We’re pleased to publish this special edition of the CordisPulse, which we have produced to mark the 35th Black History Month. This is a national awareness campaign that takes place in October and aims to recognise the presence and achievements of those with African or Caribbean heritage in the UK.

For this PulseSpecial we have produced a digest of key reports, briefings and tools published in 2021 and 2022 across the sectors we work in that focus on disproportionality and highlight the need to strive towards racial equality in the UK.

This PulseSpecial shows significant work is needed to continue to reduce inequality and assure a level playing field in our society, regardless of ethnicity. Across sectors, we have seen positive initiatives with this aim. However, the research shows the scale of inequality that remains, and stresses the importance of this year’s Black History Month theme: Action Not Words. For instance, as the reports included here inform us:

• In adult social care, lower-paid ethnic minority workers experience bullying, harassment and racism at work, are more likely to be employed on zero-hour contracts and suffer job insecurity, contributing to fear of victimisation and loss of jobs.
• In maternity services, the rate of Black women dying in the year after pregnancy is over four times higher than white women, and Black women continue to report a lack of information and support during pregnancy and childbirth.
• In children's services, the strip search of Child Q, a Black girl, on school premises, prompted an investigation by the Children’s Commissioner into strip searches of children by the Metropolitan Police Service, which found that Black boys made up over half of those strip searched between 2018-2022.
• In criminal justice, Black and ethnic minority communities have been most harshly affected by policing during the pandemic, being more likely to be stopped by the police, threatened or subject to police violence and falsely accused of rule-breaking and wrong-doing.

Tackling the harm caused by the kinds of inequity and discrimination evident in this PulseSpecial is core to our purpose at Cordis Bright to deliver improved outcomes for people. We are invested in working towards a more equal, diverse and inclusive society, and supporting our clients to do so too. This is reflected in our EDI strategy, in which we commit to building our understanding of the barriers created by discrimination and inequality, and ensuring fair, equal and inclusive treatment for our staff, clients and the people whom our work aims to support.

Thankfully, a wide range of resources, including those linked in this PulseSpecial, are available to help us turn words into action. One such resource is this Leading in Colour report produced by longstanding Cordis Bright associate Meera Spillett and her colleagues at the Staff College. Aimed at supporting white leaders in the public sector to be inclusive and culturally competent, Leading in Colour provides an overview of multi-dimensional racism, shares insights and learning on understanding and combatting inequality, and constructively challenges readers to consider and act on all forms of racism, within the workplace and within the communities we support and serve.

This is the first in a series of PulseSpecials celebrating a monthly observance of great significance to us and to the sectors we work in. Look out for the PulseSpecial in honour of UK Disability Month, which takes place between 16 November and 16 December.