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November 2025 - Voluntary

Charity boards struggle to build inclusive cultures, according to new research: A new report on the state of charity governance in the UK reveals that inclusion remains the biggest challenge for most charity boards, despite many expressing a strong commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). When assessing themselves against the eight principles of the Charity Governance Code - integrity, decision-making, organisational purpose, openness and accountability, leadership, foundation principle, board effectiveness, and EDI - the lowest score was in EDI.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NVCO) collected data from 816 individuals, including trustees, staff and volunteers, across 70 organisations between 2022 and 2025. By using the Governance Wheel tool, which helps organisations evaluate their governance practices by rating themselves from 1 (at risk) to 10 (excellent) across the eight key Governance Code principles, NVCO were able to identify where charity boards excel and the areas that require more improvement.

The findings reveal that the highest governance scores are in the areas of Integrity and Decision-making. In contrast, despite an overall commitment by many Boards to improve inclusion and diversify their organisations, EDI scored lower than all the other governance principles. 

There are several reasons cited for the lack of effective implementation of EDI practices. The report highlights that perceptions of trustees are often at odds with their staff, with the former often describing a more positive picture, and scoring their organisations much higher (between 10% and 15% higher) on principles like leadership and EDI. Furthermore, the findings also show that organisational barriers and external influences may be harming the development and implementation of EDI strategies. It notes how underrepresented groups can feel intimidated by the exclusive atmosphere often created by boards, which may discourage them from participating, even when opportunities are available. Additionally, it asks whether anti-woke discourse and the rise of the far right are negatively affecting attitudes toward EDI.  

The report makes several recommendations, such as making EDI a core principle of the Charity Governance code. It suggests that boards set clear diversity goals by integrating EDI into recruitment processes, meeting culture and decision-making. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of creating opportunities for trustees and staff to discuss governance to strengthen both sides' understanding of and commitment to organisational goals.

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