In My Shoes initiative launched to “challenge lack of diversity” in housing boardrooms
New Chartered Institute of Housing president Lara Oyedele has launched a campaign to highlight the importance of diversity in leadership teams across the social housing sector.
Oyedele, who officially took over as CIH president on Friday, announced she would use her year-long presidency to focus on In My Shoes, which aims to challenge the lack of ethnic and racial diversity in the housing boardoorms.
Oyedele, who sits on the board of £224m-turnover care specialist Housing 21 and chairs supported housing charity Hope Housing, outlined a series of steps she will take during the next year as part of In My Shoes.
These include launching a library of resources highlighting research into boardroom diversity, along with guidance about diverse recruitment; a blog series raising awareness of ethnic diversity in the boardroom through shared living experiences; collating tips and ideas of how CIH members can become an advocate for diversity and a call for members to complete a CIH equality, diversity and inclusion census launching later this year.
Oyedele, said: “It’s my motivation to inspire change and champion the importance of racial and ethnic diversity in the housing sector, especially in our boardrooms.
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“We all know more needs to be done in this space and I want to work with CIH, its members, and the wider sector to highlight why it’s important to create a fair and inclusive environment where every individual feels confident not only that they will not be exposed to discrimination, criticism, harassment, or any other emotional harm but also that they and their life experiences will be valued.”
Oyedele was a founder chair of BME National, a collective of 45 housing associations who work in diverse neighbourhoods, she is also chief executive of Black on Board, which “provides training and coaching to people of colour who want a seat on a board”.
Meanwhile Jill Haley took over as vice-president of the CIH on Friday following the CIH’s annual general meeting. Haley in the summer won an election among the institute’s 17,000 members with 42% of votes cast.. Haley has worked in senior roles at 30,000-home housing association Gentoo and at Sunderland Council during a 41-year career, and also served as chief executive of 1,800-home association Byker Community Trust for nine years until July last year.
By convention the vice president becomes president the following year.
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