Sustain's diversity outreach programme is led by the following anti-racism statement and JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) principles that were co-created by the team.
This statement and principles shapes how we make decisions, who we involve in our work, how we work in partnership and how we assess whether our work is truly anti-racist and justice-led. This influences our organisational culture nad how we think, plan and act. These are reviewed annually by our internal diversity group.
Anti-racism statement
Sustain is committed to becoming an anti-racist organisation and to helping build a UK food and farming movement that is equitable, diverse and inclusive. We recognise that structural racism and colonial legacies shape the food system and we have a responsibility to challenge them through our work.
Anti-racism is central to creating a healthy, fair, humane and sustainable food system, as the system must not exclude, marginalise or harm racialised communities.
As an organisation (and alliance) we aim to:
- Centre racial justice in our strategy, campaigns, project work, partnerships and organisational culture.
- Challenge racism, discrimination, exclusion and biases wherever we see them, including in our own systems and practices.
- Improve representation and inclusion so that people from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds can have their voices heard and their leadership recognised.
- Regularly review policies, communications, recruitment and other procedures through an anti-racist lens.
- Learn from and work in solidarity with Black people, people of colour and other marginalised communities without being extractive.
- Be transparent about our progress, our gaps and what we still need to do.
- We continue to learn, act transparently and take practical steps to improve representation, accountability and inclusion across the movement.
JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) principles
These principles are used to support colleagues across projects, campaigns and internal policy development. We aim to disseminate these across our membership and support organisations to meaningfully embed them in their strategy and work.
Amplify
We actively amplify and platform people and communities who are often under-represented, recognising that representation is shaped by power. We use our voice and position to shift who is seen, heard and valued across the sector.
Transform
We consider the systems, institutions, and practices that produce inequitable outcomes and need to be changed. This includes challenging norms and building infrastructure that supports fairer access and participation.
Responsibility
We use our influence, relationships and resources carefully to advance justice in the food and farming sector. This includes being intentional about how funding, opportunities and power are shared.
Accountability
We are clear about what we commit to, how we measure progress and where we fall short. We recognise the impact of our choices internally and externally.
Humility
We recognise we do not hold all the answers, and we stay open to being challenged, corrected and work to centre lived experience wherever possible. We commit to listening and continuously learning and adapting as needed.
