6. Equality, diversity and inclusion

Principle

The board has a clear, agreed and effective approach to supporting equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the organisation and in its own practice. This approach supports good governance and the delivery of the organisation’s charitable purposes.

Rationale

Addressing equality, diversity and inclusion helps a board to make better decisions. This requires commitment, but it means that a charity is more likely to stay relevant to those it serves and to deliver its public benefit. Recognising and countering any imbalances in power, perspectives and opportunities in the charity, and in the attitudes and behaviour of trustees, staff and volunteers, helps to make sure that a charity achieves its aims.

All trustees have the same responsibility for the charity, so they must have equal opportunity to contribute to decision making. Board diversity, in the widest sense, is important because it creates more balanced decision making. Where appropriate, this includes and centres the communities and people the charity serves. This increases the charity’s legitimacy and impact. Equality and diversity are only effective and sustainable if the board works to be inclusive, ensuring that all trustees are welcomed, valued and able to contribute.

Boards that commit to equality, diversity and inclusion are more likely to set a positive example and tone for the charity by following an appropriate strategy for delivering its purpose and setting inclusive values and culture.

Key outcomes

The principles of equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded in the organisation and help to deliver the charity’s public benefit.
Obstacles to participation are reduced, with the organisation’s work designed and open for everyone included within its charitable purposes. This supports the charity to challenge inequality and achieve improved equality of outcomes.
The board is more effective because it reflects different perspectives, experiences and skills, including, where applicable, from current and future beneficiaries.

Assessing understanding of systems and culture
1. The board analyses and can define how equality, diversity and inclusion are important for the charity, its context and the delivery of its aims.
2. The board assesses its own understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion. It considers how this happens in the charity and identifies any gaps in understanding which could be filled by discussion, learning, research or information.
3. The board regularly assesses:
  1. the charity’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion, using available data and, where applicable, lived experience
  2. its own practice including:
    1. the diversity of trustees’ backgrounds and perspectives in its regular board skills audit to identify imbalances and gaps
    2. any bias in trustee recruitment and selection
    3. where applicable, how the communities and people that the charity serves are included and centred in decision making
    4. how meetings and board information can be made more accessible and how to provide resources to support this
    5. how to create a meeting environment in which behaving inclusively is the norm, all voices are equal and trustees can constructively challenge each other
    6. how the board demonstrates inclusive behaviours in its decision making and how it engages with staff, volunteers, members, service users and beneficiaries.
Setting context-specific and realistic plans and targets
1. The board sets a clear organisational approach to equality, diversity and inclusion in line with the charity’s aims, strategy, culture and values. This is supported by appropriate plans, policies, milestones, targets and timelines.
2. The board uses the findings from its assessments to make context-specific and regularly reviewed plans and targets for:
  1. equality, diversity and inclusion training for board members
  2. inclusive boardroom culture, practices and behaviours
  3. board evaluation or training to address any power imbalances between trustees
  4. removing, reducing and preventing obstacles to people being trustees
  5. attracting a diverse group of candidates for new trustee roles and providing an inclusive induction for new trustees
  6. recruiting a diverse board that addresses imbalances and any gaps that have been found
  7. promoting inclusive behaviours and cultures to the wider organisation.
Taking action and monitoring performance
1. The board ensures that there are appropriate arrangements and resources in place to monitor and achieve the organisation’s equality, diversity and inclusion plans and targets, including those relating to the board.
2. The board creates and maintains inclusive cultures, practices and behaviours in all its decision making. It promotes and demonstrates inclusive behaviours and cultures to the wider organisation.
3. The board regularly monitors and actively implements its plans and targets established under 6.5.2.
4. The board leads the organisation’s progress towards achieving its equality, diversity and inclusion plans and targets. It receives regular updates from the organisation including challenges, opportunities and new developments.
5. The board periodically takes part in learning and/or reflection about equality, diversity and inclusion and understands its responsibilities in this area. It acts on any gaps in its understanding and looks at how board practice, culture and behaviour are affected by these gaps.
Publishing performance information and learning
1. The board regularly publishes:
  1. information on its progress towards achieving its equality, diversity and inclusion plans and targets, including challenges, opportunities and learning. This could include the:
    1. charity’s organisational approach to equality, diversity and inclusion in line with its aims, strategy, culture and values,
    2. board’s culture, practices and behaviours
    3. board’s composition and make-up
2. its plans to tackle any organisational or board inequalities and gaps that have been identified.

Assessing understanding of systems and culture
1. The board analyses and can define how equality, diversity and inclusion are important for the charity, its context and the delivery of its aims.
2. The board assesses its own understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion. It considers how this happens in the charity and identifies any gaps in understanding which could be filled by discussion, learning, research or information.
3. The board regularly assesses:
4. the charity’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion, using available data and, where applicable, lived experience
5. its own practice including:
  1. the diversity of trustees’ backgrounds and perspectives in its regular board skills audit to identify imbalances and gaps
  2. any bias in trustee recruitment and selection
  3. where applicable, how the communities and people that the charity serves are included and centred in decision making
  4. how meetings and board information can be made more accessible and how to provide resources to support this
  5. how to create a meeting environment in which behaving inclusively is the norm, all voices are equal and trustees can constructively challenge each other
  6. how the board demonstrates inclusive behaviours in its decision making and how it engages with staff (where they exist), volunteers, members, service users and beneficiaries.
Setting context-specific and realistic plans and targets
1. The board sets a clear organisational approach to equality, diversity and inclusion in line with the charity’s aims, strategy, culture and values. This is supported by appropriate plans, policies, milestones, targets and timelines.
2. The board uses the findings from its assessments to make context-specific and regularly reviewed plans and targets for:
  1. equality, diversity and inclusion training for board members
  2. inclusive boardroom culture, practices and behaviours
  3. removing, reducing and preventing obstacles to people being trustees
  4. attracting a diverse group of candidates for new trustee roles and providing an inclusive induction for new trustees
  5. recruiting a diverse board that addresses imbalances and any gaps that have been found
  6. promoting inclusive behaviours and cultures to the wider organisation.
Taking action and monitoring performance
1. The board ensures that there are appropriate arrangements and resources in place to monitor and achieve the organisation’s equality, diversity and inclusion plans and targets, including those relating to the board.
2. The board creates and maintains inclusive cultures, practices and behaviours in all its decision making. It promotes and demonstrates inclusive behaviours and cultures to the wider organisation.
3. The board regularly monitors and actively implements its plans and targets established under 6.5.2.
4. The board leads the organisation’s progress towards achieving its equality, diversity and inclusion plans and targets and discusses updates on this.
5. The board periodically takes part in learning and/or reflection about equality, diversity and inclusion and understands its responsibilities in this area. It acts on any gaps in its understanding and looks at how board practice, culture and behaviour are affected by these gaps.
Publishing performance information and learning
1. The board regularly publishes:
  1. information on its progress towards achieving its equality, diversity and inclusion plans and targets, including challenges, opportunities and learning.
  2. its plans to tackle any organisational or board inequalities and gaps that have been identified.