Housing organisations across England are being called on to take more targeted action on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), following a report from the Housing Diversity Network (HDN) which finds that progress is not being felt equally across the workforce.
The report, drawing on five years of survey data from 1,174 employees across 17 housing organisations, finds that while overall sentiment towards EDI is broadly positive, staff from minoritised ethnic groups, disabled colleagues and transgender employees consistently report lower confidence in recruitment fairness, career progression and inclusion.
HDN describes this as an ‘inclusion illusion’ – where organisational commitment to EDI in principle does not always translate into equal outcomes in practice. Only 57% of respondents believe career progression is free from unfair barriers, with concerns more pronounced among underrepresented groups.
HDN chief executive Mushtaq Khan said the sector needed to move beyond statements and focus on the systems and behaviours shaping day-to-day working experiences.
‘We cannot keep having the same conversations without seeing meaningful change,’ he said.
‘If we are serious about inclusion, we need to move beyond statements and focus on the systems, behaviours and decisions that shape people’s day-to-day experiences at work. That means being honest about where we are and taking responsibility for going further.’
