Laura Sharman 28 July 2020

Progress on ethnic diversity at leadership level has stalled, report finds

Ethnic diversity in public sector leadership roles has failed to improve over the past three years, a new report has warned today.

The Colour of Power 2020, published by Green Park, shows that just 4.7% of the most powerful roles are filled by non-white individuals. This is only an improvement of 1.2% - or 15 additional ethnic minority held roles - since the last report in 2017.

The report shows there are only six BAME leaders across 109 London boroughs, metro borough councils and unitary authority councils

However, the number of ethnic minority ministers has doubled between 2017 and 2020 following appointments by the Prime Minister.

Raj Tulsiani, CEO of Green Park said: 'The Colour of Power 2020 demonstrates not only the disparity of power in the UK’s highest echelons, but also the total failure to address it despite three years of government-backed targets and ample institutional rhetoric about commitments to diversity and inclusion.

'Those in entrenched positions of power clearly need access to new perspectives. We need to let go of the myth of an achieved meritocracy and reform our working practices so that they are inclusive from start to finish.'

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