How fundraising can tackle sexism

Gender inequality and sexism blights the charity sector, according to mounting evidence.

 

This is particularly the case in leadership roles, found a 2022 report by Inclusive Boards. This found that just 13% of charity boards have gender parity and only four in ten trustees are women, despite women taking up more than two thirds (68%) of roles in the sector.

 

Meanwhile, charity leaders’ body ACEVO found that the pay gap between male and female charity chief executives is increasing.

 

While the gender pay gap was 7.6% in 2021, a year later it had grown to 10.8%, its survey of 897 charity leaders found. On average, female charity bosses are also paid £7,000 less than their male counterparts.

 

Women face sexism in workplaces across the country daily, including in charities, whether being ignored for promotion, overlooked during meetings, not credited for their work, or sexually harassed.

 

In one of the most high-profile recent cases, the Chartered Institute of Fundraising was hit by a sexual harassment scandal. In 2021, four allegations of harassment by a fellow were upheld by the body, the complainant involved accused the organisation of gaslighting, and its members criticised the body for not swiftly dealing with the allegations, which had been reported back in 2014.

 

Action is clearly needed sector-wide.

 

 

“Dismantling the patriarchy”

 

In 2023, a hard-hitting report was produced by fundraising think tank Rogare calling for a plan of action towards “dismantling the patriarchy” of the fundraising sector.

 

Rogare chair Heather Hill explains that action is needed as “the fundraising profession is institutionally sexist and discriminates against its women/female members, who represent the majority of professionals in the field, yet end up with the short end of the stick in terms of salary, leadership opportunities, subjection to harassment, and various other forms of systemic barriers to success”.

 

She adds: “By stating that fundraising is institutionally sexist, we’re not trying to be controversial or rile people for the sake of it. We’re just stating a fact: most aspects of society are institutionally sexist, so why would fundraising be any different?”

 

Rogare recommends 45 actions that fundraisers can take to tackle sexism in their profession. These include the below. 

 

 

Action in recruitment

 

According to Rogare “current workplace recruitment, hiring, and advancement processes are vulnerable to bias, in fundraising just as any other profession”.

 

This includes the “child penalty”, where employers shun women for top roles due to concerns around finding a replacement during maternity leave. Current recruitment is also blighted by a lack of flexibility to help women with childcare.

 

Being called for are longer shortlists of applicants and salary transparency, by clearly stating salaries in applications and not asking about candidates’ salary histories. Anonymised job applications can also tackle bias.

 

In addition, employers should offer flexible working options and “proactively include women in succession planning to disrupt the cultural stereotype” around women’s management and leadership skills. Job sharing is another option employers can consider to further attract female applicants.

 

 

Involve women in decision-making

 

Employers need to ensure women are involved in day-to-day decision making. This includes giving women credit when they originate new ideas in meetings.

 

“When in meetings and a male/man colleague has clearly just relayed an idea that a female/woman colleague has already offered, let the room know that you are aware who the idea originated from,” states Rogare.

 

“There are ways to do this using humour that will sufficiently recognise the woman while also letting the man know that it’s not OK to claim others’ ideas without humiliating him.”

The think tank adds: “If you’re a man who’s not happy to give up your slot at a conference or event, find a way for a woman to join you. Highlight a woman’s work within your presentation or comments. It would be even better if that woman was in the room at the time and could be recognised in real time.”

 

 

Combating sexism among donors

 

Also being called for is action to ensure female fundraisers are not subject to sexism from donors. Rogare is proposing a code of conduct for donors for charities to publish. This would commit them to “behaving in a respectful and non-discriminatory manner towards fundraising professionals”.

 

This is particularly useful when dealing with high end donors. Too often when faced with sexism “a fundraiser can feel obliged to conform in a way that would not endanger the donor’s gift to their organisation or their relationship with the donor” and to “tolerate unacceptable behaviour”.

 

 

Sector-wide action to tackle sexism 

 

As well as individual action that employers, male colleagues, and donors can take, Rogare also calls for a “sector-wide campaign to raise awareness of misogyny in the workplace that aims to get men thinking about their role in perpetuating and addressing it”.

 

The think tank says fundraising can learn from other sectors, in particular local government in this regard. It praises campaigns from both the mayors of London and Manchester to tackle sexism. For example the Mayor of London’s 2022 public awareness campaign on the issues called on men to challenge misogyny with the line “have a word with yourself, then with your mates”.