Hundreds of firms sign up to UK’s Race Equality Week

Hundreds of organisations have signed up to the UK’s first Race Equality Week, confirmed the organiser Race Equality Matters. 

The UK-wide virtual initiative, taking place all week (1-7 February 2021), is uniting hundreds of organisations and individuals in activity to address the barriers facing race equality in the workplace. The initiative already has registered participants from organisations, such as BT, HS2, National Trust, Aviva, CBI, Oxford Brookes University, Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, Edelman, Gallagher, CBRE, Institute of Fundraising, PohWer, Scope, Mental Health First Aid England; and numerous Local Authorities & NHS Trusts.

Race Equality Week encourages participating organisations/leaders to take part in one or more of three key initiatives. They include a Virtual Badge campaign, showing visible support through the display of the Race Equality Week logo; The Big Promise, a public commitment to action and accountability; and Safe Space, a facilitated discussion between ethnic minority employees and the board.  

RACE EQUALITY MATTERS

Race Equality Week was launched by not-for profit Race Equality Matters; a community-interest company. It was founded in response to the heightened public consciousness of race inequality highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement; as well as the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minority communities. The organisation’s mission is to turn talk of support into action; developing and implementing impact-driven solutions in UK business through the collaboration of organisations, race networks, experts in the field, allies and employees.

 “As the pandemic continues to disrupt ‘business as usual,’ many people are entering the new year longing for things to go back to normal. Our message is simple: let’s not go back to normal. Normal is not good enough,” states Raj Tulsiani, Co-founder of Race Equality Matters and CEO of Diversity Consultancy and Executive Search firm Green Park. “Normal is 75% of ethnic minorities experiencing racism in the workplace; a third of FTSE 100 companies having no ethnic minority board members; and graduates from minority backgrounds being twice as likely to be unemployed. We have a unique opportunity now for real change. So anyone who believes that race equality matters should be taking action.”

Javed Thomas, Co-founder of Race Equality matters and CEO of The Collaboratory, agrees. He outlines some of the key initiatives Race Equality Week offers to address racial inequality within the workplace; and how they will enable leaders to move from just talking about race to actually taking meaningful action for a real impact. For more information or to register and download the Race Equality Week participation pack, click here.