White male boards, the Presidents Club, ongoing scandals - we've talked about it, been to the seminars and read the reports, but there's been far too little progress. More of the same isn't likely to create the change needed, so here's something different - the draft Charity Diversity Excellence Standard. Make your voice heard and help shape it, and like and share, if you'd like it submitted to the Parliamentary Women and Equalities Committee, who have called for ideas to make implementing the Equalities Act more effective. Let's turn this long-standing sector weakness into the huge strength it can and should be.

Three things. Firstly, positive encouragement is much more effective than enforcement, so it will provide recognition for those charities that already promote and value equality and diversity. Secondly, for those that don’t know how best to do so, it provides a very simple, practical tool.  Thirdly, for those who won't, it provides an enforceable standard that can be used to make them to do so.  But, how?

If public and charitable funders were to make this a condition of funding, the change needed would happen quickly; money talks. It'd cost them nothing and there'd also be a lot of other benefits (see below).

Comment below, or e mail me at [email protected]. I’m doing this entirely on my own, with no funding to promote it - please share. Better still, if your organisation would like to help in some way, or endorse it, or even be a partner in creating the standard, get in touch, thank you.

The free Charity Excellence Framework digital platform for trustees/senior teams, automatically assesses diversity and this has been used as the basis for the draft Diversity Excellence Standard (below). Join us at https://www.charityexcellence.co.uk. You can export your results as an action plan, with each individually linked to the resources you'll need.    

For funders adopting it, it would give them an online due diligence and monitoring capability, in real time, not only for equality and diversity, but also a whole range of other metrics. Adopt its use as a baseline funder standard and it'd reduce workload for both funders and charities alike, as well. If you have a contact with a funder, please tell them.

For the purposes of the standard:

Equality - is about ensuring that everyone is valued and treated fairly, particularly minority groups, as defined by the 9 protected characteristics in the Equalities Act.

Diversity - is bringing different ways of thinking and experiences into the charity, as a driver of performance. Ensuring your charity promotes equality will do this, but the definition is broader than that. For example, an academic organisation working with business people, or vice-a-versa..

1.         The board and management team make their expectations regarding equality and diversity clear, demonstrably live up to these and are respected by everyone for doing so.

2.         We have a robust, up-to-date equality policy that everyone is made aware of and which is consistently applied in a way that ensures everyone is treated fairly and equitably.

3.         A board member leads on whistleblowing (Public Disclosure Act), everyone has been made aware of our policy and it is readily available in the workplace.

4.         We always take any discrimination/sexual harassment complaints seriously, respond sensitively and quickly and, if proven, ensure that the action taken is prompt and effective.  

1.         We have identified the barriers that under-represented groups face in joining and being successful in our organisation, and have taken steps to remove these.

2.         We recruit board members by advertising openly, actively encourage and support under-represented groups to apply and always appoint the best candidate.

3.         We have reviewed our board skills/diversity within the last 12 months and taken taken action to address any lack of diversity, including considering positive action.

4.         We have an induction process for board members and provide any additional support that may be needed, to enable them to participate and contribute to the Board's work

5.         We advertise staff roles in a way that actively promotes diversity and encourages and enables people from under-represented groups to apply.

6.         Staff recruitment is openly advertised, using communication channels and language that will both reach and engage under-represented groups.

7.         Our volunteer recruitment uses messaging and advertising methods appropriate to our target audience, including under-represented groups.

8.         Our application processes, monitoring and interviews comply with Section 60 of the Equalities Act in respect of health and disability data and questions.

9.         Interview/promotion or other panels are diverse, insofar as possible, and have the experience to be able to assess candidates accurately and fairly, without unconscious bias.

10.     The Board have reviewed the salaries/benefits paid to individuals, identified any gender or other equality pay gaps and taken action, if appropriate.

11.     For training, promotion, transfer or other opportunities, we consider the need to make reasonable adjustments for any disabled people who may wish to apply.

12. We reassess ourselves against the standard annually and report the results and any proposed action to our staff and other stakeholders.

1.         The Board sets diversity targets for itself.

2.         The Board sets diversity targets for the staff/volunteer team.

3.         The Board have considered taking positive action, if needed to deliver our diversity targets within a reasonable timescale.

4.         The Board's annual report includes its diversity targets/achievement and action being taken to address any gaps, including timescales to do so and its position on positive action.

1.         We have a culture in which everyone is treated with respect, valued and rewarded for what they contribute, with zero tolerance of unfair discrimination at every level.

2.         No gender represents more than two thirds of board members.

3.         The Board is diverse in terms of at least one other protected characteristic and, overall, is appropriately representative of our stakeholders, unless it is very small.

4.         The management team is diverse; with no gender representing more than two thirds overall, except for very small teams, where this would be unrealistic.

5.         The overall staff/volunteer team is diverse and appropriately reflects our stakeholder base.

6.         Salaries and benefits are consistent and comparable, between roles in our own organisation and similar roles in other non-profits, regardless of gender/ethnicity.

1.     Faith and Women – We understand and comply fully with equality legislation, if we exclude individuals from an appointment, on the basis of faith/gender.

2.     Disability - Our board meeting arrangements, processes, papers and support have been designed to enable disabled members to participate fully in our work.

In Defence of Pale, Male and Stale, Ian McLintock, 2017.

Taken on Trust: awareness and effectiveness of charity trustees in England and Wales, Charity Commission for England and Wales, November 2017.

How to tackle the lack of trustee board diversity, Ian McLintock, November 2017.

Beyond One by ‘21’, EY Parker Review, 2017.  

Diversity and Discrimination in The Charity Sector: What We Found, Charity Job, March 2018.

The Charity Excellence Framework, Ian McLintock, June 2018.

Racial Diversity in the Charity Sector, Acevo, 2018.

Third Sector Leadership 2000, a review of diversity in major UK charities, Green Park, 2018.

Charities Inclusive Governance 2018, Inclusive Boards, 2018.