Race Equality Week 2024

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Vita Health Group champions diversity as it takes part in Race Equality Week 2024. 

Vita Health Group is proud to be participating in Race Equality Week, from 5-11 February 2024.  Race Equality Week will unite thousands of organisations in action to seriously address race inequality in the workplace.

A UK-wide initiative, Race Equality Week was launched by community interest company Race Equality Matters to turn words into meaningful action; a movement spurred on by the events of 2020, which have heightened the country’s collective consciousness of the racism, inequality, and injustice experienced by ethnically diverse communities.

We need to keep the momentum going when it comes to tackling race inequality. Race Equality Week was created to enable this hence it is positioned a few months after Black History Month.

With over 4,500 organisations engaged in 2023, Race Equality Week 2024 is set to engage even more.

Race Equality Week is a positive force for action.

Building on the REW 2023 theme, which sent a clear message that race equality is everyone’s business (#ItsEveryonesBusiness), the 2024 theme of #ListenActChange will bring everyone together to focus on taking action to drive change.

The theme was selected by the Race Equality Matters community and it reflects ongoing findings and feedback:

  • 64% said ethnically diverse employees are playing a key part in tackling race inequality in their organisation, and only 17% said allies were.
  • Only 32% said their organisation focuses on action and not just words.

Everyone has a role to play in the fight for racial equality in the workplace, from the top of each organisation to the bottom. The sooner we act, the sooner change can become our reality!

Here are four ways your organisation can get involved:

  • One – Implement the two bespoke solutions we have created for Race Equality Week – the 5-Day Challenge and #ItsNotMicro.
  • Two – Implement one of the other Race Equality Matters solutions, e.g., Tea Break or MyNameIs.
  • Three – Encourage your employees to attend the Race Equality Matters Events.
  • And finally, you could do your own thing, many organisations organise their own activity.

If we all commit to #ListenActChange, then real change can take place.

Derrick Farrell, CEO, Vita Health Group

Over the last few years, we have made EDI a key priority at Vita. We have invested significantly in this space, including by growing our EDI team, improving our capacity to support colleagues, and measuring the impact of our work on race equality.  I am determined that we continue with this progress as I know there is more work to do.  With this in mind, Race Equality Week is an important opportunity to refocus on issues of racial inequality and demonstrate allyship for those who experience racism. I hope that raising further awareness and improving engagement around these issues, will lead to more individuals, companies and society as a whole taking action which will level the playing field.

Ishmael Beckford, EDI & Sustainability Director, Executive Management Team

Race Equality Week is an important time in the calendar, as it is an opportunity to highlight issues of racial inequality that affect those who experience racism all year round. Without further awareness and engagement around these issues, action which could reduce and eliminate some these challenges and barriers won’t be taken or accelerated. This means individuals, organisations and wider society won’t reap the rewards that inclusivity and diversity bring. As a business leader, if you want a high performing organisation with great retention, great staff engagement and great innovation, you should be prioritising work on racial equality.

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Vita is an award-winning, CQC registered healthcare provider