Diversity and inclusion

• We know that equity, diversity and inclusion are vital to addressing the climate emergency.
• We recognise that as a grant-maker we hold power. We commit to using this in an equitable way to further our mission.
• We understand the need to listen and evolve our approach. We’ll regularly review our approach based on feedback from our grant partners and the communities we aim to support, as well as the latest information and guidance.

Governance

• When recruiting trustees, we commit to reviewing and improving the diversity and representation on our board.
• Trustees will be provided with training on equity, diversity and inclusion in relation to their work on the board.
• We aim to ensure that the people involved in grant-making represent a diverse range of identities, perspectives and backgrounds.
• Energy Saving Trust’s diversity and inclusion lead will support and advise the board of trustees on their approach to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Grant making

• We’ll provide flexibility to organisations submitting grant applications to increase access for all. We’ll aim to support a range of different submission methods, utilising the same set of standard questions, such as phone calls or video applications.
• We’ll promote our grant funding through a wide variety of media channels, networks and partners to ensure that we’re reaching as broad an audience as possible.
• We’ll reach out to prospective applicants that are underrepresented in the sector to encourage and support them to apply.
• Our grant making processes will be reviewed after each funding round, incorporating feedback from applicants and the communities we aim to support, to ensure that our processes are proportionate and fair.
• People involved in grant making decisions will be provided with relevant training on unconscious bias and diversity and inclusion.

Data and transparency

• We’ll publish all of our grants online on 360Giving and in our annual reports.
• We’ll collect relevant demographic information about the organisations that we support and the young people that they work with. This will help us to review if we’re reaching our target partner organisations and communities.

Power: The ability to influence and make decisions that impact others. As a Foundation and a funder, we have the ability to distribute funding and to request reporting and information to facilitate that funding.

Diversity:  This is about people who are different from each other. This could be in relation to protected characteristics, background, ways of thinking, and personalities. Diversity isn’t always visible.

Equity:  This refers to fairness and justice. An equitable approach allocates the specific resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal and fair outcome for everyone.

Inclusion: An approach where everyone in a diverse group of people feels comfortable being themselves and are supported to thrive and succeed.