Are charities behind on anti-racism?

The charity sector should be absolutely committed to tackling racism and inequality, and promoting inclusion and diversity. But evidence has been published recently to show that the voluntary sector is behind the private sector in terms of being actively anti-racist.

This includes charities’ commitment to tackling racism in their organisation as well as how they use marketing and imagery to promote diversity.

Here we look at the latest evidence to arise around charities commitment to being anti-racist.

Businesses more anti-racist than charities

The 2021 annual barometer of NGO and corporate partnerships report contained some shocking findings around charities’ commitment to anti-racism. Produced by C&E Advisory Services’, the report included the views of 130 companies and charities.

It found that anti-racism issues, particularly after the death of George Floyd in the US, have moved up charities and companies’ agendas over the past year. But while around three quarters (76%) of corporates say they have made a strong and strategic response to anti-racism in the past year, the proportion falls to just 61% among NGOs.

Similarly, 71% of businesses said issues raised by the #BlackLivesMatter movement feature in their organisation’s partnerships with charities. The proportion falls to 47% among non-profits, however, which is below C&E’s expectations.

In 2020, C&E had estimated that six in ten charities would say that anti-racism issues would feature in their partnerships. The report says that “it does seem ironic that the non-profit sector, which is much admired for its mission and values orientation, is faced with such a clear comparative deficit in terms of sectoral responses to the anti-racism challenge”.

Lack of resources

C&E says the reasons for such a gap between businesses and charities in their commitment to being anti-racist are “unclear” but adds that a lack of resources to tackling racism may be a factor.

A separate study in 2021 into the charity sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, led by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam universities, certainly seems to indicate lack of resources or funding is a barrier.

It’s COVID-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer looked at why charities are struggling to promote diversity in their organisation. It found that the most reported barrier to being inclusive and addressing equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) issues is limited financial resources, cited by a fifth of charities.

Other barriers cited are lack of staff (15%), HR skills and knowledge (12%), and diversity and inclusion knowledge (11%)

The NCVO report also found that lack of resources is a particular challenge for small charities in tackling racism.

“The report shows that smaller organisations in particular face challenges with limited funding and resources. However, some organisations have been able to revise their EDI plans during the pandemic,” said NCVO research and insight manager Anya Martin.

Nottingham Trent University organisational behaviour professor Daniel King added: “Many interviewees said that COVID-19 gave opportunities reflect and challenge their assumptions, meaning they begun having difficult conversations within their organisations about some of the changes they need to make.

“However, many interviewees recognise there is a long way to go, there are structural and systematic forms of exclusion, from the way organisations are run through to funding.”

Charities adopting an anti-racist stance

Despite funding challenges facing the sector a number of charities are already adopting a strong anti-racist stance in how they tackle a lack of diversity and inclusion in wider society and within their own organisation.

This has included Christian Aid, which in 2021 appointed its first race and diversity lead. University College London Associate Professor of Development Studies and Faculty Vice-Dean for EDI, Dr Kamna Patel, joined the charity in the role this summer to oversee Christian Aid’s work to combat inequality.

This followed a Christian Aid commissioned report in 2020 that found the charity had “an organisational culture in which Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff encountered racism at work”.

Another charity sector organisation to take action is the NCVO, which has set up an EDI sub-committee to address racism within its organisation. Its work has included investigating complaints of harassment, victimisation, and race discrimination. A total of ten complaints were looked at by the NCVO in 2021, with “a number” being upheld.

NCVO Chair Priya Singh has apologised to “everyone who has been harmed as a result of these incidents and by the failings at NCVO”.

Meanwhile, Sarah Vibert, Interim Chief Executive at the NCVO, added: “The experiences faced by staff at NCVO, and the mirror held up to us, has initiated a seismic shift in how we approach our work, the shape of our organisation, and the role we play as part of a sector working for a better society for all.

“The real test of NCVO’s culture change work is going to be how it feels to work at and with NCVO. I hope things have started to feel different, but it’s clear there is a long way to go.”