Cancer Research UK has set out to increase its proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds to 19 per cent by 2027, after belatedly meeting its 16 per cent target earlier this year.

The commitment comes as part of the charity’s second organisation-wide equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, which was launched last week.

The charity said it has made “significant progress” since its first EDI strategy in 2021, which included a commitment to increase the proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds to 16 per cent by the end of 2023 – a target that the charity belatedly met in June this year.

A spokesperson for CRUK said: “Upon the launch of our EDI strategy in 2021, the proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds was 13.6 per cent. 

“We worked hard to increase this over the last three years, reaching 15.3 per cent at the end of 2023. We reached our target of 16 per cent at the end of June 2024.

“This is the result of significant efforts to drive improved diversity at CRUK and whilst we are very proud of this progress, we remain ambitious to go further.”

CRUK’s new EDI strategy includes an aim to increase the proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds from 16 per cent to 19 per cent over the next two years.

The spokesperson said: “We’ll do this by continuing to review and embed EDI considerations into how we recruit staff and volunteers, and developing specific initiatives aimed at bringing underrepresented groups into Cancer Research UK.”

It also includes plans to increase the percentage of people from ethnic minority backgrounds in its top three grades – the roles of executive director, director and head – to at least 12 per cent.

The strategy outlines plans to maintain a minimum of 50 per cent women in its top two pay grades – meaning executive director and director roles.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of CRUK, said that the charity has made “substantial progress” since its first EDI strategy, but said the organisation is “not complacent”.

She said: “Our vision is a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. To get there, we have much more to do and areas to improve. 

“That’s why we’re refreshing our ambitions for the next five years, so we can have an even bigger impact.”

CRUK undertook a comprehensive review to assess the progress and performance of its first EDI strategy to help shape its new one, including by working with an expert consultancy to benchmark its progress against peers. It also consulted those directly impacted by the strategy, including staff, volunteers and people affected by cancer.

CRUK’s new strategy lays out how the charity will build on five strategic priorities, including creating an inclusive and diverse culture for all of its staff and volunteers; ensuring greater inclusion and diversity in its governance and leadership and engaging with people in inclusive and accessible ways.

The charity is also planning to launch an ‘EDI in research’ strategy next year, which will help the charity and its partners to create a more diverse and inclusive cancer research landscape by funding research that addresses cancer inequalities.

Mitchell said: “We need to ensure that the research we fund, and the impact of that research, is felt equally by everyone affected by cancer, a smokefree UK is realised, our expert information is accessible to all, and our culture is inclusive. 

“Achieving our goals means by the end of 2030, we will be an even more inclusive and diverse charity.”