Like many organisations, we've been working to discuss, learn, share and take a long hard look at our responsibility to address racism.
We wanted to look at how we change how we make decisions, shape priorities and share opportunities in recognition that discrimination damages our mental health. Addressing inequalities is central to realising our vision and mission.
Our journey on race and diversity
At the board level, since 2018, we have taken proactive steps to ensure we have a diverse board of trustees with a range of skills and lived experiences, which has proved invaluable. However, while we have a diversity of staff across the UK, we have an almost all-white leadership team. Before the murder of George Floyd in 2020, we had not openly discussed this or developed a plan of how we could prevent racial disadvantage in wider society from being perpetuated in our decisions and culture.
Turning towards action
Following an independent six-month review with workshops and staff consultation, we worked together to shape the actions we would take. Our board agreed to over 70 detailed recommendations across the organisation for action.
We were clear that if an issue isn’t named and seen, it isn’t a priority for action. So, we want to keep normalising the conversation about race, discrimination and inclusion. That is a process that has just started, and we recognise that positive intent is not a precursor to success; as such this needs to be nurtured, protected and monitored.
Six big commitments
There are six big commitments we are making as an organisation:
- The Chair and CEO will be accountable for driving progress on our approach to race and diversity and will be held to account by the board
- Public targets and regular reporting on diversity. These will include having 20% of our board and 20% of our leadership team from diverse racial backgrounds by 2024, with further diversity targets to be developed.
- Whole organisation's commitments (our leadership, programmes, research, policy, fundraising, and communications) to address racial inequality and making it a thread that runs through our work and identity
- The creation of at least 4 annual paid internships and as well as bursaries for professional development and training for colleagues from racialised and minority communities
- Investing in a senior post to lead the development and implementation of a Diversity and Inclusion strategy
- Explicitly adopting a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination within a committed learning culture to keep talking about racism and other forms of discrimination.
Walking our own talk
Our Chair and CEO are also joining with other leaders in the sector to take the following steps, specifically about speaking at panels and events or participating in committees, boards and working groups to create space for diverse voices to be heard and influence change.
We are committing to:
- Be part of groups and committees that are actively inclusive, and ask who isn’t at the table, who should be, and how we can get them there
- Be part of panels where at least 50% of the panel is female and 20% from diverse racial backgrounds
- Take part in conferences where speakers and representatives with diverse backgrounds of all kinds and lived experiences are heard across all parts of the conference, including the main stage
- Always ask ourselves, our teams and other organisers if we are making sure a wide range of voices and lived experiences are heard in our own events and those we participate in.
We know that we need to keep learning. Our commitments will not end systemic racism, but as a result of these commitments, we envisage a more reflective, representative and relevant organisation.
Every step on that journey will equip us better to deliver our vision of good mental health for all.