Inclusion is in our roots
We are proud to have consistently put disadvantaged communities first since we established 30 years ago, working closely with them to achieve fairer access to the benefits that flow from trees in urban places.
Working at the intersection between social and environmental justice, with a people-centred theory of change, we differ from many organisations who operate entirely in one space or the other. Equity, diversity and inclusion are prominent in our 2022-2025 strategy ‘The Turn of Trees’ and have also been featured before. However, we share common challenges with the environment sector in that our workforce is typically less diverse than the communities we work with.
We are confident in our inclusive culture, evidenced through staff surveys, and our inclusive public tree-related events. We go the extra mile to ensure a broad range of people feel welcome, especially those with the most to gain from greening their area and learning about how to care for trees.
We are actively taking steps to deepen how and where we work with a view to increasing equity, diversity and inclusion. This statement sets out how we plan to go further, as well as clarifying the vision and priorities for doing so.
Our vision for equity, diversity and inclusion
We know that environmental justice is inextricably linked to social justice around the world. We try to fold this understanding into who we work with and how, and by bringing people and nature closer together where this is needed the most.
We are a recognised champion for equity, diversity and inclusion, progressively implementing a values-based approach in what we do, how we do it, and who we do it with. In doing so, we better reflect the communities we work with through our team and volunteers and listen deeply to their views. Our partners, funders and supporters are clear on our values and ways of working relating to equity, diversity and inclusion. They champion our values with us, and we have conversations when needed to challenge and enhance them.
We are increasingly collaborating with diverse people, fostering healthy conversations, and opening up platforms where we are naturally trusted to do the right thing. We are learning and sharing our insights, and championing where others embrace a similar ethos. We are continuously enhancing our decision-making processes, including where we are targeting our efforts, to create more equity for people in relation to trees in urban places.
Our priorities
To bring our vision to life we have the following priorities that guide our work. We will:
- Collect, share and seek high-quality data about the work we do that relates to equity, diversity and inclusion.
- Review and update processes including recruitment to ensure we are pro-diversity, naturally inclusive, and cultivating equitable outcomes in decision-making about where we work and why.
- Provide support and training to our staff, volunteers and trustees to confidently step into our vision, ask the questions that need to be asked, and seek resources for obvious wins to boost inclusion practices.
- Ensure that our strategic development processes centre on equity, diversity and inclusion.
- Actively reach out and involve ourselves in sector conversations and beyond, to ensure we maximise our learning opportunities and can also share our approach and insights.
- Lean in further and for longer to our youth and schools-based work in deprived areas, in recognition of how excluded these groups are from decision-making about their futures.
Our action plan
This year, as we develop our strategy for 2025-30, we commit to the following specific actions:
- Centre equity, diversity and inclusion in our forthcoming strategy.
- Engage organisations in the sector and beyond about their equity, diversity and inclusion work to inform our new strategy.
- Offer high quality equity, diversity and inclusion training for all senior staff and other staff as appropriate.
In 2025 we will develop a full action plan to span the next strategic period of the charity.
Who this statement is for
The content of this statement is in service to our staff, volunteers and Trustees, and to anyone we wish to partner with or secure funds from. It is for everyone in the public who would want to see and have confidence in our approach to equity, diversity and inclusion. It is intended to be shared, to inform, and invite conversation and feedback. We have internal policies that go into more detail and can be discussed on request.
Our commitment
We will be open and transparent about progress, challenges faced, and our intentions in the future. We will seek to publish relevant data and insights in a way that is easy to understand and invites feedback. We will actively seek continuous improvements, removing barriers as we find or foresee them, and championing issues at senior levels as required to ensure this is effective. We will centre equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in all our strategic thinking, behaviours and ways of working, and if we get it wrong we will acknowledge this and seek change.