Diversity: Do as we say?

Workers at environmental charities express frustration with the lack of diversity at senior leadership level and a lack of action on diversity and inclusion. 

Why it matters: The lack of diversity in environmental organizations undermines their credibility and effectiveness.

By the numbers: . A survey of the sector from the Race Report campaign shows that:

• only around one in 20 workers identified as an ethnic minority, compared to one in eight in the wider UK workforce
• Three-quarters of workers of colour reported they felt they belonged in their organisation, compared with 84% of white identifying workers. 
• The research also found that the senior leadership of environmental organisations lacks diversity. 
• One in 10 of the firms that contributed to the research reported publishing or being in the process of publishing data on their race equity pay gap compared with one in 20 in 2022; 
• two-thirds reported hiring a senior leader with responsibility for equality, diversity and inclusion, up from 44%; and 
• 85% said they were carrying out reviews of the effectiveness of that work. 

What's next: It would be interesting to see similar data on NGOs in Europe. Maybe the European Commission should consider a study on this?

Additional material

Article in the Guardian