British Fashion Council & others launch 1st fashion DEI Census in UK

In response to multiple global social justice movements, businesses are increasingly being held accountable for their diversity, equity, and inclusion (D, E, & I) practices and are expected to evolve their commitments and strategies accordingly. However, due to the lack of data reporting available, the status of progress is impossible to evidence. In order to achieve tangible progress towards its D, E, & I goals, data insight into the UK fashion industry’s key demographics is both vital and urgent, BFC, The Outsiders Perspective, and The (Fashion) Minority Report said in a joint press release.

The audit is long overdue and marks the first step towards the vital measurement of the UK fashion industry’s collective progress towards the goal of fair representation. The audit will also provide invaluable insights into whether or not the industry reflects the diverse and global communities it inspires and serves.

“The last few years have been a wake-up call for the industry to address imbalances in the workforce from board to entry level positions. While most organisations have taken the time for critical reflection, there is an alarming lack of industry-wide data on the demographics of the UK fashion workforce, making it exceedingly difficult to track our progress. By gaining invaluable data insight into the UK fashion industry’s key demographics through this audit, we can accelerate tangible change to ensure fair representation and a truly inclusive workforce,” said Caroline Rush, chief executive, BFC.

“In launching The Fashion DEI Census, we are issuing a serious plea for the whole industry to take part. It is a 5-minute exercise which could really help transform our industry. This survey is for everybody to fill in, irrespective of your background—it is our collective responsibility to step up, take part, and pass it on. For too long, we have been blindly hoping for progress—now we need the data, progress needs to be tangible and measurable. We need it now!” said Jamie Gill, founder, The Outsiders Perspective.

“From retail to the runway, we endeavour for this survey to reinforce a collaborative dialogue across the British fashion industry, about the importance of embedding progressive DEI practices in the workplace. It is imperative that we gain this insight from across all levels of seniority, roles, and identities, allowing us to build a broad understanding of the identities of our workforce, and the ways that we can collectively drive impactful change for those who remain underrepresented,” said Daniel Peters, founder, The (Fashion) Minority Report.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)