Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur eleifend tortor nec augue pretium
In a major step towards tackling racial inequality in the sustainability profession, the Diverse Sustainability Initiative (DSI) is doubling the capacity of its pioneering mentoring programme for People of Colour, following a highly successful pilot scheme earlier this year.
Launched to address the significant underrepresentation of ethnically diverse professionals in sustainability leadership roles, the pilot programme received glowing feedback from participants, with 9 out of 10 rating their experience positively. The expansion aims to double the scheme’s reach, offering more early-career professionals vital support in a sector long criticised for its lack of diversity.
According to The RACE Report 2024, only 4.8% of senior leaders across 131 organisations in the environment, climate, sustainability and conservation sector, identify as People of Colour (PoC). This is well below the 18% of the UK population who do not identify as White.
This stark disparity is what ISEP’s scheme is designed to challenge. It connects mentees with experienced sustainability professionals – ISEP Full and Fellow members – who offer career guidance, support and a sense of representation.
“As the saying goes: ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’,” explains Caris Graham, senior diverse sustainability officer at ISEP. “By supporting PoC already in the profession, we aim to close the racial gap at the top – and inspire future generations by creating more role models and advocates.”
The scheme’s success was underscored by research by Dr Katherine Ellsworth-Krebs, chancellor’s fellow in sustainable design at the University of Strathclyde. With funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, her evaluation of the programme found that it contributed meaningfully to mentees’ professional development, boosting skills, confidence and career clarity.
“There are so many reasons why increasing diversity in the sector is critical,” says Ellsworth-Krebs. “Mentees told us that lack of representation shapes their everyday experiences in the field – and these lived realities make navigating the profession even more difficult.”
Participants praised the programme for fostering personal growth, enhancing networking opportunities and improving their ability to set and pursue clear career goals. Its findings are now shaping the next phase of the scheme.
Graham warns that while mentoring can be transformative, it must be done thoughtfully: “Mentoring programmes that ignore the unique challenges faced by racially minoritised professionals risk perpetuating the very inequalities they aim to solve. That’s why our report is essential reading for any organisation serious about real inclusion.”
One of the key takeaways from the research is the importance of validating mentees’ experiences. “Retention is often the lesser-known cousin of recruitment when tackling workforce diversity,” says Graham. “When mentees heard from experienced professionals that systemic racism is a real barrier – not just a personal hurdle – it helped shift their mindset and gave them renewed confidence to persist and thrive.”
Farhana Khan is a senior communications officer at ISEP
