The RACE Equality Code, and its Accountability Framework, is designed to provide organisations across all sectors and sizes, with the opportunity to address a very specific challenge: How to deal with race inequality in the boardroom and senior leadership team.
We have adopted and are applying the code, having completed a self-assessment against this, early 2023. A Race Action Plan is being drawn up which will enable us to demonstrate in a robust, transparent, and comprehensive manner how we will achieve our race equality goals.
The RACE Equality Code provides us with the opportunity to use a robust and comprehensive framework of measures and a methodology for transparent implementation of actions to which the organisation can demonstrate accountability.
This is shown by four key principles - reporting, actions, composition and education.
Reporting: A clear commitment to be transparent to all stakeholders through the disclosure of required, concise and current information on the progress and impact of race initiatives across the organisation. Openness and transparency will be actively pursued and valued in order to create the right environment for change.
Actions: A list of the measurable actions and outcomes that contribute to and enable a shift in the organisation’s approach to be delivering positive and sustainable change in race equity and equality. Without a set of targets and detailed plans for their achievement, real change will not happen, and organisations will not be accountable.
Composition: A set of key indicators that create tangible differences in race diversity across all levels of the organisation. The narrative around what is acceptable will need to change through dialogue and data, and this will lead to challenging conversations leading to necessary decisions which the organisation is committed to making.
Education: A robust organisational framework that develops the ethical, moral, social, and business reasoning for race diversity at all levels of the organisation. This will be underpinned by inclusive and embedded programmes of continuous professional development (using the principles) through which perspectives and prejudices will need to be challenged, and systemic and institutional practices acknowledged. Education has the greatest potential to effect the paradigm shift and break down the mental, cultural, and institutional barriers to true racial equality and inequity.