The head of charity chief executives body Acevo is “deeply disappointed and frustrated” that the proportion of ethnic minority leaders in the voluntary sector remains low.
The Acevo Pay and Equalities Survey 2023, published today, shows the proportion of charity leaders from ethnic minority backgrounds remained static at just 7 per cent.
Census data from 2021 showed 18 per cent people in England and Wales identified as being from an ethnic minority background.
The survey also showed that the gender pay gap has remained substantial at 8.3 per cent, with women predominantly occupying leadership roles in smaller charities, which Acevo said “perpetuates disparities in pay, pensions, and professional development opportunities”.
Acevo said that “barely half the sample (49 per cent) were satisfied with the chair and board’s support for investing time and resources in CEO development”.
Jane Ide, chief executive of Acevo, said: “To be frank, I am deeply disappointed and frustrated by much of what I read in this year’s report.
“We are seeing no progress on the representation of Black, Asian or minoritised ethnic leaders in our sector and the gender pay gap remains significant.
“Around half of our leaders do not have access to professional development, and a third are not given the courtesy of a clear, regular process for a review of their pay and conditions.
“Our sector has a problem: over the next decade and beyond we are likely to see increased competition for talent from other sectors as BCorps and mainstream businesses position themselves as great places to work for those who want to make a difference in the world – but with all the pay and benefits that come from working in the private sector.
“If our sector is going to be sustainable in the future we have to think hard about how we create pipelines of talent and skills, and then retain and develop those pipelines into a leadership that can navigate the challenges of the future with agility and intelligence.
“For the sake of our sector but above all for the people and causes we are all here to serve we have to address these issues. And most of them are entirely within our gift to address right now, if we choose to do so.”
The survey did show a rise in representation for people with disabilities which rose to 25 per cent from 20 per cent last year.
It found that the median salary among the 826 charity leaders who took part was £58,863, which Acevo said was a “modest increase” from the £56,000 reported in last year’s study.
Almost 75 per cent of chief executive respondents reported receiving a salary increase over the course of the year.
The survey found that 83 per cent of survey respondents said they would recommend the sector as a desirable place to work, with more than 70 per cent envisioning themselves remaining in the sector over the next five years.