Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NPC
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Our approach to DEI
As a think tank and consultancy with purpose to grow and strengthen the impact sector, NPC has a unique role in helping charities, funders and the wider sector to be more impactful for the people they serve. We believe that a sector which is diverse, inclusive, and equitable is essential to securing that impact.
We believe NPC can and should be part of a movement to make the sector more diverse, inclusive, and equitable, working alongside and in partnership with other organisations with greater knowledge and lived experience of marginalisation. And NPC itself needs to become even more diverse, inclusive, and equitable. Not only because we can only be part of the solution if we attract and retain diverse talent, but also because diversity, equity and inclusion matters to us in and of itself.
Our approach to DEI is grounded in our values.
Our progress to date
NPC has been active on DEI issues both internally and externally for a number of years. In 2019 we published a series of essays from people from across the sector to highlight major DEI issues in the charity and funder sectors. In 2020 we produced our first 3-year DEI Action Plan and our actions included introducing a payment policy for people from under-represented groups to speak at events or write blogs, mainstreaming analysis of the impact of policies on different social groups in all relevant policy work (for example, levelling up analysis), introducing DEI objectives in leadership team appraisals, participating in staff recruitment programmes targeting under-represented groups, and aiming for diverse interview panels.
Our actions resulted in an increase in the representation of staff identifying as LGBTQ+, from ethnic minority communities and/or from working class background. We also published a number of guides for the sector on DEI issues such as ‘DEI in grant-making’ and ‘Centring Lived Experience’ and launched the Everyone’s Environment programme focused on ensuring the needs of marginalised and disadvantaged groups are better reflected in environmental action.
But we need to do more. For example, although our staff group has become more diverse and is more diverse than charity averages, we are below national and London levels for people from working-class backgrounds. And although we are an organisation whose users are national, and we are close to national levels for people from ethnic minority communities, there is a big gap between national and London levels in this respect.
Our 2024-2027 DEI action Plan
Following consultation with staff and trustees, NPC agreed a new DEI Action Plan in Summer 2024.
Aims
Our aims are split to define our internal and external goals for DEI action at NPC.
- External: NPC uses and shares its power to work alongside partners as part of a movement to encourage the impact sector to embed diversity and equity in its activities and adopt more inclusive practices.
- Internal: NPC attracts and retains a broad diversity of talent and has a strongly inclusive working culture which respects and celebrates differences. NPC ensures that staff have equitable access to opportunities and support to meet their personal development and professional goals.
We have developed a theory of change, objectives and an implementation plan to achieve these aims. These include the following measurable goals:
- Aiming to increase the percentage of staff at NPC who report being from an ethnic minority community to at least 21% (above national levels, and working towards London levels) and from a working-class background to 19% by 2027.
- Aiming to increase the percentage of staff who ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ with inclusion indicators in the staff DEI survey to 80% by 2027, and closing the gap in scores between staff from ethnic minority communities and their white counterparts.
Our prioritised actions
We believe the DEI actions shouldn’t be an add-on, but integrated throughout how we work. Our Plan is therefore comprehensive with nearly 50 actions to be delivered over 3 years.
We have prioritised the following actions which we believe will have the greatest impact. Updates on progress against these will be available in our annual report.
- Growing an inclusive working culture and retaining diverse talent
- Building on our code of conduct and values, agree a set of expected inclusive behaviours for all staff, with separate training to embed these in the leadership team and wider staff group
- Consult staff on establishing staff networks, including for ethnic minority communities
- Continuing to attract and recruit diverse talent
- Embed existing recruitment best practice actions by developing materials to support learning and development for hiring managers and HR
- Embedding inclusivity, equity and diversity in all our external communications
- Embed best practice on ensuring our outputs are accessible across the organisation through training and guidance for staff
- Continue to platform diverse speakers through our events, written communications and other communications
- Embedding greater diverse, equitable and inclusive approaches in charity and funder practices through our information and advice
- Mainstream DEI considerations in NPC’s advice to the impact sector with new guidance for all staff
- Continuing to be transparent
- Report our gender, class and ethnicity pay gaps annually
- Publish a summary of the DEI Action plan on our website and publicly update on our progress against the plan annually
