The charter, which aims to tackle racism in the public sector, commits organisations and their leaders to having a clear and visible race equality policy, as well as programme of anti-racism initiatives such as training for all staff.
It also includes promoting a diverse workforce, addressing the impact of racism on staff wellbeing, and regularly reviewing strategies to improve racial equality, diversity, and inclusion so the organisation can reflect the communities it serves.
The charter is part of a wider UNISON initiative to combat racism in the workplace. It comes in response to a survey by UNISON in London of 1,000 black workers. This revealed that only 30% felt their employer took race equality seriously.
Additionally, half of those surveyed (51%) also said they had witnessed or been a victim of racial discrimination at work, and 53% said they believed race had prevented them from progressing in their career.
UNISON London regional secretary Jo Galloway said: “It’s great to see the largest NHS trust in London making this commitment to being an anti-racist employer.
“Signing the charter is a great first step and we look forward to working in partnership with Barts Health in implementing it.”
UNISON regional organiser Pam Okuns-Edokpayi said: “We’re thrilled that Barts Health has chosen to sign up to the anti-racism charter, marking a pivotal partnership in our shared commitment to fighting race discrimination.
“Together, we are dedicated to fostering a fairer and more inclusive workplace for all.”
Barts Health group deputy director of people Del Mehet said: “We are proud to be signing the anti-racism charter in partnership with our Unison colleagues.
“This demonstrates our commitment to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation where both our staff and patients are treated with kindness, respect and civility.”
