At Trustees Unlimited and Step on Board, we recently welcomed charity leaders, trustees and governance professionals to our session, The Hidden Risks of Performative Inclusion.
A special thank you to Darren Franklin for sharing research into the experiences of ethnic minority trustees on UK charity boards and exploring how performative inclusion can impact trust, agency and authentic belonging.
One of the strongest themes from the discussion was the importance of creating governance cultures where every voice around the board table is genuinely heard and valued.
The session prompted important conversations around:
-Shared decision-making across boards and organisations
-How Chairs can encourage balanced participation and prevent interruption
-Whether the language of “inclusion” always resonates with those it is intended to support
-The responsibility of the whole board in creating inclusive cultures, rather than relying solely on designated EDI roles
The discussion reinforced that meaningful inclusion goes beyond representation alone. Strong governance depends on active listening, intentional leadership and creating environments where people can contribute authentically.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to such a thoughtful and engaging session. We look forward to sharing further insights in the coming weeks.
For more insights on charity governance, board diversity and inclusive leadership, visit Trustees Unlimited.
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