Charity trustee boards are often accused of being ‘pale, male and stale’. Research has repeatedly found that boards are not reflective of the communities they serve.

A report by Inclusive Boards found that the charity sector is ‘still lagging behind private companies with 6.6% of trustees being from an ethnic minority background’. While research by the Charity Commission found that men outnumber women trustees on boards by two to one. What’s more, the average age of a charity trustee is 61.

These are not the only factors affecting the lack of diversity on charity trustee boards. When it comes to representation of LGBTQI+, disabled people and those from lower-income backgrounds, the sector has a long way to go to ensure its boards are representative and diverse. 

 

 

Samuel Kasumu is currently Managing Director of Inclusive Boards, an agency that supports organisations seeking to improve diversity at board level. He is the youngest member of the Prime Minister’s Race Disparity Advisory Group, and Chair of the African-Caribbean Alumni Network (A-CAN). He is on various boards including challenger energy firm Ovo Energy's foundation arm. Samuel is also a local Councillor in Hertfordshire. 

 

Harpreet Kondel is a senior fundraiser with 25 years’ experience in the charitable sector. Harpreet is a trustee at RoSPA and a member of the Institute of Fundraising Special Interest Group on Donor Experience. She also sits on the IoF’s Convention Board. Since 2017, she has been providing interim fundraising support for a number of charities, including Diabetes UK, Christian Aid and Dementia UK.

 

Leon Ward is Deputy Chair of Brook Young People. He has been a trustee since the age of 18 and is the author of the Young Trustee Guide; written to help the charity sector diversify their boards.

 

Michaela Greene is the Development and Communications Director at the Roundhouse. She has worked in the not for profit sector for over 20 years, both in the cultural and wider charity sector. In addition to her role as Development and Communications Director she also leads on Diversity and Inclusion at the Roundhouse. Michaela is Vice Chair of another creative charity, Ministry of Stories and regularly mentors other senior fundraising leaders in the sector.

 

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