Race at Work 2025 – Charter Reset One-Year On
Race at Work 2025 – Charter Reset One-Year On
Explore the latest Race at Work findings, in the Mentoring | Sponsorship | Connection report drawing on a decade of evidence to identify where progress has been made and where employers need to take further action to create fairer and more inclusive workplaces.
Charter Reset One-Year On
Over the past decade, Business in the Community’s (BITC) Race at Work surveys have captured 78,931 responses, providing a unique longitudinal picture of the experiences of employees across the UK.
The latest Race at Work 2025 – Charter Reset One-Year On report, based on research conducted by YouGov, finds that only 33% of employees now believe their organisation is comfortable talking about race, compared with 41% in 2021. There are similar challenges talking about class, social background and religion. Conversations are needed. You cannot take the right actions on things that you do not discuss.
While progress has been made in areas including executive sponsorship, manager accountability and access to mentoring, sponsorship and role models, significant challenges remain. Racial harassment and bullying persist, and young people continue to face barriers to accessing opportunities, professional networks and progression.
Creating a sense of belonging and ensuring employees feel heard are central to building inclusive workplace cultures, where people feel confident sharing their experiences and contributing to meaningful change.
The report examines the evidence through the seven commitments of the reset Race at Work Charter and brings the voices of young people together with Race at Work survey findings to identify practical actions employers can take to create clearer pathways into good work and more inclusive workplaces.
From evidence to action
The Race at Work Charter was reset in October 2025 using insights from the Race at Work survey, which included a boosted sample of young people with support from Youth Futures Foundation.
The reset strengthened the focus on pathways into good work for young people from ethnically diverse and lower socio-economic backgrounds and embedded inclusive leadership across all seven commitments.
Race at Work 2025 report explores the latest evidence and practical actions employers can take, including key areas such as:
Mentoring, sponsorship and connection
Access to mentoring, sponsorship and professional networks remains critical to career development and progression. While 30% of employees report having a workplace mentor, this rises to 53% among 18 to 24 year olds. Demand for sponsorship is particularly strong among younger employees, with 41% of this age group saying they would like a sponsor. The findings highlight the importance of creating structured opportunities for young people and ethnically diverse employees to build connections, access guidance and progress in their careers.
Tackling racial bullying and harassment
Racial bullying and harassment remain persistent challenges in UK workplaces, with younger employees particularly affected. Those aged 18 to 24 are more likely than other age groups to report witnessing or experiencing racial harassment or bullying, yet 38% do not know their organisation’s reporting process. The findings reinforce the need for employers to create safe and inclusive workplace cultures, strengthen reporting mechanisms and ensure employees have confidence that concerns will be addressed.
Moving from allyship to solidarity
The report highlights the need to move beyond expressions of support towards meaningful action. Over half (52%) of employees want support from their organisation to help them stand in solidarity with ethnically diverse colleagues. Employers have an opportunity to build confidence through practical education, open conversations and visible leadership, enabling employees to turn positive intentions into action.
The report also explores emerging workplace issues, including access to artificial intelligence skills and training, alongside practical actions to support employers in implementing the reset Race at Work Charter.
One area where the latest evidence highlights a clear opportunity for action is creating stronger pathways into good work for young people, with access to work experience and apprenticeships varying considerably across the UK.
Creating pathways into good work
Race at Work 2025 shows that access to work experience and apprenticeships varies considerably across the UK. Only 35% of employees say their organisation offers formal work experience opportunities, while 42% say their organisation has at least one apprentice.
Increasing the volume and visibility of these opportunities can help employers create more structured routes into employment, for young people.
Work experience opportunities across the UK
|
Location |
Formal work experience |
Informal work experience |
Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
|
London |
39% |
29% |
61% |
|
North West |
35% |
29% |
58% |
|
West Midlands |
36% |
28% |
58% |
|
East of England |
37% |
26% |
57% |
|
South West |
37% |
28% |
56% |
|
South East |
33% |
28% |
55% |
|
Scotland |
34% |
24% |
55% |
|
North East |
37% |
23% |
54% |
|
Northern Ireland |
34% |
24% |
52% |
|
East Midlands |
28% |
26% |
51% |
|
Yorkshire and the Humber |
36% |
22% |
50% |
|
Wales |
22% |
25% |
42% |
Work experience opportunities across the UK
|
Location |
Organisation has at least one apprentice |
|---|---|
|
London |
49% |
|
North West |
48% |
|
West Midlands |
45% |
|
East of England |
43% |
|
South West |
43% |
|
South East |
42% |
|
Scotland |
42% |
|
North East |
42% |
|
Northern Ireland |
38% |
|
East Midlands |
37% |
|
Yorkshire and the Humber |
35% |
|
Wales |
32% |
Take action
The Race at Work 2025 findings show that progress is possible but uneven. The Race at Work Charter Reset provides employers with a practical framework for turning evidence into measurable action and creating workplaces where opportunity is more transparent, progression is more equitable and employees have the support they need to contribute, develop and thrive.
Download the executive summary or full Race at Work 2025 – Charter Reset One-Year On report to explore the latest evidence, hear the voices of young people and identify practical actions your organisation can take.
