# Environmental charities pledge to make workforce more diverse & inclusive

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/11/07/environmental-charities-pledge-to-make-workforce-more-diverse-inclusive/
- Published: 2023-11-07T09:54:29+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**More than 70 environmental organisations from across the UK have pledged to help
make the sector more inclusive and diverse by changing their recruitment processes.**

The organisations have pledged to be a ‘[Force of Nature](https://www.groundwork.org.uk/force-of-nature/)’
in a campaign led by [Groundwork](https://www.groundwork.org.uk/) and calling on
the environmental sector to create more accessible pathways into work for young 
people. It also seeks to inspire young people from all backgrounds to view jobs 
in nature as a career path.

Organisations including [WWF-UK](https://www.wwf.org.uk/), Wildlife and Countryside
Link, [RSPB](https://www.rspb.org.uk/), The Wildlife Trust, CPRE, Bumblebee Conservation
Trust, The National Trust, and The Woodland Trust have all signed the pledge.

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They promise to:

 * Commit to an action plan designed to make their organisation more inclusive and
   diverse
 * Adopt recruitment practices that proactively seek to address a lack of diversity
   in the environmental sector
 * Open up pathways for diverse talent by creating entry-level positions with prospects
   for career progression
 * Address the barriers

According to the SOS-UK, The Natural Environment Research Council and the Institute
of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), only [4.8% of employees in working in the environmental sector](https://www.sos-uk.org/research/racial-diversity-in-environment-professions)
come from an ethnically diverse background, compared to the all-profession average
of 12.6%.

Force of Nature will provide resources and guidance to support improved recruitment
practices with the aim of opening the door for more people to work in the sector.

The campaign builds on the [New to Nature programme](https://www.groundwork.org.uk/new-to-nature-legacy/),
which, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has seen 96 people employed
with a variety of environmental organisations from under-represented groups. 

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive commented:

> “The diversity challenge for the environmental sector is well documented, and 
> being addressed through a range of complementary initiatives. Making sure our 
> recruitment and development practices are inclusive and accessible is an important
> piece of the jigsaw. As a movement in the midst of a climate and nature crisis
> we need to be as effective as possible at engaging all sections of society in 
> our work. We’ll only do this if our workforce better reflects and understands 
> the diversity of the communities we’re working in and with.”

Billy Knowles, Programme Director, Youth Environmental Service said:

> “For too long there have been too few opportunities for too few people to build
> a career in our sector. If we’re going to avert the worst harms of environmental
> and biodiversity breakdown, we need a new generation of confident, capable, and
> connected environmentalists that reflects our fantastically diverse society. Opening
> up new pathways to careers in the sector, with inclusive and accessible recruitment
> practices embedded for every role, is a critical first step towards building the
> workforce we need, and we’re proud to be part of the Force of Nature campaign 
> that can make this happen.”