RNOH Awarded with the Prestigious Race Equality Matters Trailblazer Status

In recognition of our work to address racial inequality within the organisation, RNOH has been awarded with the Race Equality Matters (REM) Bronze Trailblazer Status. 

Bronze is the first stage in the Trailblazer series that spotlights organisations that are implementing impactful solutions to drive race equality. This is awarded to organisations that have implemented REM solutions and/or have taken action on race inequality in other ways.

For RNOH, this has included de-biasing our recruitment process through the introduction of Inclusive Recruitment Skills training for managers, our use of a values based questions toolkit as well as implementation of a standard scoring template. We have signed up to the London Anti-Racism Statement within the RNOH EDI strategy and, in 2023/2024, we started to report on our ethnicity pay gap and are aiming to do a deeper dive in 2024/2025.

Designed to recognise organisations driving meaningful change in the race equality sphere, REM Trailblazer status has been determined by an independent panel of experts, all with lived experience of race inequality in the workplace. Trailblazer status is #MoreThanAnAward. The purpose is to:

1. Identify what is making a meaningful impact
2. Encourage those making an impact to keep the momentum going
3. Inspire others to up their game
4. Evidence an organisation’s commitment to #ActionNotJustWords to tackle race inequality

Becoming a Trailblazer means the work RNOH has done has resulted in change and made an impact across the breadth of the entire organisation. It is a step that aims to successfully address racial inequality in becoming a more diverse, inclusive and equal organisation.

Chief People Officer, Laura Bevan, said, “We are proud to have achieved the Race Equality Matters Bronze Trailblazer award for our unwavering commitment to being a wholly inclusive NHS Trust. We know we have more work to do, but we have made a great start to making tangible improvements for our staff and so this recognition is fantastic. Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy is ambitious in its commitment to tackling all forms of discrimination and we will continue to work hard to achieve the best patient and staff experience in the NHS.”

Race Equality Matters is a not-for-profit that aims to be the catalyst to move organisations and individuals from just talking, to taking meaningful action that has a real impact on tackling race inequality. It was formed in response to 2020’s Black Lives Matter movement, mindful that for far too long progress in addressing race inequality has been too slow and if it is not addressed now, will it ever be?

Race Equality Matters co-creates concepts and solutions in collaboration with those with lived experience of race inequality and develops the tools and know-how for them to be implemented.

Through the Race Equality Matters network of thousands of change-makers, these co-created solutions reach organisations and millions of employees, from race networks, to allies to achieve the change we all want to see and feel.