On 15 January 2025, Oxfordshire County Council became the latest employer to sign UNISON South East’s Ant-Racism Charter. The charter commits organisations to provide support for staff who may suffer racism in the workplace and to be actively anti-racist, rather than just non-racist.
Oxfordshire County UNISON Black members officer Shirley Owens said: ‘This is great news for all staff at the council. Our UNISON anti-racism charter is a powerful way for council leaders to work alongside staff to ensure racism has no place in the public sector. Equalities is at the heart of everything we do in UNISON, and we’re proud to have reached this agreement with the council”.
Oxfordshire County Council chief executive Martin Reeves said: “Oxfordshire County Council wants to be an employer of choice. Our people and culture strategy sets out how we’re nurturing an inclusive environment where all our colleagues feel that they can be themselves at all times and bring their whole self to work to do amazing things for the people of Oxfordshire.
“Racism has no place ever at OCC or within the county and so committing to this anti-racism charter is an important signal of intent of our determination to make this a reality. We have made good progress in terms of our self-evaluation against the RACE Equality Code (an external framework designed to address race inequity within organisations) and our own equality, diversity and inclusion strategy and action plan. Plus, our Race Equality and Cultural Heritage employee engagement network goes from strength to strength.
“But, there is still much more to do and quickly and I know that being held to account for meeting the commitments within this anti-racist charter will reinforce our determination to do this together”.
Oxfordshire County UNISON branch secretary Janie Wease said: “Equalities is the heart of everything we do. We are proud Oxfordshire County Council have signed up to our UNISON anti-racism charter and encourage all councils and public sector organisations to join us in showing this determination to end racism in our workplaces.”
Learn more about the anti-racism charter
To build on the legacy of 2023’s Year of the Black Worker, we’re supporting branches to encourage employers to sign UNISON’s anti-racism charter, a pledge from public service employers to build actively anti-racist organisations.