Race Equity Series, session one: why we need to move beyond diversity

This work is deeply personal and professional for me. Growing up in a predominantly white area in Wales, I began my journey of understanding oppression and racism early on. My parents were recruited to the UK to work in the NHS in the 60s and my mum shared harrowing stories of life in the UK and London back then where shop windows displayed signs saying “No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish.” When she shared these experiences, I vividly remembered her visceral reaction to them, and that stayed with me. At the time, I felt very uncomfortable with her speaking about these experiences and as I grew and had my own experiences of being called different names, looked at it in aggressive ways and having physical violence aimed at me, I learned that what my mum had experienced still existed today. These stories, coupled with my own experiences of verbal and physical racism, have profoundly impacted me and driven my commitment to racial justice. This work is far more than a job; it’s a personal commitment.

My career in the charity sector spans various focus areas and I have been struck by the glaring lack of senior leaders of colour, despite the sector’s goals which include eradicating poverty, ending violence against women and girls, and supporting historically marginalised communities. I found myself thinking, why was the charity sector not valuing, sustaining and progressing people of colour? It didn’t sit well with me that the leadership of charities, which aim to support marginalised communities, often does not reflect those communities they work with.

My encounters with both overt and covert racism and my awareness of global injustices led me to seek out solidarity and support. I found invaluable communities in CharitySoWhite, a grassroots campaigning group in the UK and The Racial Equity Index, a BIPOC global collective creating an accountability mechanism for racial equity in the global development sector. I was also fortunate to cross paths with some incredible women of colour who are grounded in feminist principles. Working with these people and in these spaces, I was provided with new ways of learning, healing, and taking action.

I’ve long had a keen interest in the leadership dynamics of the charity sector, and initially, I focused on the need for more female leaders. Reflecting on my path as a woman of colour, I realised that my journey faced more barriers than those of my white counterparts and I shifted my focus to find out what was going on with people of colour in the sector and looking at this in an intersectional way. In 2019, Bond conducted a sector-wide survey revealing a significant lack of diversity in senior charity roles, underscoring the urgent need for anti-racism work within the sector. I co-authored a report in 2021 entitled Racism, power and truth: Experiences of people of colour in international development and it laid bare the realities for so many people of colour working in the charity sector and explored the different manifestations of racism that exist. It also surfaced the barriers that people of colour face when trying to get into the sector and trying to get promoted. The report also has some wonderful recommendations that CEOs/senior leaders, organisations and individuals can action straight away to create meaningful change now.

Over the years, I have connected with incredible black and brown individuals working on tackling racism and oppression. In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, many people of colour across the sector reached out to me, seeking a space to heal and unfold without judgment and in safety. This need accelerated my work around anti-racism, and in the summer of 2020, my organisation prioritised this work, leading to a co-created strategy developed by people of colour across the charity sector for this work. The strategy is about engaging with senior decision-makers to unblock barriers to change and supporting people most impacted by racism and we have a space for that sharing, learning and healing too. This holistic approach to systemic change is the work I continue passionately today. 

A shift from a focus on diversity to an emphasis on anti-racism and race equity is crucial for many reasons. Diversity doesn’t go deep enough. Diversity alone does not address the systemic inequalities, biases, and power imbalances that marginalised groups face. While diversity efforts may increase representation, they often fail to tackle the deeper, ingrained issues of racism and inequity within organisational structures and cultures. Inclusion and equality initiatives might bring different voices to the table, but without addressing power dynamics, these voices often remain unheard, undervalued, and outside of decision-making processes.

Anti-racist and race equity actions involve comprehensive strategies that integrate equity into the core mission, values, and operations of an organisation, creating sustainable and enduring changes in organisational culture and practices. This contrasts with diversity initiatives, which often involve one-off programmes or quotas that may not lead to long-term change. Organisations committed to anti-racist and race equity principles are likely to experience enhanced trust, credibility, and legitimacy within the communities they work with, which can lead to improving engagement, collaboration, and the overall effectiveness of an organisation’s programmes and initiatives.

An important part to recognise is that it is ethically and morally imperative to actively address racial injustices. Focusing on anti-racism and race equity goes beyond the surface level of diversity to confront and rectify the deep-rooted injustices that affect marginalised communities. This idea of addressing injustice will align with the core values of many charities, which aim to promote social justice and equality. Organisations that embrace race equity are more able to foster environments where diverse perspectives are genuinely integrated, leading to more innovative solutions and approaches to problem-solving, which can enhance the overall impact and reach of a charity’s work.

It is worth noting that there is also a growing expectation from funders, stakeholders, and the public for charities to demonstrate their commitment to race equity. So adopting anti-racist and race equity actions can help organisations meet these expectations and be held accountable for their progress in this area. With this approach, charities go beyond being just superficially inclusive, to being fundamentally fair and just, which will better reflect and support communities.

Diversity will always remain an important component of organisational culture, but it will only ever be a plaster on solving deeper issues if the root causes of challenges aren’t addressed. Focusing on anti-racist and racial equity there is a chance to create deeper, sustainable shifts which will impact everyone for the better and ensuring that all individuals are genuinely included and valued in the charity sector.

Progress on anti-racism in civil society is often slow and painful due to several interrelated factors. One significant barrier is the fear of getting it wrong, not knowing what to say, offending someone or seeming insensitive. This can feel like it may make a situation worse. However, this fear can paralyse individuals and organisations, preventing them from engaging in meaningful conversations and taking action. It’s important to recognise that any hesitation in addressing racism only exacerbates the situation for those experiencing it. I’d argue that any situation will be worse for the person experiencing the racism, as experiencing racism has many layers and can and does impact a person’s mental health and can manfiest in physical pain also. This means that experiencing racism in any form from subtle micro-aggressions to overt racial slurs, literally affects peoples lives and health. When we consider that, then the fear of not engaging and of not committing beyond surface level does not compare to the impact of racism on people’s lives and well-being.

Another challenge is not knowing where to start or how to compare one’s efforts to others. Common questions that come up like “how do we compare to others?” or “who has good examples of this work?” need to be unpacked to understand what is beneath it. These questions can often stem from a desire for external validation, to know that your situation may not be as racist or as bad, as another’s. The search for external reassurance can mask a reluctance to fully commit to anti-racism work and could indicate a wish to minimise the perceived severity of racism within your own organisation compared to others. Looking to see how you compare can be a reflection of your unwillingness to take responsibility for what the realities are for individuals within your organisation. If tackling racism were simple, we’d have seen far more progress by now. Real, lasting change demands unwavering consistency and resilience, yet many face fatigue and a temptation to shift focus to areas where they feel they can achieve quicker results. Genuine transformation requires a collective commitment to confront and reflect on our own power, privilege, and positionality. It means continuously revisiting these issues, remaining open to challenges, and embracing the process of unlearning and relearning. Above all, it means persevering through setbacks and not letting any failed attempts deter us from the crucial work of addressing racism and creating meaningful, sustainable progress.

Much of this revolves around individuals’ comfort levels with confronting these issues. If the ability to sit with, process and endure discomfort is not developed, it can cause progress to stagnate and hinder genuine engagement in transforming our practices and tackling the root causes of systemic racism.

IIED, the International Institute for Environment and Development have been showing leadership by publishing a blog very recently on their progress on anti-racism work. IIED – Becoming an anti-racist organisation: what we’ve learnt so far where they share a full audit report with findings and recommendations. This update shares what progress they have made so far. This is a strong demonstration of holding themselves to account and practicising transparency.

In the case of IIED, CEO Tom Mitchell joined an organisation already committed to becoming actively anti-racist. Internally, their Race and Racism Working Group (RRWG) played a crucial role throughout the audit process and in integrating the findings into a comprehensive work plan for the organisation. This approach demonstrated a devolution of power to those with lived experience of the issues, ensuring they were central in creating the solutions which is necessary for any impact to be felt.

ActionAid UK is an organisation that has been reported on a lot over the last couple of years. They have taken on a co-leadership model to stabilise the organisation, being transparent about their journey so far. They recently published their annual review in which they shared how anti-racism and decolonisation runs through all of its work. Last week Action Aid spoke to Civil Society about the progress they have so far, in a way to show accountability and to be transparent.

Organisations including Oxfam GB have invested in a Racial Justice team to elevate and recognise the important of working on racial justice, and they have integrated it into their strategy. ADD International UK have recently published their new strategy Mtiririko which centres on disability justice which takes into account justice, disability and intersectionality. ADD International UK show that there is an interconnectivity between identities and something like race shouldn’t be left out because it does impact individuals. Other organisations such as THET (Tropical Health and Education Trust), Transform Trade, Plan International UK, Amref Health Africa and others have made bold commitments to become actively anti-racist organisaions, and through clarifying what it means for them – for example THET spotlight the diaspora and the invaluable contribution diaspora bring to the NHS in the UK, Transform Trade renaming their charity, and Amref Health Africa UK working internally to shift power and include racial diasparities, there are seeds and shoots of change happening across the charity sector.

In my work, I see many organisations striving to become actively anti-racist, yet many are not ready to share their progress publicly. If more organisations could openly share their journey, it would help reduce the fear of accountability and transparency. Ultimately, this openness would benefit the entire sector, promoting a culture of collective growth and improvement.

A few points – within my organisation, having anti-racism made a priority for the work we do, as a network, as a sector body it meant that this work would be more visible and that my organisation understood the important and crucial nature of this work.

In January 2020, I organised my first POC-only meeting to discuss data I’d collected on the diversity of sector leaders. With just a week’s notice for an in-person gathering, we had an incredible turnout of 55 attendees. The atmosphere in the room was vibrant, filled with a mix of anger, frustration, and joy. Despite my initial nervousness, the meeting was a great success. Afterward, I received numerous comments and emails from people expressing their gratitude for creating that space. Many mentioned that they had never experienced being in a room where they were not a minority, which was profoundly impactful. It took me some time to fully grasp the significance of that experience for everyone involved.

Giving evidence to the cross-party International Development Committee when they were looking at the culture and philosophy of the aid sector was a but moment for me. With my contribution and many others, the IDC launched a sub-inqury into Racism in the Aid Sector – the first sub-inqury of its kind and the significance of which needs revisiting, and I think the domestic charity sector in the UK could potentially use to encourage change. This was the first time such a substantial report had come out from a group of cross-party MPs discussing all the ways racism manifests in the aid sector.

In 2021, with the Racism, power and truth report, that was Bond’s most downloaded and engaged with report, which was great to learn. It was also a driver to keep the conversation on anti-racism going, it was met with astonishment, caution, shock and it started a lot of conversations.

The work I’ve done with trustees and CEOs over the past few years has seen shifts within organisations to change and signs of intentions to make big changes in the way organisations work, and I’d like to see more collective action and transparency on the work that is being done. One of the greatest things I’ve done so far is holding space for POC, it has not only sustained me, but has supported so many.

With all of these things, I couldn’t have done them without the support of my networks, and the incredible Black and brown people I know and get to work with. My organisation prioritising this work has been vital to keeping this work going and encouraging the sector to keep going with it.

Be intentional this work cannot be done without Black and POC, so remember the adage – ‘nothing about us without us’. Understand that Black and POC staff will not have all the answers to everything, so what are you doing to create the environment for Black and POC staff to be supported in leading this work? What resources are you providing? What spaces? What opportunities for learning, for trialing things and failing and learning and retrying? What mental health and wellbeing support are you providing?

Remember that extraction is not ok, and continually asking for examples of incidents of racism can be harmful. Asking people to relive their trauma of microaggressions, or overt racist incidents over and over is not ok. You are dealing with people, so there needs to be care for those people. There are many examples on the internet, in case studies and reports that already exist, start with what already exists. Ensure safe surroundings for Black and POC staff to be involved and be empowered in any process of creating solutions to address racism. Recognise that some Black and POC staff will want to lead on this work, and others may not, and each is ok. Be led by them at every step, and be ready to support. Leaders must be prepared to lead from the back at times and to make space for and amplify Black and POC staff who lead this work.

I always come back to this saying to make the connection that it will take all of us to make real change:

“If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

By Lilla Watson, Aboriginal elder, activist and educator from Queensland, Australia

This work is long overdue, it is time we all get involved, being led by Black and POC staff, ensuring psychological safety for them, investing in this work with funding and resourcing. Anti-racism and race equity work is not an additional consideration or piece of work to be added to the list, rather this is the work. It is too important to note be engaged in it, if we do not start not and continue, organisations will get left behind as progress is made elsewhere and there could be a risk of becoming illegitimate in your mission. This work needs to be committed to for the long term and we should lean into being held accountable through transparency so that we can measure how we are progressing or not. Only by approaching this with honesty, openness and humility will we stay the course.