“Why aren’t we seeing the progress we expected?”
By the time organisations come to us, they often already have the data, strategy, action plans, staff networks, training programmes and reviews in place. Yet many are still wrestling with a different question: to what extent are we addressing the conditions that produce these outcomes, versus the issues they make visible?
We observed a recurring pattern.
Many organisations could describe the actions they had taken. Many could point to initiatives, interventions and commitments designed to address systemic racism. Yet there was often less certainty about what was actually producing the outcomes they were trying to change.
That observation became the foundation of our work and ultimately led to the development of a structured organisational examination process designed to help organisations address the structural roots of systemic racism.
Uncovering the Design Behind Systemic Racism
Built around the Four-Factor RACE Model™ first introduced in the best-selling book The Anti-Racist Organization: Dismantling Systemic Racism in the Workplace, the five-stage organisational examination process provides a structured way for groups of people to collectively examine how organisational decisions, accountability, behaviours and ways of working may be contributing to the outcomes they are trying to change.
The process can be used with leadership teams, HR functions, staff networks, operational teams and other colleague groups seeking to identify, once and for all, what is about the way the organisation is working that continues to cause disparities in experiences, opportunities and ultimately outcomes.
Is this for every organisation?
Probably not.
Only because you must be in a place to act.
Whilst the organisational examination process can be used in a wide range of settings, it is particularly suited to organisations that have already been trying to address systemic racism and are still asking themselves:
What are we missing?
Insights To Stimulate Thought and Action
Advancing Racial Equity 4.0 (the podcast) curates the best conversations with business, legal, management and racial equity experts and activists to help you understand how to address systemic racism within your workplace and why it matters.
Embracing Discomfort: Leadership, Influence, and Growth with John Amaechi
John Amaechi fills us in about the evolving landscape of leadership, as well as the complexities and socio-political dynamics impacting leaders today. He discusses how leaders often avoid uncomfortable topics by focusing too narrowly on commercial outcomes and highlights the importance of embracing discomfort within organizations. Throughout, John advocates for fostering inclusive environments and dismantling systemic barriers with empathy, resilience, and continuous learning.
Taking The Legal Route: Tackling Anti-Black Racism within the NHSe
Michelle Cox, a former North West senior nurse, won an employment tribunal against NHS England and Improvement (NHSE&I) after the judge heard evidence that her employer had treated her unfavourably because of her race and because she was willing to speak up. Michelle candidly shares her experiences of facing discrimination and mistreatment in the latter part of her career, including professional exclusion, criticism, and gaslighting due to institutional racism.
Confronting Racial Bias in the Justice System: Insights from Keir Monteith KC
Keir Monteith, an experienced defence barrister and part-time Crown Court judge, sheds light on the pervasive issue of racial bias within the justice system. Drawing from his report co-authored with Professor Quinn, Monteith reveals alarming instances of racial bias obtained through surveys and narratives from legal professionals. He emphasizes the need for systemic changes beyond superficial diversity efforts, challenging the misconception that increased representation alone can solve racial bias issues. Monteith also criticizes the increasing reliance on music evidence, particularly rap or drill music, in criminal trials, advocating for a campaign against its introduction. Ultimately, he calls upon legal professionals to actively challenge racism within the system and work towards an anti-racist approach in the pursuit of justice.
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"Inclusion" Cannot Fix the Structural Roots of Systemic Racism
“Racism needs specific intervention. Taking a generalised approach to a specific problem never yields impressive results.”
In 2012, I was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a particular type of blood cancer.
I remain deeply grateful for the care I received from the NHS team who eventually treated me at Darent Valley Hospital in Kent, where I live. Their expertise, led by an incredible consultant, Dr Shafi, who has since sadly passed away from Covid-19, quite literally saved my life.
When I wrote The Anti-Racist Organization, published in 2022, I made a very clear point about the importance of being specific when addressing systemic racism in the workplace. I rarely centre my own personal stories in my work on systemic racism, but in this case, I did. And I did it deliberately.
Not because I wanted a compelling anecdote, but because it illustrates a principle that, frankly, I feel like we are conveniently forgetting time and time again.
Those of you who have read the book may remember the section on pp. 150 to 153 where I recount that story.
For those of you who haven’t, the short version is this.