Northumberland County Council is taking part in Race Equality Week (6-12 February) to further their commitment to race equality within the organisation.

 

As part of the campaign, members of the Council’s Race Equality Staff Network, allies, and senior leaders have recently made their commitment to action that drives change via the Race Equality Matters (REM) BIG Promise.

 

The BIG Promise is an inclusive, positive, and achievable initiative that allows everyone in the organisation to take action on race inequality.

 

Employees choose from seven meaningful actions devised by REM’s ethnically diverse community.

 

The sets of seven promises have been developed specifically so that each will make a real impact on race inequality in the workplace. Individuals select a minimum of one promise which they commit to fulfil, and, for transparency and accountability, they share with others.

 

Each promise has been developed and reviewed by ethnic minority employees from organisations across the country. Each is designed to make a real impact on race inequality if it is kept.

 

Cllr Wendy Pattison, cabinet member for Adults’ Wellbeing, said: “Following our recent REM Bronze Trailblazer status, the BIG Promise is a chance for each and every individual to make a unique commitment to take meaningful action toward race equality.

 

“Race equality is everybody’s business and I encourage employees across the Council to make their promise this Race Equality Week.”

 

Among those making their BIG Promise are members of the Council’s employee-led Race Equality Network and their senior Champions, Audrey Kingham, Director of Children's Services, and Graham Reiter, Service Director for Children's Social Care.

 

Promises made by Race Equality Champions Audrey and Graham include:

• Set a zero tolerance to racism and microaggressions policy, with published, clear consequences for those that do not adhere
• Build the mechanisms to identify, develop and promote ethnically diverse people and develop the talent pipeline
• Actively sponsor ethnically diverse (especially black) talent in our workplace
• Participate in Safe Space (a dialogue with ethnically diverse colleagues to create change), Tea Break or #MyNameIs and monitor outcomes
• Set stretching targets and collate information, including Board and Senior Leadership Team race diversity targets and breakdown of employees by race and pay band

Audrey and Graham have also made additional commitments that align with the Race Equality Staff Network’s priorities for 2023 and remain committed to supporting the Network to implement these goals.

 

In signing a promise, individuals make a public commitment, that is measurable and to which they will be held accountable, to create a positive change.

Find out more about The BIG Promise here.