Findings illustrate need to do more to understand barriers to progression, says membership body
A survey of Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) members has shown levels of ethnic diversity remain significantly lower in senior positions than in more junior roles.
For instance, 16.3% of those new to the sector were non-white, whereas this decreased to 12.1% for junior management roles. The figure fell futher to 5.7% for executives and directors and to just 4% for board members (see chart below). The figure for CIH members from ethnic minority backgrounds as a whole is 12.6%.
Cerys Clark, policy and public affairs manager at CIH Cymru, writing for Housing Today, said: “Our census findings indicate that representation from minority ethnic backgrounds declines in more senior roles, suggesting barriers to progression may persist within the sector.
“It is on all of us in the sector to try to understand why this is occurring so that the ethnic diversity of the wider population is reflected at all levels of our organisations.”
The report noted however that only 46% of the 1,686 respondents provided details of their seniority. It said: “The data suggests that further work may be needed to understand progression and representation of ethnically diverse members across different levels of seniority in the housing sector.”
The 2026 census was the first to request data about organisational seniority, alongside new questions on hidden disabilities since the CIH’s first EDI report published in October 2023.
The questions align with the characteristics protected under the Equality Act 2010 and equality legislation in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The report also captured data on language, socio-economic status and educational history.
Of the CIH members who responded to the survey, 64% were female, 10.3% identified as LGBTQ+, 21.7% had a disability and 18% used a minority language. They were also between 45 and 54 years old.
The survey was completed by 1,648 CIH members, representing around 12% of the membership.
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