The recent Race Equity Series events, organised by the Home Truths 2 team, provided valuable insights into two critical aspects of racial equity: ethnic pay disparities and intersectionality. Home Truths 2 is a collaborative project between Voice4Change England and ACEVO. These sessions offered a platform for experts to share their knowledge and experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of these complex issues within the civil society sector.
RES02: Reporting and Responding to Ethnic Pay Disparities
The second session of the Race Equity Series focused on the crucial topic of ethnic pay gaps. Speakers Sanjiv Lingayah, Wilf Sullivan, and Zoe Kabir shared their expertise on this pressing issue.
An ethnicity pay gap measures the difference in average earnings between ethnic groups across an organisation or the labour market. The discussion highlighted both surface drivers, such as the concentration of Black and Minoritised Ethnic people in lower-paid roles, and deeper drivers including family background, workplace discrimination, and geographic factors.
While the ethnicity pay gap calculation provides a useful tool for transparency and promoting an equal pay culture, it has limitations. It may not capture the full complexity of deeper drivers or specific ethnic subgroups. For instance, the broad "Asian" category might obscure significant pay differences between Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Indian ethnic groups.
Alarmingly, only 11% of the top 250 charities by income were reporting their ethnicity pay gap statistics as of September 2023. Among those reporting, the median ethnicity pay gap was 22% in favor of white staff – a stark reminder of the work that remains to be done.
For more details on this session, you can view the recorded session on YouTube and read the companion notes prepared by Sanjiv Lingayah and Christabelle Quaynor.
RES03: Inside Intersectionality
The third session delved into the concept of intersectionality, featuring insights from Home Truths 2 Race Equity Lead Sanjiv Lingayah and guest speaker Kimberly McIntosh, author of "Black Girl, No Magic."
Intersectionality was defined as an analysis of interconnected systems of power and domination, including racism, misogyny, classism, ableism, and homophobia. The speakers emphasised the importance of returning to the original intent of intersectionality, as coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, and its practical application in civil society.
The discussion highlighted the need to shift focus from merely identifying groups impacted by multiple forms of discrimination to actively dismantling oppressive systems. The speakers advocated for maintaining a direct focus on anti-racism while using intersectionality to replace oppressive structures and practices in civil society.
Kimberly McIntosh shared insights from her work on the Windrush Scandal, illustrating how individuals from the Windrush Generation faced multiple forms of discrimination, including those based on nationality, age, race, and potentially gender.
Companion notes for this session, authored by Sanjiv Lingayah and Christabelle Quaynor, are expected to be released in October, along with a feature interview with Kimberly McIntosh.
The Race Equity Series continues with its next session focusing on how mainstream civil society can transition towards a deeper and irreversible commitment to race equity. Book your free ticket to join this important conversation.
These events underscore the ongoing need for civil society organisations to actively engage with issues of racial equity, from addressing pay disparities to understanding and applying intersectional approaches in their work. As the series progresses, it continues to provide valuable resources and insights for organisations committed to creating a more equitable future.
Ditipriya Acharya,
Senior Media, Marketing and Communications Officer
Thanks to Christabelle Quaynor, Policy and Influence Officer, for sharing data and insights.
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