applications are open now and will close at the end of April. The winners will be announced in early July.