It is almost two years since the tragic death of George Floyd sent shockwaves around the world and opened many eyes to the reality of racial inequality in modern society. The power of the Black Lives Matter movement motivated many organisations to revisit their strategies to encourage diversity and inclusion. But two years on, inequality persists. We are still seeing clear ethnicity pay gaps and reports of systemic racism in organisations from the NHS to the Metropolitan Police.

In the housing sector, there is also still a problem. Although individuals from ethnic minorities make up a significant proportion of social housing tenants in the UK, this is not always reflected in the leadership of housing associations. Indeed, a study from Inside Housing last year found that whilst the racial diversity of housing staff is broadly reflective of the general UK population, this drops when it comes to senior roles. In fact, more than 60% of the housing associations surveyed had all-white executive teams. When research has consistently shown that there is a strong link between race and social mobility, this to me is concerning. If individuals from ethnic minorities cannot progress in the housing sector, then how can it ever truly serve the communities it represents?  

Whilst an understanding of the legal principles and a robust discrimination policy are an excellent place to start, they will only ever be part of the jigsaw. Improving career opportunities in housing for those from ethnic minorities will require institutional change. This means conversations being consistently translated into action with measurable KPIs. It also means staff being actively encouraged to openly question their own biases, share their personal experiences and call out inappropriate behaviour.

This all might sound like a large task, but it does not mean it is impossible. This week, Inside Housing published a case study from PA Housing which shows that positive change can happen if it is prioritised, bought into by managers, and allocated sufficient resource.

At Anthony Collins Solicitors, we have utilised our knowledge of the housing sector to partner with employers and navigate them through this process. We are experienced in providing equality and diversity training to management teams and advising on issues arising out of cultural change. If you would like some support with addressing racial inequality in your organisation, please do get in touch.