Environmental organisations pledge to diversify sector

9th November 2023


Over 70 environmental organisations in the UK have signed up to a new campaign committing to make the green jobs workforce more diverse and inclusive.

Signatories to the Force of Nature campaign, led by the charity Groundwork, commit to developing an action plan to make their organisations more diverse and inclusive, adopt recruitment practices that boost diversity, and create entry-level roles with career progression prospects for diverse talent.

This comes after research from IEMA, SOS-UK, and the Natural Environment Research Council last year found that only 4.8% of employees in the environmental sector came from an ethnically-diverse background, compared with an average of 12.6% across all professions.

The RACE Report 2022 also revealed that only 7% of those working in the environmental charity sector come from an ethnically-diverse background, compared to the all-profession average of 14%.

“The diversity challenge for the environmental sector is well documented, and being addressed through a range of complementary initiatives,” said Groundwork’s UK chief executive, Graham Duxbury.

“Making sure our recruitment and development practices are inclusive and accessible is an important piece of the jigsaw.

“As a movement in the midst of a climate and nature crisis we need to be as effective as possible at engaging all sections of society in our work. We’ll only do this if our workforce better reflects and understands the diversity of the communities we’re working in and with.

WWF-UK, Wildlife and Countryside Link, RSPB, and The Wildlife Trust are among the environmental organisations that have signed up to the Force of Nature campaign.

It is built on the success achieved through the New to Nature programme, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, that has seen 96 people from under-represented groups employed with various environmental organisations.

This comes after IEMA launched its Diverse Sustainability Initiative in 2021, which is dedicated to improving diversity and inclusion in the environment and sustainability sector.

Speaking at the launch, IEMA CEO Sarah Mukherjee MBE, said: “As a British Asian, speaking with diverse people in the sector, I am shocked and saddened by some of the stories I have heard of racial inequality within the environment and sustainability profession.

“We have a commitment to be far more representative of this country, and I urge people to sign up and pledge their commitment to joining us in supporting and encouraging new diverse professionals, wherever they are in their career.”

Image credit: Shutterstock

Subscribe

Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.


Transform articles

IEMA ramps up support for green skills on Education Day at COP28

IEMA’s CEO and deputy CEO, Sarah Mukherjee MBE and Martin Baxter, respectively, called for greater support for green skills at several events today on Youth, Children, Education and Skills Day at COP28.

8th December 2023

Read more

With the first week of COP28 drawing to a close, IEMA’s deputy CEO, Martin Baxter, reflects on some of the key announcements made so far, addresses the controversy surrounding the climate summit, and highlights what to look out for in the second week.

7th December 2023

Read more

Negotiations are well underway at COP28 in the UAE as countries look to agree the best ways to tackle climate change and environmental breakdown over the coming decades.

5th December 2023

Read more

Thousands of people have gathered in the UAE for this year’s COP28 climate summit, including IEMA CEO Sarah Mukherjee MBE, and deputy CEO, Martin Baxter.

1st December 2023

Read more

David Burrows on the stolen concept of a circular economy, and how reduction must be at the heart of product design

30th November 2023

Read more

Groundbreaking research warns that the models used by the finance sector to predict climate scenarios could easily sink our retirement pots… and the global economy. Huw Morris reports

30th November 2023

Read more

IEMA CEO Sarah Mukherjee MBE talks to food campaigner Henry Dimbleby MBE about improving the UK’s health, tackling poverty, shaping government policy and transforming agriculture

30th November 2023

Read more

Media enquires

Looking for an expert to speak at an event or comment on an item in the news?

Find an expert

IEMA Cookie Notice

Clicking the ‘Accept all’ button means you are accepting analytics and third-party cookies. Our website uses necessary cookies which are required in order to make our website work. In addition to these, we use analytics and third-party cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. To control which cookies are set, click ‘Settings’. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our website and how to change your cookie settings please view our cookie policy.

Manage cookie settings

Our use of cookies

You can learn more detailed information in our cookie policy.

Some cookies are essential, but non-essential cookies help us to improve the experience on our site by providing insights into how the site is being used. To maintain privacy management, this relies on cookie identifiers. Resetting or deleting your browser cookies will reset these preferences.

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website.

Analytics cookies

These cookies allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors to our website and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works.

Advertising cookies

These cookies allow us to tailor advertising to you based on your interests. If you do not accept these cookies, you will still see adverts, but these will be more generic.

Save and close