Sector-wide diversity initiative – Leadership 2025 gets registered charity status
As a registered charity, Leadership 2025 is now able to access funding and collaborate with public sector agencies.
About the project
Just 5% of senior leadership roles held by individuals are from Black and Minor Ethnic (BME) backgrounds. Following the woeful diversity statistics at the top level and the clear benefits of having diverse leadership teams well documented, Leadership 2025 was set up in 2016 with an ambition of providing solutions and stimulating the housing sector to address inequalities.
Leadership 2025 consists of two main strands, which are aimed to complement each other:
- Support Talent
- Cultural impact
Supporting talent focuses on the continued need to ensure that BME senior managers can feel they are fully equipped to be sector leaders. This includes an intensive 9-month development programme with a business school to support and empower senior BME professionals to become leaders of the future.
The cultural impact focuses on the continued push for employers to champion support for diverse leadership and to take demonstrable action.
Altair supports Leadership 2025, now in its fourth year, with Oaks Consultancy who assisted the programme to achieve charitable status.
Results
As a registered charity, Leadership 2025 will be more widely recognised for its fantastic work, be able to conduct more impactful research reports, collaborate with other public sector agencies and access funding from a range of diversified sources.
The programme is now in its fantastic fourth year, 17 alumni have succeeded in the programme and many of them have been promoted from director to CEO level. With charitable status Leadership 2025 can now drive further change to address the diversity issues across the housing sector.
The housing sector has always prided itself on its inclusivity and has a focus on meeting the needs of diverse communities. However, this is not reflected in its diversity at leadership. With the support of Altair, Leadership 2025 has been working for 4 years to tackle this. We have proven that there is talent out there, and with our support it can be nurtured. We must continue on this journey to ensure we represent the society we serve.Olu Olanrewaju, Steering Group
