The RACE Summit 2025 marked the second annual gathering convened by the RACE Report, in collaboration with King’s College London (KCL). RACE stands for Racial Action for the Climate Emergency, a project led by SOS-UK alongside its founding partners: Hindu Climate Action, Nature Youth Connection and Education, and South Asians for Sustainability. The initiative is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Synchronicity Earth, with SOS-UK serving as the accountable organisation.
The RACE Report focuses on UK-based charities and funders working in environmental and conservation spaces, shining a spotlight on the urgent need for greater racial representation within sustainability and climate action efforts. In 2025, 161 organisations participated in the RACE Report, collectively representing more than 28,600 employees. A stark finding revealed that only 4.5% of staff identified as Black or People of Colour (BPOC), compared to 16% across the wider UK workforce highlighting a significant underrepresentation in the sector.
The 2025 summit brought together individuals working in, aspiring to work in, or funding organisations and initiatives committed to transforming equity, diversity, and inclusion across the environmental sector. This year’s theme, Intersectionality and Empowerment, shaped a rich programme of panels, workshops, and networking sessions. Oxford HR was one of the proud sponsors of the event.
Grace Mansah-Owusu and Zoe Greenwood from the Oxford HR team co-facilitated a session titled Successful & Inclusive Recruitment for Organisations. They explored current experiences of recruitment across the sector, introduced models and frameworks to inform inclusive leadership practices, and discussed actionable ideas to embed equity and inclusion more meaningfully into hiring processes. The main message was that inclusion is so much more than recruitment.
It was an incredibly insightful event, attracting leaders, changemakers, and practitioners from across the sector. The energy, openness, and commitment to change was both inspiring and motivating. Oxford HR was delighted to be part of it and recognises the important role we have to play in bringing diverse voices and inclusive practices to the climate sector.
Photo credit: Byran Ferrol
Zoe Greenwood
Zoe has worked for Oxford HR for 6 years, she is Deputy Director for the Europe team and leads the Environment, Climate, Conservation and Sustainability sector specialism in the organisation. Zoe brings specific expertise in co-leadership and inclusive recruitment, and a strong interest in supporting organisations working in advocacy, justice and supply chain transformation. She has led CEO, Board and Director recruitments with a wide range of organisations including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Global Canopy, Ethical Tea Partnership, Positive Money, Manufacture 2030, Womankind, Climate Impact Partners and many more. Before joining Oxford HR, Zoe spent 16 years working in environmental NGOs across Communications, Field Management, Partnerships and Leadership Development. She has led cross-sector partnerships with local organisations, global NGOs and corporates to embed sustainability princples and has worked in some of the most biodiverse parts of the world with climate scientists to design and deliver nature-based behaviour change programmes. In 2018, Zoe co-founded the Climate Change Coaches, an innovative organisation that accelerates the green transition through coaching. Zoe is actively involved in the B-Corp movement.
Dr Grace Mansah-Owusu
Grace is a chartered psychologist, diversity and inclusion expert, trainer, career coach and psychotherapist. She has over twelve years of experience working in people and organisational development, research and facilitation roles in the for purpose sector, academia, transport and logistics and various consultancies. Building on her academic and theoretical knowledge, Grace provides opportunities for people to grow, develop and flourish in the workplace. She is passionate about research, career development and all in all curious about people. Grace has three times been recognised on HR Magazine’s HR Most Influential list for thinkers and practitioners whilst also campaigning for diversity and inclusion within psychology disciplines for over five years. She has also presented at conferences and events for CIPD, HR Magazine, Richmond Events and the British Psychological Society.
