Hundreds register to take part in the UK’s first ever Race Equality Week
Taking place between the 1st and 7th of February, Race Equality Week is a UK-wide initiative, 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 hundreds of organisations, such as BT, HS2, National Trust, Aviva, CBI, Oxford Brookes University, Network Rail, numerous Local Authorities & NHS Trusts, Balfour Beatty, Edelman, Gallagher, CBRE, Institute of Fundraising, PohWer, Scope and Mental Health First Aid England.
Participants of Race Equality Week are being encouraged to take part in one or more of three key initiatives, including: 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 Week was launched by not-for profit Race Equality Matters, a community interest company founded in response to the heightened public consciousness of race inequality highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement and disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minority communities. The organisations 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.
Raj Tulsiani, Co-founder of Race Equality Matters and CEO of Diversity Consultancy and Executive Search firm Green Park, says: “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.”
“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.”
For more information or to register and download the Race Equality Week participation pack, visit: raceequalitymatters.com.
– ENDS –