Digital Suppliers, Diversity and Inclusion

Commitment to diversity and inclusion and involving users with lived experience have doubled in importance to charities since last year. 

Each year, we track what charities consider when choosing digital freelancers, agencies or suppliers. 

Very important factors

In order of priority, the factors that over a third of charities rate as very important when choosing digital suppliers are: 

1. Their values and ethics (45%, a significant increase from 33% last year). 
   
   
2. Commitment to diversity and inclusion (42%, more than double the 19% last year).
   
   
3. How the supplier involves users and people with lived experience (34%, which has doubled from 17% in 2024).

Important factors

The following factors are important to over 40% of charities:

• Socially responsible business models (31% say this is very important, up from 26% last year, while 44% say it is important)
  
  
• Commitment to environmental principles (21% say this is very important, up from 17% in 2024, and 44% say this is important) 
  
  
• Diversity in their team (17% say this is very important, up from 9% in 2024, while 41% say it is important).

Suppliers’ commitment to diversity and inclusion

• 45% of small charities say that when they are choosing a digital freelancer, agency or supplier, their commitment to diversity and inclusion is a very important factor. This compares to 36% of large charities. 
  
  
• 55% of infrastructure organisations say this is very important in their selection.
  
  
• 62% of black led organisations say this is a very important factor, as do 66% of disabled and d/Deaf led organisations and 68% of LGBTQI+ organisations.

Black led charities are more likely to prioritise diversity and inclusion

Black led charities are more likely to say the following factors are very important when choosing suppliers:

• Commitment to diversity and inclusion (62%, vs 42% of our main sample)
  
  
• Values and ethics (59%, vs 45% of our main sample)
  
  
• How they involve users/people with lived experience (54%, vs 34% in our main sample)
  
  
• Socially responsible business model (45%, vs 31% in our main sample)
  
  
• Diversity in their team (40%, vs 17% of our main sample).

Overall, it’s very encouraging to see that more charities are prioritising suppliers’ values, ethics, commitment to diversity and inclusion and involvement of users with lived experience when choosing who to work with.