Diversity, equity and inclusion

family smiling with a cuddly toy

Our DEI commitments

In our ten-year strategy we made a commitment to embedding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) throughout our work. We published our first DEI Statement in October 2021, setting out initial actions we planned to take to do this.

What is DEI?

At Corra we use the definition of DEI developed by the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF). This can be found in the ACF report on DEI which forms part of its ‘stronger pillars’ series of good practice standards for trusts and foundations.

Diversity means reflecting and valuing human difference. Equity includes sharing power and pursuing fairness. This can involve spreading resources, and costs, more evenly across society, or rebalancing in favour of groups that have been marginalised. Inclusion means that diverse groups of people can participate fully and meaningfully, including in decision making.

Why is DEI important to us?

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is about power. In grant making this includes the power to decide where money goes, who is trusted with it, how it is distributed and for what.

As part of our ten-year strategy, Corra seeks to share or give up power so that it’s rebalanced towards people who have not traditionally held it. DEI must be at the heart of our work if we’re to listen to less heard or excluded voices; work towards justice, human rights and equitable outcomes; and contribute to long overdue systemic change.

To help shift power we listen and work alongside people with lived expertise. In our grant-making that means a growing focus on participatory models, with people impacted by issues involved in shaping programmes and decisions. We’ve also begun to try and understand how much of our funding supports groups that are led by the people they exist to serve.

Our commitments and progress

We’ve set out our commitments using the ACF DEI Toolkit. These describe what we will do as; an employer; a charity and independent foundation; a funder; a partners; and a social change organisation.

group of people working together and listening to each other

Invested time and resouces in understanding and defining DEI

Substantial time spent deepening our understanding of DEI by participating in training and events.

group of people working together

Produce and review strategies that will implement DEI practices

New approaches to recruitment and improvements to accessibility across communications and grants processes.

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Collect, track and publish DEI data

Changed the data we gather to give a more meaningful picture of DEI across funded groups.

group of staff chatting

Have a diverse trustee board and staff team

Participated in several paid internship schemes aimed at providing opportunities for specific groups.

group of people sitting and working together

Reflect and implement DEI practices across activities

Increasingly embedding lived expertise and substantial action towards becoming an anti-racist organisation.

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Express our DEI commitment, policies and practices publicly

Published a range of statements, learning pieces and progress reports.

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Make ourselves accountable to those we serve and support

Listened (conversations, surveys, focus groups) and published a series of annual progress/impact reports.

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Use our own power to advocate for and advance DEI practices

Strongly advocated DEI among funding sector and embedded in our capacity building offers.

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Collaborate with others to promote and implement DEI practices

Helped create the Funders Forum DEI Subgroup.

Further reading  and related content