Following workshops and consultation with organisations in February and one of the key commitments following a meeting with Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) organisations earlier this month, the Royal Borough of Greenwich has launched an Equality and Equity Charter for review. 

The charter seeks collective agreement to promote the values of equality, diversity and inclusion and has been circulated to voluntary and community sector groups, businesses and partners of Royal Greenwich, including BAME, LGBTQI+ and disability organisations.

Cllr Adel Khaireh, Royal Greenwich Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities, said: “Royal Greenwich is a vibrant, dynamic borough and home to many diverse communities – which is one of our biggest assets. However, this diversity also presents challenges and inequalities which need to be addressed to make sure our borough is a place where everyone can succeed and prosper, no matter what their background. 

“The Royal Greenwich Equality and Equity Charter is part of wider work we’re doing around the Council’s equality objectives which set out to tackle disadvantage and discrimination. In the current climate with the Black Lives Matter protests across the country and the racial inequalities of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is particularly important that we make significant strides forward with our equalities work.

“We want our Black residents and all marginalised people in our borough access to the same opportunities and life chances as others – which research has shown is not currently the case.

“The Council has a key role in shaping what life is like in Royal Greenwich, but we cannot do this alone. We want to bring organisations together to work towards shared values, that they have agreed and contributed to, so that we can unlock opportunities for all people across our borough. We will listen to our organisations, businesses, and residents to develop charter pledges that support a fairer, safer, accessible and inclusive Royal Greenwich.”

Private, public and voluntary sector organisations as well as individuals have all been asked to share their views and contribute to the Royal Greenwich Equality and Equity Charter. We already started to gather feedback from our own staff, councillors and voluntary sector groups through consultation workshops we help for our own equality objectives earlier this year. This work will compliment the commitments of the Equality and Equity Charter. 

The consultation will close on Sunday 16 August.

View the Royal Greenwich Equality and Equity Charter and have your say