Took 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 events of 2020, including the Black Lives Matter movement and disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minority communities, has heightened public consciousness of race inequality. Now there is a need to galvanize and maximise impact through a nation wide collaboration for real change.
The thousands of participants of Race Equality Week 2021 took part in one or more of our three key initiatives, outlined below and we provided tools and resources to facilitate conversation, activity and commitment to change.
Theme – Transparency, Accountability, Action
Ambition – Let’s not go back to normal
Normal is 75% of ethnic minorities experiencing racism in the workplace.
Normal is a third of FTSE 100 companies having no ethnic minority board members.
Normal is graduates from minority backgrounds being twice as likely to be unemployed.
Normal is not good enough.
We have a unique opportunity now for real change so if you believe that Race Equality Matters, stand up now and take action!
Why do we need Race Equality Week? Quite simply because we do not have race equality and, until we do, we have to do everything we can to achieve it through the kind of action and collaboration that Race Equality Week can mobilise. I urge every organisation to participate. Nicholas Cheffings Senior Counsel | Hogan Lovells
Race Equality Week has the potential to be game-changing in the way it combines conscious allyship with a strong peer network - we've seen how powerful this combination can be in other scenarios and it's exciting to see it applied to tackling race in the workplace Su-Mei Thompson CEO | Media Trust
As Lord Mayor of the City of London, diversity and inclusion was at the heart of my role. I'm glad to say that we have seen some progress, particularly on gender and LGBTQ+ but we know there is much more to do, especially on race. Race Equality Week, such a simple but brilliant concept, provides everyone with the perfect opportunity to keep the momentum for change going, and even accelerating. Dame Fiona Woolf DBE, DL Former Lord Mayor of London (2013/14)
Many people have never heard their employers talk about race. That’s why we created the Race Fairness Commitment – a set of measures including talking about race in every induction and exit interview. We support Race Equality Week as driver of more conversations about racial justice, and commitments to real change. Raphael Mokades Founder and Managing Director | Rare
As Lord Mayor of the City of London, diversity and inclusion was at the heart of my role. I'm glad to say that we have seen some progress, particularly on gender and LGBTQ+ b ut we know there is much more to do, especially on race. Race Equality Week, such a simple but brilliant concept, provides everyone with the perfect opportunity to keep the momentum for change going, and even accelerating. Dame Fiona Woolf DBE, DL Former Lord Mayor of London (2013/2014)
Diversity UK is pleased to be a founding partner of the Race Equality Matters because progress on improving race representation at all levels in corporate life, civil society and the public sector in Britain has been too slow. We all need to work towards building back the trust and support of the disadvantaged and disenfranchised and Race Equality Matters is the ideal flag bearer for this progress. Lopa Patel Chair | Diversity UK
Race Equality Week provides a real opportunity for each of us to be a force for good Dominic Christian Global Chairman | Reinsurance Solutions, Aon
I'm passionate about helping football to be a game where people of all backgrounds feel welcome and included from the terraces to the pitch, to the boardroom. Race Equality Matters also shares this vision, so we’re looking forward to working together in our mission to make football a game for everyone. Sanjay Bhandari Chairman | Kick it Out
With organisations and individuals more open to have honest conversations and with public declarations of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, we have a real opportunity to turn this moment into meaningful change for the future of the workplace & wider society. Through Race Equality Matters we intend to empower and amplify the voice of ethnic minority employees and provide organisations, networks and individuals with the insight, tools and resource to drive effective action for sustainable change. Raj Tulsiani CEO & Co-Founder | Green Park
There are three key options, which have been developed in collaboration with ethnic minority stakeholders who believe that it will help make an impact.
Your organisation can opt for one or any combination of the following, the commitment does not end after Race Equality Week, there is still a lot of hard work to go.
Thursday 4th Feb 1.00 - 2.00pm
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We will support organisations with:
What it’s not:
